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Database & Data Management · head to head

ClickHouse vs Hive

ClickHouse logo

ClickHouse

Database & Data Management

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hive logo

Hive

Project Management

Project management built for speed

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ClickHouse has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ClickHouse limited multi-row atomic transactions and expensive UPDATE/DELETE operations unsuitable for transactional systems; Hive the free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, Hive covers Tasks.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClickHouse and Hive actually diverge.

Attributes where ClickHouse and Hive differ
AttributeClickHouseHive
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows (via Docker)Web, Ios, Android, Desktop
CategoryDatabase & Data ManagementProject Management
Founded20212015

Identical on both: 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 ClickHouse

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

Only in Hive

  • Tasks
  • Gantt view
  • Kanban
  • Time tracking
  • Forms
  • Slack
  • Zoom
  • Google Drive

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ClickHouse

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

Hive

  • Project and task management with multiple project viewsnot ClickHouse
  • Coordinating work, proofing and resourcing for teamsnot 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

Hive

  • The free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage
  • The Starter plan at $5 per user per month is limited to 10 projects
  • Eight capabilities are sold as $5 per user add ons on the Teams plan, including CRM, timesheets, proofing, resourcing, advanced dashboards, external users and SSO
  • Buying SSO plus a few of those add ons therefore costs more than the $12 base seat itself
  • AI credits are metered monthly at 1,000, 3,000 and 5,000 by plan

Pricing, plan by plan

ClickHouse

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ClickHouse review.

Hive

On request
  • FreeFree
    • Basic features
    • 10 users
  • Teams$12/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Time tracking
    • Automations

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 Hive if

  • You need tasks.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want gantt view.
Hive review

Questions people ask

Is ClickHouse or Hive better?
Neither clearly leads. ClickHouse starts at Free and Hive at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ClickHouse or Hive?
ClickHouse has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ClickHouse and On request for Hive.
Does ClickHouse or Hive run on more platforms?
ClickHouse runs on Linux, macOS, Windows (via Docker). Hive runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
Can I use ClickHouse for free?
Yes. ClickHouse has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hive starts at On request.
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 Hive is typically brought in for.
What can ClickHouse do that Hive cannot?
ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, Real-time Analytics, SQL Support, Linear Scalability. Hive covers Tasks, Gantt view, Kanban, Time tracking. 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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