Software · head to head
CosmosDB vs MongoDB
CosmosDB
Software
Globally distributed, multi-model database service from Azure
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: CosmosDB autoscale provisioned throughput enforces a minimum of 1,000 RU/s, billed hourly whether or not the database is used; MongoDB 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects
- They diverge on capability: CosmosDB covers Global Distribution, MongoDB covers Document model.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CosmosDB and MongoDB actually diverge.
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 CosmosDB
- Global Distribution
- Multi-model APIs
- Elastic Scaling
- Five Consistency Levels
- SLA-backed Latency
- Automatic Indexing
- Serverless
- Azure Functions
Only in MongoDB
- Document model
- Distributed architecture
- ACID transactions
- Real-time analytics
- Full-text search
- Time series data
- Geospatial queries
- Aggregation framework
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
CosmosDB
- Running a globally distributed multi model database on Azurenot MongoDB
- Serving low latency reads and writes from multiple Azure regionsnot MongoDB
- Storing document, key value and graph data behind a managed servicenot MongoDB
MongoDB
- Mobile applicationsnot CosmosDB
- Content managementnot CosmosDB
- Real-time analyticsnot CosmosDB
- IoT applicationsnot CosmosDB
- Gaming backendsnot CosmosDB
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
CosmosDB
- Autoscale provisioned throughput enforces a minimum of 1,000 RU/s, billed hourly whether or not the database is used
- Provisioned throughput is charged in every region the account is replicated to, so multi region accounts multiply the RU bill
- Storage charges cover data, indexes and backups in each replicated region
- Egress out of Azure and between regions is charged, though ingress is free
- The free allowance is one account per Azure subscription, limited to 1,000 RU/s and 25 GB
- RU/s rates vary by region and are only shown through the pricing calculator rather than a flat published rate
MongoDB
- 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects
- No native JOIN support for relational data operations
- Higher memory usage due to storing field names with each document
- Eventual consistency in distributed deployments can cause data stale reads
Pricing, plan by plan
CosmosDB
Free- Free TierFree
- 1000 RU/s
- 25GB storage
- First 12 months
- ServerlessFree
- Pay per request
- Auto-scaling
- Event-driven workloads
MongoDB
Free- M0Free
- 512 MB storage
- Learning and exploration
- M2$9/month
- 2 GB storage
- Development and testing
- M5$25/month
- 5 GB storage
- M10+$56.94/month
- Dedicated clusters for production
Which should you pick?
Choose CosmosDB if
- You need global distribution.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Azure.
- You also want multi-model apis.
Choose MongoDB if
- You need document model.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
- You also want distributed architecture.
Questions people ask
- Is CosmosDB or MongoDB better?
- Neither clearly leads. CosmosDB starts at Free and MongoDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CosmosDB or MongoDB?
- CosmosDB starts at Free and MongoDB at Free.
- Does CosmosDB or MongoDB run on more platforms?
- CosmosDB runs on Web, Azure. MongoDB runs on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
- Can I use CosmosDB for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is CosmosDB best used for?
- CosmosDB is most often used for running a globally distributed multi model database on azure, serving low latency reads and writes from multiple azure regions, storing document, key value and graph data behind a managed service. Of those, running a globally distributed multi model database on azure and serving low latency reads and writes from multiple azure regions are not what MongoDB is typically brought in for.
- What can CosmosDB do that MongoDB cannot?
- CosmosDB covers Global Distribution, Multi-model APIs, Elastic Scaling, Five Consistency Levels. MongoDB covers Document model, Distributed architecture, ACID transactions, Real-time analytics.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
MongoDB: Does MongoDB offer a free tier?
Yes. MongoDB Atlas offers an M0 free tier with 512 MB storage for learning and exploration, plus paid options starting at $9/month for M2 with 2 GB storage.
SourceMongoDB: Can I self-host MongoDB?
Yes. You can run MongoDB Community Edition on your own servers, or use MongoDB Enterprise Advanced for self-managed production deployments with enterprise features.
SourceMongoDB: What is the maximum document size in MongoDB?
Documents are limited to 16 MB. For documents exceeding this limit, you can use MongoDB's GridFS API to store files larger than the maximum size.
SourceMongoDB: Does MongoDB support ACID transactions?
Yes. MongoDB supports ACID transactions within a single document by default, and multi-document ACID transactions are available for replica sets and sharded clusters in MongoDB 4.0+.
Source