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Software · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs FaunaDB

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Software

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FaunaDB logo

FaunaDB

Software

The distributed serverless database for modern applications

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); FaunaDB the Internet Archive's capture of FaunaDB's homepage on 5 January 2019 confirmed a free 'Try Cloud' tier alongside a self-hosted download, with a separate Pricing page linked but not itself retrievable from the archive within two attempts.
  • They diverge on capability: Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, FaunaDB covers Document-relational Model.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and FaunaDB differ
AttributeCockroach LabsFaunaDB
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureWeb
Founded20152012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Survivability
  • PostgreSQL Compatibility
  • Kubernetes

Only in FaunaDB

  • Document-relational Model
  • GraphQL API
  • Global Distribution
  • Temporal Queries
  • Multi-tenancy
  • Serverless
  • GraphQL
  • Netlify

Both cover

  • ACID Transactions

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

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

FaunaDB

  • Serverless applicationsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Rapid prototypingnot Cockroach Labs
  • Mobile backendsnot Cockroach Labs
  • JAMstacknot Cockroach Labs
  • Microservicesnot 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

FaunaDB

  • The Internet Archive's capture of FaunaDB's homepage on 5 January 2019 confirmed a free 'Try Cloud' tier alongside a self-hosted download, with a separate Pricing page linked but not itself retrievable from the archive within two attempts.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

FaunaDB

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100K read ops
    • 50K write ops
    • 1GB storage
  • Pro$25/month
    • Pay per use
    • Priority support
    • Advanced features

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 FaunaDB if

  • You need document-relational model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want graphql api.
FaunaDB review

Questions people ask

Is Cockroach Labs or FaunaDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs starts at Free and FaunaDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cockroach Labs or FaunaDB?
Cockroach Labs starts at Free and FaunaDB at Free.
Does Cockroach Labs or FaunaDB run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. FaunaDB 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 FaunaDB is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that FaunaDB cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. FaunaDB covers Document-relational Model, GraphQL API, Global Distribution, Temporal Queries. Both handle ACID Transactions.
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Related pages

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