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Software · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs Subframe

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Software

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Subframe

Software

The AI-native design tool built for code

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); Subframe the free plan is capped at 1 project, 10 pages, and 2 prototypes with limited AI usage and only 24 hour version history, versus unlimited AI on the $29 per editor per month Pro plan, as of August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and Subframe differ
AttributeCockroach LabsSubframe
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureWeb
Founded2015Unknown

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
  • ACID Transactions
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Survivability
  • PostgreSQL Compatibility

Only in Subframe

Nothing recorded that Cockroach Labs does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

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

Subframe

No use cases recorded yet. See the Subframe review.

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

Subframe

  • The free plan is capped at 1 project, 10 pages, and 2 prototypes with limited AI usage and only 24 hour version history, versus unlimited AI on the $29 per editor per month Pro plan, as of August 2026.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

Subframe

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Subframe 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 Subframe if

  • You want to start without paying.
Subframe review

Questions people ask

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

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