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Cockroach Labs vs Apache Druid

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Software

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apache Druid logo

Apache Druid

Software

Real-time analytics database for sub-second OLAP queries

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cockroach Labs basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only); Apache Druid open-source offering lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features
  • They diverge on capability: Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Apache Druid covers Real-time Ingestion.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cockroach Labs and Apache Druid actually diverge.

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and Apache Druid differ
AttributeCockroach LabsApache Druid
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureDocker, Kubernetes, Native deployment (Java-based)
Founded20151999

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 Cockroach Labs

  • Distributed SQL
  • Automatic Sharding
  • Multi-region Replication
  • Geo-partitioning
  • ACID Transactions
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Survivability
  • PostgreSQL Compatibility

Only in Apache Druid

  • Real-time Ingestion
  • Sub-second Queries
  • Column-oriented Storage
  • Streaming Integration
  • Approximate Algorithms
  • Flexible Schemas
  • Time-based Partitioning
  • Kafka

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

  • Distributed SQL database for scalable applicationsnot Apache Druid
  • Multi-region deployment and failovernot Apache Druid

Apache Druid

  • Real-time analytics platforms ingesting millions of events per second from streaming sourcesnot Cockroach Labs
  • Applications requiring sub-second queries over high-cardinality datasets (billions to trillions of rows)not Cockroach Labs
  • Time-series and event analysis at massive scale with columnar storage efficiencynot Cockroach Labs

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cockroach Labs

  • Basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
  • Azure support restricted to Advanced tier only
  • Basic tier limited to 50 million RUs and 10 GiB storage per month
  • Advanced tier starts at $0.60/hour for 4 vCPUs minimum
  • 3 TiB maximum storage on Basic and Standard tiers, 10 TiB per node on Advanced

Apache Druid

  • Open-source offering lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features
  • Requires native integration with Apache Kafka or Amazon Kinesis for real-time ingestion; custom integrations need development
  • High-concurrency query support (hundreds of thousands QPS) requires significant cluster infrastructure investment

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

Apache Druid

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apache Druid review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Cockroach Labs if

  • You need distributed sql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS, GCP, Azure.
  • You also want automatic sharding.
Cockroach Labs review

Choose Apache Druid if

  • You need real-time ingestion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Native deployment (Java-based).
  • You also want sub-second queries.
Apache Druid review

Questions people ask

Is Cockroach Labs or Apache Druid better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs starts at Free and Apache Druid at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cockroach Labs or Apache Druid?
Cockroach Labs starts at Free and Apache Druid at Free.
Does Cockroach Labs or Apache Druid run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. Apache Druid runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Native deployment (Java-based).
Can I use Cockroach Labs for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cockroach Labs best used for?
Cockroach Labs is most often used for distributed sql database for scalable applications, multi-region deployment and failover. Of those, distributed sql database for scalable applications and multi-region deployment and failover are not what Apache Druid is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that Apache Druid cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. Apache Druid covers Real-time Ingestion, Sub-second Queries, Column-oriented Storage, Streaming Integration.
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