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Databases · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs Deno

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Databases

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Cockroach LabsFull review
Deno logo

Deno

Developer Tools

A fast, open-source, fully Node-compatible JS runtime with TypeScript baked right in

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit DenoFull review

The short version

  • Cockroach Labs is free; Deno starts at $20/mo.
  • Where Cockroach Labs falls short: basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only).
  • Where Deno falls short: egress bandwidth overage costs $0.20/GB which can become expensive for high-traffic applications.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and Deno differ
AttributeCockroach LabsDeno
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureWeb
CategoryDatabasesDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Freemium), free tier (Yes).

Not yet recorded: founded for Deno.

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 Deno

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 Deno
  • Multi-region deployment and failovernot Deno

Deno

  • Running TypeScript natively without transpilation overheadnot Cockroach Labs
  • Migrating Node.js applications to secure-by-default runtimenot Cockroach Labs
  • Deploying edge functions and serverless containers seamlesslynot Cockroach Labs
  • Consolidating developer tools into single binarynot 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

Deno

  • Egress bandwidth overage costs $0.20/GB which can become expensive for high-traffic applications
  • CPU time overage is $0.10/hour on Pro and Builder tiers, adding to costs for compute-intensive workloads
  • Enterprise pricing is not disclosed; requires sales contact

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

Deno

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 million requests/month
    • 20GB egress bandwidth
    • 10 apps
  • Pro$20/mo
    • 5 million requests/month
    • 200GB egress
    • 50 apps
  • Builder$200/mo
    • 25 million requests/month
    • 2,000GB egress
    • 10,000 apps
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Custom limits on all metrics
    • 99.95% reliability SLA
    • Email support with SLA

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 Deno if

  • You want to start without paying.
Deno review

Questions people ask

Is Cockroach Labs or Deno better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs starts at Free and Deno at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cockroach Labs or Deno?
Cockroach Labs starts at Free and Deno at Free.
Does Cockroach Labs or Deno run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. Deno runs on Web.
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 Deno is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that Deno 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
Deno: How much does Deno Deploy cost?

Deno Deploy offers a free tier at $0/month, Pro at $20/month, and Builder at $200/month. Enterprise has custom pricing. All plans include base request and bandwidth limits, with overage charges for additional usage.

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
Deno: What are Deno Deploy's overage charges?

Egress bandwidth overages cost $0.20 per GB. CPU time overages are $0.10 per hour on Pro and Builder tiers. Memory time and KV database operations also incur charges beyond included limits.

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
Deno: How many apps can I deploy on Deno's free plan?

The free tier includes 10 apps with up to 1 concurrent build. Pro tier supports 50 apps with 3 concurrent builds, and Builder supports 10,000 apps with 20 concurrent builds.

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
Deno: How many team members can access Deno Deploy?

The free tier supports up to 3 team members. Pro supports 10 team members. Builder supports 25 team members. Enterprise has custom seat limits.

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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