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Databases · head to head

Apache Pinot vs Cyfe

Apache Pinot logo

Apache Pinot

Databases

Real-time distributed OLAP datastore for analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cyfe logo

Cyfe

Business Intelligence

All-in-one business dashboard

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apache Pinot self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service; Cyfe dashboards are the billing unit, at 2 on the $29 Starter plan and 5 on the $39 Standard plan
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, Cyfe covers Pre-built Widgets.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Pinot and Cyfe actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Pinot and Cyfe differ
AttributeApache PinotCyfe
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Mobile, Tv
CategoryDatabasesBusiness Intelligence
Founded19992012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apache Pinot

  • Real-time Analytics
  • Column-oriented
  • Distributed Processing
  • SQL Support
  • Pluggable Indexing
  • Star-tree Index
  • Upsert Support
  • Kafka

Only in Cyfe

  • Pre-built Widgets
  • Custom Metrics
  • Historical Data
  • White-labeling
  • Embedding
  • Google Analytics
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apache Pinot

  • Sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested datanot Cyfe
  • User-facing dashboards inside a productnot Cyfe
  • Real-time metrics at high ingest ratesnot Cyfe
  • Petabyte-scale analytics as run at LinkedIn and Ubernot Cyfe

Cyfe

  • Building business dashboards from marketing, sales and finance sourcesnot Apache Pinot
  • Displaying live metrics on office screens and shared public URLsnot Apache Pinot

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apache Pinot

  • Self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service
  • Managed hosting comes from third parties such as StarTree rather than from the project
  • Built for user-facing real-time OLAP, so it is not a general purpose database

Cyfe

  • Dashboards are the billing unit, at 2 on the $29 Starter plan and 5 on the $39 Standard plan
  • Users are capped separately, at 1 on Starter and 2 on Standard, so a two person team needs the second tier for seats alone
  • Unlimited users only appears on the $119 Premier plan
  • Additional dashboards beyond a plan are $5 each
  • The Agency plan includes 10 clients with further clients at $19 each

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Pinot

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Real-time analytics
    • SQL queries
    • Horizontal scaling

Cyfe

Free
  • Starter$29/month
    • 2 Dashboards
    • 1 User
    • 14-day free trial
  • Standard$39/month
    • 5 Dashboards
    • 2 Users
    • 14-day free trial
  • Pro$65/month
    • 10 Dashboards
    • 5 Users
    • 14-day free trial
  • Premier$119/month
    • 20 Dashboards
    • Unlimited Users
    • Additional dashboards available at $5 per dashboard

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Pinot if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want column-oriented.
Apache Pinot review

Choose Cyfe if

  • You need pre-built widgets.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Tv.
  • You also want custom metrics.
Cyfe review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Pinot or Cyfe better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Pinot starts at Free and Cyfe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Pinot or Cyfe?
Apache Pinot starts at Free and Cyfe at Free.
Does Apache Pinot or Cyfe run on more platforms?
Apache Pinot runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Cyfe runs on Web, Mobile, Tv.
Can I use Apache Pinot for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Pinot best used for?
Apache Pinot is most often used for sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested data, user-facing dashboards inside a product, real-time metrics at high ingest rates, petabyte-scale analytics as run at linkedin and uber. Of those, sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested data and user-facing dashboards inside a product are not what Cyfe is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Pinot do that Cyfe cannot?
Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, Column-oriented, Distributed Processing, SQL Support. Cyfe covers Pre-built Widgets, Custom Metrics, Historical Data, White-labeling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache Pinot: How much does Apache Pinot cost?

Apache Pinot is free and open-source. It is provided under the Apache License, which allows free use, modification, and distribution.

Source
Cyfe: How much does Cyfe cost?

Cyfe offers five subscription plans: Starter at $29/month (2 dashboards, 1 user), Standard at $39/month (5 dashboards, 2 users), Pro at $65/month (10 dashboards, 5 users), Premier at $119/month (20 dashboards, unlimited users), and Agency at $190/month (100 dashboards, 15 users, 10 clients).

Source
Apache Pinot: Is Apache Pinot free for commercial use?

Yes. Apache Pinot is licensed under the Apache License, which explicitly permits commercial use at no cost.

Source
Cyfe: What features are included in all Cyfe plans?

All Cyfe tiers include unlimited history, TV mode for dashboard displays, public shareable URLs, custom logos and themes, custom SSL domain support, unlimited data exports, and embedded analytics capabilities. The 14-day free trial is available for every plan.

Source
Apache Pinot: Can I run Apache Pinot locally or with Docker?

Yes. Apache Pinot offers a Docker quickstart and free downloads of the latest version (1.5.1 at the time of the page). You are responsible for hosting and infrastructure.

Source
Cyfe: What is included in Cyfe's Agency plan?

The Agency plan at $190/month includes 100 dashboards, 15 users, and 10 clients. Additional clients cost $19 each. The plan provides 100% white label branding, branded widgets, custom CSS, and full client management features.

Source
Apache Pinot: Are there restrictions on how I can use Apache Pinot?

The Apache License permits unrestricted use, but requires retention of license notices and statements. No usage limits or feature restrictions are enforced.

Source
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