Database & Data Management · head to head
ClickHouse vs DuckDB
ClickHouse
Database & Data Management
Fast open-source column-oriented database for real-time analytics
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: ClickHouse limited multi-row atomic transactions and expensive UPDATE/DELETE operations unsuitable for transactional systems; DuckDB client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios
- They diverge on capability: ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, DuckDB covers In-process Execution.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which ClickHouse and DuckDB actually diverge.
| Attribute | ClickHouse | DuckDB |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Unknown | open-source |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows (via Docker) | Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly |
| Founded | 2021 | 2019 |
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 ClickHouse
- Column-oriented Storage
- Real-time Analytics
- SQL Support
- Linear Scalability
- Data Compression
- Vectorized Query Execution
- Approximate Calculations
- Kafka
Only in DuckDB
- In-process Execution
- Columnar Storage
- Vectorized Execution
- Rich SQL Support
- Parquet Support
- CSV/JSON Import
- Zero Dependencies
- Python
Both cover
- Linux support
- Mac support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
ClickHouse
- Business intelligencenot DuckDB
- Data warehousingnot DuckDB
- Real-time analyticsnot DuckDB
- Reportingnot DuckDB
- Machine learningnot DuckDB
DuckDB
- Analytics and data warehousingnot ClickHouse
- OLAP queries and data explorationnot ClickHouse
- Data science and machine learning workflowsnot ClickHouse
- Multi-format data ingestion and processingnot ClickHouse
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
DuckDB
- Client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios
Pricing, plan by plan
ClickHouse
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the ClickHouse review.
DuckDB
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the DuckDB review.
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose DuckDB if
- You need in-process execution.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly.
- You also want columnar storage.
Questions people ask
- Is ClickHouse or DuckDB better?
- Neither clearly leads. ClickHouse starts at Free and DuckDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ClickHouse or DuckDB?
- ClickHouse starts at Free and DuckDB at Free.
- Does ClickHouse or DuckDB run on more platforms?
- ClickHouse runs on Linux, macOS, Windows (via Docker). DuckDB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly.
- Can I use ClickHouse for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is ClickHouse best used for?
- ClickHouse is most often used for business intelligence, data warehousing, real-time analytics, reporting. Of those, business intelligence and data warehousing are not what DuckDB is typically brought in for.
- What can ClickHouse do that DuckDB cannot?
- ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, Real-time Analytics, SQL Support, Linear Scalability. DuckDB covers In-process Execution, Columnar Storage, Vectorized Execution, Rich SQL Support. Both handle Linux support, Mac support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceClickHouse: 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.
SourceClickHouse: 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