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Database & Data Management · head to head

ClickHouse vs ScyllaDB

ClickHouse logo

ClickHouse

Database & Data Management

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ScyllaDB logo

ScyllaDB

Database & Data Management

The real-time big data database compatible with Cassandra

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; ScyllaDB aWS Marketplace lists ScyllaDB Enterprise (sold directly by ScyllaDB, Inc) at $1.63 per hour for the recommended i3.4xlarge instance size, license and enterprise support bundled in
  • They diverge on capability: ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, ScyllaDB covers Cassandra Compatible.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClickHouse and ScyllaDB actually diverge.

Attributes where ClickHouse and ScyllaDB differ
AttributeClickHouseScyllaDB
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows (via Docker)Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Web
Founded20212015

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
  • S3

Only in ScyllaDB

  • Cassandra Compatible
  • DynamoDB Compatible
  • 10x Throughput
  • Low Latency
  • Auto-tuning
  • Lightweight Transactions
  • Change Data Capture
  • Cassandra Drivers

Both cover

  • Kafka
  • Linux support
  • Docker support
  • Kubernetes support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ClickHouse

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

ScyllaDB

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

ScyllaDB

  • AWS Marketplace lists ScyllaDB Enterprise (sold directly by ScyllaDB, Inc) at $1.63 per hour for the recommended i3.4xlarge instance size, license and enterprise support bundled in

Pricing, plan by plan

ClickHouse

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ClickHouse review.

ScyllaDB

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full features
    • Community support
    • Self-managed
  • Cloud$0.3/hour
    • Managed service
    • Pay per hour
    • Enterprise 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 ScyllaDB if

  • You need cassandra compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Web.
  • You also want dynamodb compatible.
ScyllaDB review

Questions people ask

Is ClickHouse or ScyllaDB better?
Neither clearly leads. ClickHouse starts at Free and ScyllaDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ClickHouse or ScyllaDB?
ClickHouse starts at Free and ScyllaDB at Free.
Does ClickHouse or ScyllaDB run on more platforms?
ClickHouse runs on Linux, macOS, Windows (via Docker). ScyllaDB runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Web.
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 ScyllaDB is typically brought in for.
What can ClickHouse do that ScyllaDB cannot?
ClickHouse covers Column-oriented Storage, Real-time Analytics, SQL Support, Linear Scalability. ScyllaDB covers Cassandra Compatible, DynamoDB Compatible, 10x Throughput, Low Latency. Both handle Kafka, Linux support, Docker support, Kubernetes 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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