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ClickHouse vs Hetzner Cloud

ClickHouse logo

ClickHouse

Software

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hetzner Cloud logo

Hetzner Cloud

Software

Affordable cloud servers in Europe

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ClickHouse limited multi-row atomic transactions and expensive UPDATE/DELETE operations unsuitable for transactional systems; Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • They diverge on capability: ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClickHouse and Hetzner Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where ClickHouse and Hetzner Cloud differ
AttributeClickHouseHetzner Cloud
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows (via Docker)Web, Api, Cli
Founded20211997

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

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 Hetzner Cloud

  • Cloud servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Networks
  • Firewalls
  • Floating IPs
  • Backups

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ClickHouse

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

Hetzner Cloud

  • Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot ClickHouse
  • European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot ClickHouse
  • Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot ClickHouse
  • Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot 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

Hetzner Cloud

  • Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
  • Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
  • The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
  • Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel

Pricing, plan by plan

ClickHouse

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ClickHouse review.

Hetzner Cloud

Free
  • CX11$3.29/month
    • 1 vCPU
    • 1GB RAM
    • 25GB SSD
  • CX21$6.59/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 4GB RAM
    • 40GB SSD

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.
ClickHouse review

Choose Hetzner Cloud if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want block storage.
Hetzner Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is ClickHouse or Hetzner Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. ClickHouse starts at Free and Hetzner Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ClickHouse or Hetzner Cloud?
ClickHouse starts at Free and Hetzner Cloud at Free.
Does ClickHouse or Hetzner Cloud run on more platforms?
ClickHouse runs on Linux, macOS, Windows (via Docker). Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli.
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 Hetzner Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can ClickHouse do that Hetzner Cloud cannot?
ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, Real-time Analytics, SQL Support, Linear Scalability. Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. Both handle Web 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.

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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Related pages

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