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Databases · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs Meilisearch

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Databases

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Meilisearch logo

Meilisearch

Databases

Fast open-source search engine built for typo tolerance

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); Meilisearch not built for log analytics or aggregation-heavy workloads, which is where Elasticsearch remains the answer
  • They diverge on capability: Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Meilisearch covers Typo tolerance.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and Meilisearch differ
AttributeCockroach LabsMeilisearch
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee; managed cloud billed separately
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Databases).

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 Meilisearch

  • Typo tolerance
  • Search as you type
  • Faceted search
  • Simple API

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

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

Meilisearch

  • Adding product or content search to an application without running Elasticsearchnot Cockroach Labs
  • Search-as-you-type interfaces where latency is visible to the usernot Cockroach Labs
  • Replacing SQL LIKE queries that cannot handle typos or rankingnot 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

Meilisearch

  • Not built for log analytics or aggregation-heavy workloads, which is where Elasticsearch remains the answer
  • Scaling across many nodes is less mature than the older engines it competes with
  • Memory use grows with index size, and large datasets need real capacity planning

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

Meilisearch

Free
  • MeilisearchFree
    • Full functionality
    • Self-hosted
    • No usage limits

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 Meilisearch if

  • You need typo tolerance.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted.
  • You also want search as you type.
Meilisearch review

Questions people ask

Is Cockroach Labs or Meilisearch better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs starts at Free and Meilisearch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cockroach Labs or Meilisearch?
Cockroach Labs starts at Free and Meilisearch at Free.
Does Cockroach Labs or Meilisearch run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. Meilisearch runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted.
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 Meilisearch is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that Meilisearch cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. Meilisearch covers Typo tolerance, Search as you type, Faceted search, Simple API.

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
Meilisearch: Is Meilisearch free?

The engine is open source and free to self-host. Meilisearch Cloud is a paid managed service.

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
Meilisearch: Meilisearch or Elasticsearch?

Meilisearch is far simpler for application search and works well by default. Elasticsearch is the choice when you also need log analytics and heavy aggregations.

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
Meilisearch: Does it handle typos automatically?

Yes. Typo tolerance is on by default rather than something you configure.

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
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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