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Databases · head to head

ArangoDB vs ClickHouse

ArangoDB logo

ArangoDB

Databases

Multi-model database for graph, document, and search

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ClickHouse logo

ClickHouse

Databases

Fast open-source column-oriented database for real-time analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ArangoDB the company has repositioned around a wider platform, so ArangoDB is now described as the foundation inside Arango rather than the product itself; ClickHouse limited multi-row atomic transactions and expensive UPDATE/DELETE operations unsuitable for transactional systems
  • They diverge on capability: ArangoDB covers Multi-model Support, ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ArangoDB and ClickHouse actually diverge.

Attributes where ArangoDB and ClickHouse differ
AttributeArangoDBClickHouse
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, WebLinux, macOS, Windows (via Docker)
Founded20142021

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

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 ArangoDB

  • Multi-model Support
  • AQL Query Language
  • Graph Traversals
  • Full-text Search
  • ACID Transactions
  • SmartGraphs
  • Satellite Collections
  • Foxx Microservices

Only in ClickHouse

  • Column-oriented Storage
  • Real-time Analytics
  • SQL Support
  • Linear Scalability
  • Data Compression
  • Vectorized Query Execution
  • Approximate Calculations
  • S3

Both cover

  • Kafka
  • Linux support
  • Mac support
  • Docker support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ArangoDB

  • Graph, document and key-value data in one databasenot ClickHouse
  • Vector and full-text search alongside graph traversalnot ClickHouse
  • Avoiding separate stores for related and unstructured datanot ClickHouse
  • Backing AI applications needing both graph context and vectorsnot ClickHouse

ClickHouse

  • Business intelligencenot ArangoDB
  • Data warehousingnot ArangoDB
  • Real-time analyticsnot ArangoDB
  • Reportingnot ArangoDB
  • Machine learningnot ArangoDB

Where each one falls short

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

ArangoDB

  • The company has repositioned around a wider platform, so ArangoDB is now described as the foundation inside Arango rather than the product itself
  • Neither the community licence terms nor cloud pricing are stated on the main site
  • arangodb.com redirects to arango.ai

ClickHouse

  • Limited multi-row atomic transactions and expensive UPDATE/DELETE operations unsuitable for transactional systems
  • Requires upfront schema design discipline with MergeTree engine choices and sort/partition keys
  • Experimental vector search support, not production-ready for vector operations
  • Different query syntax from standard SQL requiring migration planning
  • Limited JOIN capabilities compared to traditional relational databases
  • Migration complexity with 2-4 weeks estimated for data type mapping and query translation

Pricing, plan by plan

ArangoDB

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • All data models
    • AQL queries
    • Full-text search
  • ArangoGraph$99/month
    • Managed service
    • Graph analytics
    • Enterprise support

ClickHouse

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ClickHouse review.

Which should you pick?

Choose ArangoDB if

  • You need multi-model support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want aql query language.
ArangoDB review

Choose ClickHouse if

  • You need column-oriented storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows (via Docker).
  • You also want real-time analytics.
ClickHouse review

Questions people ask

Is ArangoDB or ClickHouse better?
Neither clearly leads. ArangoDB starts at Free and ClickHouse at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArangoDB or ClickHouse?
ArangoDB starts at Free and ClickHouse at Free.
Does ArangoDB or ClickHouse run on more platforms?
ArangoDB runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web. ClickHouse runs on Linux, macOS, Windows (via Docker).
Can I use ArangoDB for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ArangoDB best used for?
ArangoDB is most often used for graph, document and key-value data in one database, vector and full-text search alongside graph traversal, avoiding separate stores for related and unstructured data, backing ai applications needing both graph context and vectors. Of those, graph, document and key-value data in one database and vector and full-text search alongside graph traversal are not what ClickHouse is typically brought in for.
What can ArangoDB do that ClickHouse cannot?
ArangoDB covers Multi-model Support, AQL Query Language, Graph Traversals, Full-text Search. ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, Real-time Analytics, SQL Support, Linear Scalability. Both handle Kafka, Linux support, Mac support, Docker support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ArangoDB: How is ArangoDB priced?

ArangoDB offers Community Edition (free) and Enterprise Edition. Pricing is customized based on deployment model (self-managed, managed cloud AWS/GCP, or OEM/embedded) and customer requirements. Contact Arango for a quote.

Source
ClickHouse: What is ClickHouse best used for?

ClickHouse is optimized for analytical workloads on large datasets. It excels at fast aggregations and queries, being 10-100x faster than PostgreSQL on large aggregations.

Source
ArangoDB: What deployment options does ArangoDB offer?

ArangoDB can be deployed self-managed on customer infrastructure, as managed cloud (Arango Managed Platform on AWS/GCP), or as OEM/embedded solutions.

Source
ClickHouse: Does ClickHouse support transactions?

ClickHouse has limited transaction support and expensive UPDATE/DELETE operations. It is not suitable for transactional workloads requiring strict ACID guarantees.

Source
ClickHouse: How does ClickHouse compare to PostgreSQL?

ClickHouse is 10-100x faster for analytics but PostgreSQL is better for transactional workloads. Many teams use both: PostgreSQL for writes via MaterializedPostgreSQL replication to ClickHouse for analytics.

Source
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