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Databases · head to head

Couchbase vs RavenDB

Couchbase logo

Couchbase

Databases

The modern database for enterprise applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RavenDB logo

RavenDB

Databases

The fully transactional NoSQL document database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Couchbase the free tier is a single node with 8 GB of storage and forum support only; RavenDB the free Developer licence bars commercial use and expires every 6 months, requiring renewal
  • They diverge on capability: Couchbase covers JSON Document Model, RavenDB covers ACID Transactions.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Couchbase and RavenDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Couchbase and RavenDB differ
AttributeCouchbaseRavenDB
Founded20112010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), platforms (Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Databases).

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 Couchbase

  • JSON Document Model
  • SQL++ Query
  • Eventing
  • Analytics
  • Mobile Sync
  • Multi-dimensional Scaling
  • Kafka
  • Spark

Only in RavenDB

  • ACID Transactions
  • Auto-indexing
  • Graph Queries
  • Distributed Counters
  • Time Series
  • Document Compression
  • .NET
  • Node.js

Both cover

  • Full-text Search
  • Linux support
  • Windows support
  • Mac support
  • Docker support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Couchbase

  • Running a distributed NoSQL document database as a managed servicenot RavenDB
  • Mobile sync and offline first applications backed by a cloud databasenot RavenDB

RavenDB

  • Running a distributed document database with ACID transactionsnot Couchbase
  • Self hosting a multi node database cluster on your own hardwarenot Couchbase
  • Replicating operational data out to analytics systems through ETLnot Couchbase

Where each one falls short

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

Couchbase

  • The free tier is a single node with 8 GB of storage and forum support only
  • Node rates are hourly and quoted as starting figures, from $0.15 an hour on Basic to $0.49 on Enterprise
  • The Developer Pro and Enterprise plans require 3 nodes, so the hourly rate multiplies before any usage
  • Backup storage is billed separately at $0.07 per GB a month, and analytics backups at $0.14
  • Support response time is a plan feature, at 8 hours on Developer Pro against 30 minutes on Enterprise
  • AI and analytics run as separately priced planes at up to $0.86 an hour per node

RavenDB

  • The free Developer licence bars commercial use and expires every 6 months, requiring renewal
  • The free Community licence caps a customer at 60 cores and forces you to stay on the latest major version
  • The Professional licence is limited to a single database, a 5 node cluster, 40 cores and 240 GB RAM
  • Sharding across nodes, ETL to OLAP, Elasticsearch and Kafka, and data archival are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise and AI licence pricing is contact us only with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Couchbase

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Full features
    • Community support
    • Self-managed
  • Capella FreeFree
    • Managed service
    • Limited resources
    • Cloud hosted

RavenDB

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • 3 cores
    • 6GB RAM
    • Community support
  • Professional$499/year
    • Production use
    • Professional support
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

Choose Couchbase if

  • You need json document model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want sql++ query.
Couchbase review

Choose RavenDB if

  • You need acid transactions.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want auto-indexing.
RavenDB review

Questions people ask

Is Couchbase or RavenDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Couchbase starts at Free and RavenDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Couchbase or RavenDB?
Couchbase starts at Free and RavenDB at Free.
Does Couchbase or RavenDB run on more platforms?
Both run on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Couchbase for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Couchbase best used for?
Couchbase is most often used for running a distributed nosql document database as a managed service, mobile sync and offline first applications backed by a cloud database. Of those, running a distributed nosql document database as a managed service and mobile sync and offline first applications backed by a cloud database are not what RavenDB is typically brought in for.
What can Couchbase do that RavenDB cannot?
Couchbase covers JSON Document Model, SQL++ Query, Eventing, Analytics. RavenDB covers ACID Transactions, Auto-indexing, Graph Queries, Distributed Counters. Both handle Full-text Search, Linux support, Windows support, Mac support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Couchbase: Does Couchbase offer a free tier?

Yes, Couchbase offers a free tier option. Users can start for free from the main website.

Source
RavenDB: Is RavenDB free or open source?

RavenDB is open source under the AGPLv3 license and available on GitHub. It also offers a free developer license with enterprise-level features limited to 9 cores, 36GB max RAM, 3 nodes, and non-commercial use.

Source
Couchbase: How do I access Couchbase pricing details?

Couchbase maintains a dedicated pricing page, but detailed tier information and costs are not available on the homepage. You can visit the pricing page or contact their sales team.

Source
RavenDB: Can I use RavenDB commercially for free?

RavenDB offers a free Community License that permits commercial deployment with unlimited databases and sizes, subject to a 60-core maximum per customer and requirement to run the latest major version.

Source
RavenDB: What commercial licensing options does RavenDB offer?

RavenDB offers Professional, Enterprise, and AI tiers for commercial use. Pricing for these tiers requires contacting their sales team at [email protected].

Source
RavenDB: Does RavenDB offer a cloud hosting option?

RavenDB Cloud provides a fully managed cloud database with maintenance, failover, and backups included. Pricing is available at cloud.ravendb.net/pricing.

Source
RavenDB: Is there a refund window if I purchase RavenDB?

RavenDB offers a 30-day refund window for purchased licenses.

Source
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