Softwr

Database & Data Management · head to head

ArangoDB vs Elasticsearch

ArangoDB logo

ArangoDB

Database & Data Management

Multi-model database for graph, document, and search

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Elasticsearch logo

Elasticsearch

Database & Data Management

The heart of the Elastic Stack for search and 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; Elasticsearch eventual consistency model with 1-second default refresh interval, not suitable for real-time transactional requirements
  • They diverge on capability: ArangoDB covers Multi-model Support, Elasticsearch covers Real-time Analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ArangoDB and Elasticsearch actually diverge.

Attributes where ArangoDB and Elasticsearch differ
AttributeArangoDBElasticsearch
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, WebLinux, Windows, macOS, Docker, Kubernetes
Founded20142010

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

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
  • ACID Transactions
  • SmartGraphs
  • Satellite Collections
  • Foxx Microservices
  • Pregel

Only in Elasticsearch

  • Real-time Analytics
  • Distributed Architecture
  • RESTful API
  • Schema-free JSON
  • Aggregations
  • Machine Learning
  • Kibana
  • Logstash

Both cover

  • Full-text Search
  • Linux support
  • Windows 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 Elasticsearch
  • Vector and full-text search alongside graph traversalnot Elasticsearch
  • Avoiding separate stores for related and unstructured datanot Elasticsearch
  • Backing AI applications needing both graph context and vectorsnot Elasticsearch

Elasticsearch

  • Real-time applicationsnot ArangoDB
  • Content managementnot ArangoDB
  • User profilesnot ArangoDB
  • Mobile backendsnot ArangoDB
  • Cachingnot 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

Elasticsearch

  • Eventual consistency model with 1-second default refresh interval, not suitable for real-time transactional requirements
  • No support for ACID transactions or rollbacks; updates delete and re-insert documents
  • JVM-dependent architecture requires careful memory management and monitoring to prevent garbage collection issues at scale

Pricing, plan by plan

ArangoDB

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

Elasticsearch

Free
  • Self-ManagedFree
    • Open source
    • Self-hosted
  • Elasticsearch Cloud$16.4/month
    • Managed service
    • 14-day free trial

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 Elasticsearch if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want distributed architecture.
Elasticsearch review

Questions people ask

Is ArangoDB or Elasticsearch better?
Neither clearly leads. ArangoDB starts at Free and Elasticsearch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArangoDB or Elasticsearch?
ArangoDB starts at Free and Elasticsearch at Free.
Does ArangoDB or Elasticsearch run on more platforms?
ArangoDB runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web. Elasticsearch runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker, Kubernetes.
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 Elasticsearch is typically brought in for.
What can ArangoDB do that Elasticsearch cannot?
ArangoDB covers Multi-model Support, AQL Query Language, Graph Traversals, ACID Transactions. Elasticsearch covers Real-time Analytics, Distributed Architecture, RESTful API, Schema-free JSON. Both handle Full-text Search, Linux support, Windows support, Mac support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Elasticsearch: Is Elasticsearch free?

Yes, Elasticsearch can be deployed as free and open-source software for self-managed installations. Elastic Cloud managed service starts at $16.40 per month, with a free 14-day trial available.

Source
Elasticsearch: Can I use Elasticsearch without Kibana?

Yes, Elasticsearch is a search engine independent of Kibana. Kibana is a visualization and analytics tool that works with Elasticsearch but is optional. You can use the Elasticsearch API directly for searching.

Source
Elasticsearch: Does Elasticsearch support real-time indexing?

Elasticsearch indexes data with a refresh interval, typically 1 second. Data becomes searchable after the refresh cycle, making it near-real-time but not instantaneous. This can be configured but impacts performance.

Source
Elasticsearch: What are Elasticsearch's scaling limitations?

Elasticsearch requires careful operational management at scale, including shard balancing, heap sizing, and monitoring. Large clusters can suffer from garbage collection issues and become expensive to operate.

Source
Elasticsearch: Does Elasticsearch support transactions and rollbacks?

No, Elasticsearch does not support ACID transactions or rollbacks. Updates are expensive operations that delete and re-insert documents, making it unsuitable for transactional workloads.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on ArangoDB

More on Elasticsearch

Keep looking

Other head to heads