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Database & Data Management · head to head

ClickHouse vs Periscope Data

ClickHouse logo

ClickHouse

Database & Data Management

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Periscope Data logo

Periscope Data

Business Intelligence

SQL and Python analytics platform

From
$1000/month
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; Periscope Data the periscopedata.com domain now redirects to sisense.com, so Periscope Data is no longer sold as a standalone product
  • They diverge on capability: ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, Periscope Data covers SQL Editor.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClickHouse and Periscope Data actually diverge.

Attributes where ClickHouse and Periscope Data differ
AttributeClickHousePeriscope Data
Starting priceFree$1000/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows (via Docker)Web, Cloud
CategoryDatabase & Data ManagementBusiness Intelligence
Founded20212012

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 Periscope Data

  • SQL Editor
  • Python/R Integration
  • Version Control
  • Caching
  • Dashboards
  • Redshift
  • BigQuery
  • Snowflake

Both cover

  • MySQL
  • PostgreSQL
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ClickHouse

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

Periscope Data

  • SQL-based analytics and dashboards over a data warehousenot ClickHouse
  • Python and R analysis alongside SQL in one workflownot ClickHouse
  • Shared dashboards for data 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

Periscope Data

  • The periscopedata.com domain now redirects to sisense.com, so Periscope Data is no longer sold as a standalone product
  • No Periscope Data pricing, plan or seat rate remains published at the original domain
  • Buyers must now purchase through Sisense, whose own pricing is not published as a rate card

Pricing, plan by plan

ClickHouse

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ClickHouse review.

Periscope Data

$1000/month
  • Team$1000/month
    • SQL Analytics
    • Python/R
    • Dashboards
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced Features
    • Custom Integrations
    • Premium Support

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 Periscope Data if

  • You need sql editor.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want python/r integration.
Periscope Data review

Questions people ask

Is ClickHouse or Periscope Data better?
Neither clearly leads. ClickHouse starts at Free and Periscope Data at $1000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ClickHouse or Periscope Data?
ClickHouse has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ClickHouse and $1000/month for Periscope Data.
Does ClickHouse or Periscope Data run on more platforms?
ClickHouse runs on Linux, macOS, Windows (via Docker). Periscope Data runs on Web, Cloud.
Can I use ClickHouse for free?
Yes. ClickHouse has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Periscope Data starts at $1000/month.
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 Periscope Data is typically brought in for.
What can ClickHouse do that Periscope Data cannot?
ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, Real-time Analytics, SQL Support, Linear Scalability. Periscope Data covers SQL Editor, Python/R Integration, Version Control, Caching. Both handle MySQL, PostgreSQL, 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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