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Databases · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs dbt

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Databases

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
dbt logo

dbt

Databases

SQL transformation framework enabling analytics engineers to version, test and deploy models

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); dbt free tier severely limited: 3,000 models/month cap and single project maximum restricts team and production use
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 2 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cockroach Labs and dbt actually diverge.

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and dbt differ
AttributeCockroach Labsdbt
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription|free
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureCloud, Self-hosted, IDE integration (VS Code, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf)
Founded2015Unknown

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

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 dbt

Nothing recorded that Cockroach Labs does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

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

dbt

  • Data warehouse transformation and ELT pipelinesnot Cockroach Labs
  • Analytics engineering for reporting and business intelligencenot Cockroach Labs
  • Data quality testing and validation at scalenot Cockroach Labs
  • Cross-functional data collaboration with version controlnot Cockroach Labs
  • Cost optimisation of warehouse usage through intelligent schedulingnot 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

dbt

  • Free tier severely limited: 3,000 models/month cap and single project maximum restricts team and production use
  • Starter at $1,200/year per seat: minimum 5-seat team costs $6,000/year baseline; no single-seat or 2-seat paid option
  • Enterprise pricing opaque: 'custom pricing' with no budget range for startups vs. enterprises; requires sales consultation
  • Model volume metering unclear: 'successful models/month' as a limit is ambiguous; unclear if this counts transformation runs, test runs, or deployment attempts

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

dbt

Free
  • DeveloperFree
  • Starter$100/seat/month
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
  • Enterprise+$undefined/mo

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 dbt if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Self-hosted, IDE integration (VS Code, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf).
dbt review

Questions people ask

Is Cockroach Labs or dbt better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs starts at Free and dbt at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cockroach Labs or dbt?
Cockroach Labs starts at Free and dbt at Free.
Does Cockroach Labs or dbt run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. dbt runs on Cloud, Self-hosted, IDE integration (VS Code, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf).
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 dbt is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that dbt cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cockroach Labs: What does the free Basic tier include?

The Basic tier is free and includes 50 million RUs and 10 GiB storage per month, with a maximum compute of 30K RU/sec. No credit card is required to start.

Source
dbt: How much does dbt cost?

dbt Developer is free. dbt Starter is $100/seat/month with a 5-seat minimum (or custom annual billing). Enterprise and Enterprise+ have custom pricing and require contacting sales.

Source
Cockroach Labs: How much do the paid tiers cost?

Standard tier starts at $0.18 per hour for 2 vCPUs, and Advanced tier starts at $0.60 per hour for 4 vCPUs. Both tiers support additional resources with higher costs for increased compute and storage.

Source
dbt: What is included in the free Developer plan?

The Developer plan is free and includes 1 developer seat, 3,000 successful models/month limit, 1 project, browser-based IDE, MFA, and job scheduling.

Source
Cockroach Labs: What are the storage limits for each tier?

Basic plan supports up to 3 TiB storage, Standard tier up to 3 TiB, and Advanced tier up to 10 TiB per node with unlimited total storage.

Source
dbt: What is the model limit on each plan?

Developer tier allows 3,000 successful models/month. Starter allows 15,000/month. Enterprise and Enterprise+ allow 100,000/month.

Source
Cockroach Labs: Can I get trial credits before paying?

Yes, new users can try CockroachDB free with $400 in credits. The Basic and Standard plans do not require a credit card to start.

Source
dbt: Can I upgrade or downgrade my dbt plan?

Yes. dbt allows you to 'upgrade or downgrade at any time.' Starter plans bill monthly by credit card based on seat count; Enterprise plans are annual invoicing.

Source
Cockroach Labs: Do legacy contracts have different pricing?

Customers with annual or multi-year contracts entered before December 1, 2024 can view legacy pricing terms on a separate page, which apply until their contract renewal date.

Source
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