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Databases · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs RabbitMQ

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Databases

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RabbitMQ logo

RabbitMQ

Databases

Open-source message broker supporting AMQP and other protocols

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); RabbitMQ not built for replay: once consumed, a message is gone, which is exactly what Kafka exists to change
  • They diverge on capability: Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, RabbitMQ covers Flexible routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and RabbitMQ differ
AttributeCockroach LabsRabbitMQ
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee; managed services billed separately
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes
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 RabbitMQ

  • Flexible routing
  • Multiple protocols
  • Management UI
  • Clustering and mirroring

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

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

RabbitMQ

  • Distributing background jobs to a pool of workers with retriesnot Cockroach Labs
  • Decoupling services that need delivery rather than a replayable historynot Cockroach Labs
  • Routing messages by pattern to different consumers from one publishernot 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

RabbitMQ

  • Not built for replay: once consumed, a message is gone, which is exactly what Kafka exists to change
  • Throughput ceilings are lower than a log-based platform under very heavy streaming loads
  • Queues that build up degrade broker performance, so consumer lag is an operational problem rather than just a backlog
  • Clustering and partition behaviour has historically been a source of hard-to-diagnose problems

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

RabbitMQ

Free
  • RabbitMQFree
    • 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 RabbitMQ if

  • You need flexible routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want multiple protocols.
RabbitMQ review

Questions people ask

Is Cockroach Labs or RabbitMQ better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs starts at Free and RabbitMQ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cockroach Labs or RabbitMQ?
Cockroach Labs starts at Free and RabbitMQ at Free.
Does Cockroach Labs or RabbitMQ run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. RabbitMQ runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
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 RabbitMQ is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that RabbitMQ cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. RabbitMQ covers Flexible routing, Multiple protocols, Management UI, Clustering and mirroring.

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
RabbitMQ: Is RabbitMQ free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee. Broadcom sells commercial support.

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
RabbitMQ: RabbitMQ or Kafka?

RabbitMQ is a message broker: simpler to run and better at flexible routing and work queues. Kafka is a replayable event log built for very high throughput streaming, and much heavier to operate.

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
RabbitMQ: Can RabbitMQ replay messages?

Not in the way Kafka can. Messages are removed once acknowledged, so rebuilding state from history is not the model.

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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