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Cockroach Labs vs Signal

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Software

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Signal logo

Signal

Software

Speak Freely

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); Signal signal must be installed on a phone before the desktop app can be used, so there is no phone-free desktop-only account
  • They diverge on capability: Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Signal covers End-to-end encryption.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and Signal differ
AttributeCockroach LabsSignal
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
Founded20152010

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 Signal

  • End-to-end encryption
  • Disappearing messages
  • Screen security
  • Group chats
  • Voice calls
  • Video calls
  • File sharing
  • No data collection

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

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

Signal

  • Private messagingnot Cockroach Labs
  • Secure group communicationnot Cockroach Labs
  • Confidential conversationsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Journalism communicationnot Cockroach Labs
  • Family messagingnot 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

Signal

  • Signal must be installed on a phone before the desktop app can be used, so there is no phone-free desktop-only account

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

Signal

Free
  • FreeFree
    • End-to-end encrypted messaging
    • Voice and video calls
    • Group chats

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 Signal if

  • You need end-to-end encryption.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want disappearing messages.
Signal review

Questions people ask

Is Cockroach Labs or Signal better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs starts at Free and Signal at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cockroach Labs or Signal?
Cockroach Labs starts at Free and Signal at Free.
Does Cockroach Labs or Signal run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. Signal runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
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 Signal is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that Signal cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. Signal covers End-to-end encryption, Disappearing messages, Screen security, Group chats. Both handle Cloud deployment.
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Related pages

More on Cockroach Labs

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