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Databases · head to head

Apache Pinot vs SolarWinds

Apache Pinot logo

Apache Pinot

Databases

Real-time distributed OLAP datastore for analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SolarWinds

Energy

Solar asset performance monitoring and management

From
$2/kW/month
Rated
-
Full review

The short version

  • Only Apache Pinot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apache Pinot self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service; SolarWinds website uses outdated NetObjects Fusion 2015 tools, suggesting legacy technical infrastructure
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, SolarWinds covers Real-time monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apache Pinot and SolarWinds differ
AttributeApache PinotSolarWinds
Starting priceFree$2/kW/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Mobile, Api
CategoryDatabasesEnergy
Founded19992015

Identical on both: 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 SolarWinds

  • Real-time monitoring
  • Performance analytics
  • Alarm management
  • O&M workflows
  • Reporting
  • Benchmarking
  • Weather integration
  • Financial tracking

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 SolarWinds
  • User-facing dashboards inside a productnot SolarWinds
  • Real-time metrics at high ingest ratesnot SolarWinds
  • Petabyte-scale analytics as run at LinkedIn and Ubernot SolarWinds

SolarWinds

  • Solar monitoringnot Apache Pinot
  • Performance optimizationnot Apache Pinot
  • O&M managementnot Apache Pinot
  • Portfolio reportingnot Apache Pinot
  • Investor reportingnot 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

SolarWinds

  • Website uses outdated NetObjects Fusion 2015 tools, suggesting legacy technical infrastructure
  • No specific product models, brands, or technical specifications listed for offered solutions
  • Geographic service area boundaries unclear; only mentions San Francisco Bay Area and Central California
  • Minimal customer engagement features; lacks testimonials, project galleries, financing calculators, or online quote forms
  • Email contact discrepancy between display text ([email protected]) and actual mailto link ([email protected])

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Pinot

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

SolarWinds

$2/kW/month
  • Monitor$2/kW/month
    • Real-time monitoring
    • Performance tracking
    • Alerts
  • Optimize$4/kW/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Degradation analysis
    • Benchmarking
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Portfolio management
    • Custom integrations
    • Financial modeling

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 SolarWinds if

  • You need real-time monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want performance analytics.
SolarWinds review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Pinot or SolarWinds better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Pinot starts at Free and SolarWinds at $2/kW/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Pinot or SolarWinds?
Apache Pinot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apache Pinot and $2/kW/month for SolarWinds.
Does Apache Pinot or SolarWinds run on more platforms?
Apache Pinot runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. SolarWinds runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
Can I use Apache Pinot for free?
Yes. Apache Pinot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SolarWinds starts at $2/kW/month.
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 SolarWinds is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Pinot do that SolarWinds cannot?
Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, Column-oriented, Distributed Processing, SQL Support. SolarWinds covers Real-time monitoring, Performance analytics, Alarm management, O&M workflows.

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
SolarWinds: What geographic areas does SolarWinds Energy serve?

SolarWinds Energy serves the San Francisco Bay Area and Central California regions, but the exact service area boundaries are not clearly defined on their website.

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
SolarWinds: What solar and renewable products does SolarWinds Energy offer?

SolarWinds Energy specializes in energy efficiency and renewable technologies including solar energy systems and attic ventilation solutions, but specific product models and technical specifications are not published online.

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
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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