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Energy · head to head

Cognite Data Fusion vs DataStax

Cognite Data Fusion logo

Cognite Data Fusion

Energy

Industrial data platform that contextualises OT, IT and engineering data into an asset-centric knowledge graph

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DataStax logo

DataStax

Databases

The real-time data company for AI applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DataStax has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cognite Data Fusion the platform is only as good as the contextualisation work, and that mapping effort is a consulting project that regularly costs more than the first-year subscription.; DataStax dataStax's own Astra DB documentation states the Enterprise plan is an annual, contract-based plan with negotiated pricing, meaning list prices are not published for that tier
  • They diverge on capability: Cognite Data Fusion covers Asset-centric data model, DataStax covers Cassandra Compatible.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cognite Data Fusion and DataStax actually diverge.

Attributes where Cognite Data Fusion and DataStax differ
AttributeCognite Data FusionDataStax
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, CloudWeb, Aws, Azure, Gcp
CategoryEnergyDatabases
FoundedUnknown2010

Identical on both: 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 Cognite Data Fusion

  • Asset-centric data model
  • Entity matching
  • P&ID parsing
  • 3D contextualisation
  • Cognite Atlas AI
  • Data workflows
  • Open SDKs
  • Extractors

Only in DataStax

  • Cassandra Compatible
  • Vector Search
  • Serverless
  • Multi-cloud
  • Streaming
  • CDC
  • GraphQL API
  • LangChain

What people use each for

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

Cognite Data Fusion

  • An operator that wants engineers to find the drawing, the sensor trend and the last work order for a valve from one searchnot DataStax
  • A company standardising asset data across sites so an analytics team can build once and deploy to many plantsnot DataStax
  • An upstream operator building a production-optimisation model that needs sensor data joined to equipment metadatanot DataStax
  • A team replacing a stalled internal data-lake project where nobody could reconstruct what the tag names meantnot DataStax

DataStax

  • Real-time applicationsnot Cognite Data Fusion
  • Content managementnot Cognite Data Fusion
  • User profilesnot Cognite Data Fusion
  • Mobile backendsnot Cognite Data Fusion
  • Cachingnot Cognite Data Fusion

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cognite Data Fusion

  • The platform is only as good as the contextualisation work, and that mapping effort is a consulting project that regularly costs more than the first-year subscription.
  • Pricing is consumption-based and unpublished, so costs move with data volume and usage patterns you cannot forecast well until a year in.
  • It does not replace your historian, your ERP or your maintenance system, so Cognite is an additional recurring cost layered on systems you still pay for.
  • The reference base and data model lean heavily towards Norwegian and wider oil, gas and process industries; discrete manufacturing fit is weaker and the local partner network thinner outside energy.
  • Getting value out requires in-house Python and data engineering skill; organisations without a data team end up dependent on Cognite professional services for every new use case.

DataStax

  • DataStax's own Astra DB documentation states the Enterprise plan is an annual, contract-based plan with negotiated pricing, meaning list prices are not published for that tier
  • DataStax's Astra DB documentation directs Standard plan customers to IBM's watsonx.data pricing for exact consumption-based rates following the DataStax/IBM deal, rather than publishing them on DataStax's own site

Pricing, plan by plan

Cognite Data Fusion

On request
  • Cognite Data Fusion$undefined/year
    • Consumption-based pricing on data volume, compute and users
    • Available through cloud marketplaces with private offers
    • Contextualisation and onboarding quoted as a separate engagement

DataStax

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5GB storage
    • 40M read/write ops
    • Vector search
  • Pay As You GoFree
    • Usage-based pricing
    • Multi-region
    • Enterprise support

Which should you pick?

Choose Cognite Data Fusion if

  • You need asset-centric data model.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want entity matching.
Cognite Data Fusion review

Choose DataStax if

  • You need cassandra compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp.
  • You also want vector search.
DataStax review

Questions people ask

Is Cognite Data Fusion or DataStax better?
Neither clearly leads. Cognite Data Fusion starts at On request and DataStax at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cognite Data Fusion or DataStax?
DataStax has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cognite Data Fusion and Free for DataStax.
Does Cognite Data Fusion or DataStax run on more platforms?
Cognite Data Fusion runs on Web, Cloud. DataStax runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp.
Can I use DataStax for free?
Yes. DataStax has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cognite Data Fusion starts at On request.
What is Cognite Data Fusion best used for?
Cognite Data Fusion is most often used for an operator that wants engineers to find the drawing, the sensor trend and the last work order for a valve from one search, a company standardising asset data across sites so an analytics team can build once and deploy to many plants, an upstream operator building a production-optimisation model that needs sensor data joined to equipment metadata, a team replacing a stalled internal data-lake project where nobody could reconstruct what the tag names meant. Of those, an operator that wants engineers to find the drawing, the sensor trend and the last work order for a valve from one search and a company standardising asset data across sites so an analytics team can build once and deploy to many plants are not what DataStax is typically brought in for.
What can Cognite Data Fusion do that DataStax cannot?
Cognite Data Fusion covers Asset-centric data model, Entity matching, P&ID parsing, 3D contextualisation. DataStax covers Cassandra Compatible, Vector Search, Serverless, Multi-cloud.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cognite Data Fusion: Is Cognite a historian?

No. It reads from historians such as PI System and adds context. You still need the historian underneath.

DataStax: Is DataStax available as a managed service?

Yes, DataStax is available as Astra DB, a managed database service. Users can sign up for Astra DB directly to create accounts and access the platform.

Source
Cognite Data Fusion: How is it priced?

Consumption-based on data, compute and users, quoted per customer. Nothing is published.

DataStax: How is DataStax priced?

DataStax (now part of IBM) does not publish pricing on its documentation homepage. Pricing information would need to be obtained through the Astra DB signup page or by contacting IBM directly.

Source
Cognite Data Fusion: How long does a deployment take?

First useful graph in a few months is realistic; full plant contextualisation across a site is typically a year or more.

DataStax: Is there an enterprise licensing option?

DataStax is now part of IBM. Enterprise customers should contact IBM directly for licensing agreements and enterprise-specific pricing.

Source
Cognite Data Fusion: Can we do the contextualisation ourselves?

Technically yes, the SDKs and matching tools are open, but most customers use Cognite or a partner for the first site.

DataStax: Can I try DataStax without an account?

To use DataStax Astra DB, account creation is required. The documentation does not mention a free trial or demonstration environment that does not require signup.

Source
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