Database & Data Management · head to head
ArangoDB vs Cockroach Labs
ArangoDB
Database & Data Management
Multi-model database for graph, document, and search
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Cockroach Labs
Database & Data Management
The cloud-native distributed SQL database
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
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; Cockroach Labs basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
- They diverge on capability: ArangoDB covers Multi-model Support, Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which ArangoDB and Cockroach Labs actually diverge.
| Attribute | ArangoDB | Cockroach Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web | AWS, GCP, Azure |
| Category | Unknown | Database & Data Management |
| Founded | 2014 | 2015 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 ArangoDB
- Multi-model Support
- AQL Query Language
- Graph Traversals
- Full-text Search
- SmartGraphs
- Satellite Collections
- Foxx Microservices
- Pregel
Only in Cockroach Labs
- Distributed SQL
- Automatic Sharding
- Multi-region Replication
- Geo-partitioning
- Horizontal Scaling
- Survivability
- PostgreSQL Compatibility
- Terraform
Both cover
- ACID Transactions
- Kubernetes
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 Cockroach Labs
- Vector and full-text search alongside graph traversalnot Cockroach Labs
- Avoiding separate stores for related and unstructured datanot Cockroach Labs
- Backing AI applications needing both graph context and vectorsnot Cockroach Labs
Cockroach Labs
- Distributed SQL database for scalable applicationsnot ArangoDB
- Multi-region deployment and failovernot 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
Cockroach Labs
- Basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
- Azure support restricted to Advanced tier only
- Basic tier limited to 50 million RUs and 10 GiB storage per month
- Advanced tier starts at $0.60/hour for 4 vCPUs minimum
- 3 TiB maximum storage on Basic and Standard tiers, 10 TiB per node on Advanced
Pricing, plan by plan
ArangoDB
Free- CommunityFree
- All data models
- AQL queries
- Full-text search
- ArangoGraph$99/month
- Managed service
- Graph analytics
- Enterprise support
Cockroach Labs
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs 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.
Choose Cockroach Labs if
- You need distributed sql.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS, GCP, Azure.
- You also want automatic sharding.
Questions people ask
- Is ArangoDB or Cockroach Labs better?
- Neither clearly leads. ArangoDB starts at Free and Cockroach Labs at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ArangoDB or Cockroach Labs?
- ArangoDB starts at Free and Cockroach Labs at Free.
- Does ArangoDB or Cockroach Labs run on more platforms?
- ArangoDB runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web. Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure.
- 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 Cockroach Labs is typically brought in for.
- What can ArangoDB do that Cockroach Labs cannot?
- ArangoDB covers Multi-model Support, AQL Query Language, Graph Traversals, Full-text Search. Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. Both handle ACID Transactions, Kubernetes.