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Databases · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs Temporal

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Databases

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Temporal logo

Temporal

Automation Integration

Durable execution platform for fault-tolerant workflows.

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); Temporal cloud pricing scales with action volume, with per-million overage fees ($50 per million initially)

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and Temporal differ
AttributeCockroach LabsTemporal
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureWeb, API, Self-hosted
CategoryDatabasesAutomation Integration
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Temporal

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 Temporal
  • Multi-region deployment and failovernot Temporal

Temporal

  • AI pipeline orchestration and long-running AI workflowsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Distributed system workflows requiring state durabilitynot Cockroach Labs
  • Complex backend processes with retry requirementsnot Cockroach Labs
  • High-volume asynchronous task executionnot Cockroach Labs
  • Microservices coordination with guaranteed state consistencynot 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

Temporal

  • Cloud pricing scales with action volume, with per-million overage fees ($50 per million initially)
  • Enterprise customers incur additional storage costs beyond base allocations
  • Self-hosted deployments require operational expertise to deploy and maintain the Temporal Service
  • No native workflow UI builder; workflows must be defined in code
  • Free tier limited to self-hosted option only; no free cloud tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

Temporal

Free
  • Open-sourceFree
    • Self-hosted deployment
    • Full platform functionality
    • Community support
  • Essentials$100/month
    • 1 million actions monthly
    • 1 GB active storage
    • 40 GB retained storage
  • Business$500/month
    • 2.5 million actions monthly
    • 2.5 GB active storage
    • 100 GB retained storage
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • 10 million actions monthly
    • 10 GB active storage
    • 400 GB retained storage

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 Temporal if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API, Self-hosted.
Temporal review

Questions people ask

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

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
Temporal: What programming languages does Temporal support?

Temporal provides native SDKs for Go, Java, .NET, PHP, Python, Ruby, Rust, and TypeScript.

Source
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
Temporal: Can I run Temporal on-premises or self-hosted?

Yes. Temporal is available as open-source software under the MIT license, allowing self-hosted deployment. Temporal Cloud is also available as a managed service alternative.

Source
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
Temporal: What is included in the free tier?

$1,000 in free credits for new users to explore Temporal Cloud. Self-hosted Temporal is available free with full platform functionality.

Source
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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