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Software · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs DuckDB

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Software

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DuckDB logo

DuckDB

Software

Fast in-process analytical database

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); DuckDB client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios
  • They diverge on capability: Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, DuckDB covers In-process Execution.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and DuckDB differ
AttributeCockroach LabsDuckDB
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureLinux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly
Founded20152019

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 DuckDB

  • In-process Execution
  • Columnar Storage
  • Vectorized Execution
  • Rich SQL Support
  • Parquet Support
  • CSV/JSON Import
  • Zero Dependencies
  • Python

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

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

DuckDB

  • Analytics and data warehousingnot Cockroach Labs
  • OLAP queries and data explorationnot Cockroach Labs
  • Data science and machine learning workflowsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Multi-format data ingestion and processingnot 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

DuckDB

  • Client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

DuckDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the DuckDB 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 DuckDB if

  • You need in-process execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly.
  • You also want columnar storage.
DuckDB review

Questions people ask

Is Cockroach Labs or DuckDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs starts at Free and DuckDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cockroach Labs or DuckDB?
Cockroach Labs starts at Free and DuckDB at Free.
Does Cockroach Labs or DuckDB run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. DuckDB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly.
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 DuckDB is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that DuckDB cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. DuckDB covers In-process Execution, Columnar Storage, Vectorized Execution, Rich SQL Support.
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Related pages

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