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Database & Data Management · head to head

CouchDB vs Cockroach Labs

CouchDB logo

CouchDB

Database & Data Management

Seamless multi-master sync with Apache CouchDB

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Database & Data Management

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CouchDB append-only storage model may have performance implications for certain workloads with high update rates; Cockroach Labs basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
  • They diverge on capability: CouchDB covers Multi-master Replication, Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where CouchDB and Cockroach Labs differ
AttributeCouchDBCockroach Labs
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsDocker, Windows (x64), macOS, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS), Raspberry PiAWS, GCP, Azure
Founded19992015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Database & Data Management).

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 CouchDB

  • Multi-master Replication
  • HTTP/JSON API
  • MapReduce Views
  • ACID Semantics
  • Offline-first
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Fauxton UI
  • PouchDB

Only in Cockroach Labs

  • Distributed SQL
  • Automatic Sharding
  • Multi-region Replication
  • Geo-partitioning
  • ACID Transactions
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Survivability
  • PostgreSQL Compatibility

What people use each for

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

CouchDB

  • Offline-first applications requiring seamless replication across mobile and server environmentsnot Cockroach Labs
  • Multi-master deployments where data consistency eventually resolves across regionsnot Cockroach Labs
  • IoT and edge computing scenarios with intermittent connectivitynot Cockroach Labs

Cockroach Labs

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

Where each one falls short

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

CouchDB

  • Append-only storage model may have performance implications for certain workloads with high update rates
  • Requires network synchronisation for cluster data consistency; can introduce latency in multi-master scenarios
  • No explicit support for complex joins; MapReduce queries may be inefficient compared to relational databases

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

Pricing, plan by plan

CouchDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CouchDB review.

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CouchDB if

  • You need multi-master replication.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Windows (x64), macOS, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS), Raspberry Pi.
  • You also want http/json api.
CouchDB review

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

Questions people ask

Is CouchDB or Cockroach Labs better?
Neither clearly leads. CouchDB starts at Free and Cockroach Labs at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CouchDB or Cockroach Labs?
CouchDB starts at Free and Cockroach Labs at Free.
Does CouchDB or Cockroach Labs run on more platforms?
CouchDB runs on Docker, Windows (x64), macOS, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS), Raspberry Pi. Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure.
Can I use CouchDB for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CouchDB best used for?
CouchDB is most often used for offline-first applications requiring seamless replication across mobile and server environments, multi-master deployments where data consistency eventually resolves across regions, iot and edge computing scenarios with intermittent connectivity. Of those, offline-first applications requiring seamless replication across mobile and server environments and multi-master deployments where data consistency eventually resolves across regions are not what Cockroach Labs is typically brought in for.
What can CouchDB do that Cockroach Labs cannot?
CouchDB covers Multi-master Replication, HTTP/JSON API, MapReduce Views, ACID Semantics. Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning.
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