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Cockroach Labs vs DynamoDB

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Software

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DynamoDB logo

DynamoDB

Software

Fast, flexible NoSQL database service for any scale

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cockroach Labs has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cockroach Labs basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only); DynamoDB noSQL-only; does not support complex relational queries or SQL joins
  • They diverge on capability: Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and DynamoDB differ
AttributeCockroach LabsDynamoDB
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureAWS
Founded20152006

Identical on both: 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 DynamoDB

  • Single-digit Millisecond Latency
  • Serverless
  • Auto-scaling
  • Global Tables
  • Point-in-time Recovery
  • Streams
  • Lambda
  • API Gateway

Both cover

  • Encryption

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

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

DynamoDB

  • High-scale, variable-workload applicationsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Mobile and IoT device backendsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Real-time analytics and dashboardsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Multi-region, globally distributed applicationsnot 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

DynamoDB

  • NoSQL-only; does not support complex relational queries or SQL joins
  • Limited query flexibility; requires thinking in terms of keys and indexes rather than ad-hoc queries

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

DynamoDB

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the DynamoDB 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 DynamoDB if

  • You need single-digit millisecond latency.
  • You work on AWS.
  • You also want serverless.
DynamoDB review

Questions people ask

Is Cockroach Labs or DynamoDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs starts at Free and DynamoDB at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cockroach Labs or DynamoDB?
Cockroach Labs has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cockroach Labs and On request for DynamoDB.
Does Cockroach Labs or DynamoDB run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. DynamoDB runs on AWS.
Can I use Cockroach Labs for free?
Yes. Cockroach Labs has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DynamoDB starts at On request.
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 DynamoDB is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that DynamoDB cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency, Serverless, Auto-scaling, Global Tables. Both handle Encryption.
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Related pages

More on Cockroach Labs

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