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Database & Data Management · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs Dgraph

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Database & Data Management

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dgraph logo

Dgraph

Database & Data Management

The only native GraphQL database with graph backend

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); Dgraph the GitHub repository (dgraph-io/dgraph) is licensed Apache 2.0 with no paid tier, cloud offering, or enterprise edition mentioned anywhere in the README
  • They diverge on capability: Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Dgraph covers Native GraphQL.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and Dgraph differ
AttributeCockroach LabsDgraph
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureLinux, Mac, Docker, Web
Founded20152016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 Cockroach Labs

  • Distributed SQL
  • Automatic Sharding
  • Multi-region Replication
  • Geo-partitioning
  • Survivability
  • PostgreSQL Compatibility
  • Kubernetes
  • Terraform

Only in Dgraph

  • Native GraphQL
  • Distributed Architecture
  • GraphQL Subscriptions
  • Full-text Search
  • Geolocation Queries
  • GraphQL
  • Ratel UI
  • Slash GraphQL

Both cover

  • ACID Transactions
  • Horizontal Scaling

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

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

Dgraph

  • Knowledge graphsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Fraud detectionnot Cockroach Labs
  • Recommendation enginesnot Cockroach Labs
  • Network analysisnot Cockroach Labs
  • Master data managementnot 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

Dgraph

  • The GitHub repository (dgraph-io/dgraph) is licensed Apache 2.0 with no paid tier, cloud offering, or enterprise edition mentioned anywhere in the README

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

Dgraph

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Native GraphQL
    • Graph queries
    • Full-text search
  • Cloud$39/month
    • Managed service
    • Auto-scaling
    • Enterprise support

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 Dgraph if

  • You need native graphql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want distributed architecture.
Dgraph review

Questions people ask

Is Cockroach Labs or Dgraph better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs starts at Free and Dgraph at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cockroach Labs or Dgraph?
Cockroach Labs starts at Free and Dgraph at Free.
Does Cockroach Labs or Dgraph run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. Dgraph runs on Linux, Mac, Docker, 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 Dgraph is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that Dgraph cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. Dgraph covers Native GraphQL, Distributed Architecture, GraphQL Subscriptions, Full-text Search. Both handle ACID Transactions, Horizontal Scaling.
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Related pages

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