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CouchDB vs Couchbase

CouchDB logo

CouchDB

Software

Seamless multi-master sync with Apache CouchDB

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Couchbase logo

Couchbase

Software

The modern database for enterprise applications

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; Couchbase the free tier is a single node with 8 GB of storage and forum support only
  • They diverge on capability: CouchDB covers Multi-master Replication, Couchbase covers JSON Document Model.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CouchDB and Couchbase actually diverge.

Attributes where CouchDB and Couchbase differ
AttributeCouchDBCouchbase
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsDocker, Windows (x64), macOS, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS), Raspberry PiLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web
Founded19992011

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 CouchDB

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

Only in Couchbase

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

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Windows support
  • Mac support
  • Docker support

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 Couchbase
  • Multi-master deployments where data consistency eventually resolves across regionsnot Couchbase
  • IoT and edge computing scenarios with intermittent connectivitynot Couchbase

Couchbase

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

CouchDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CouchDB review.

Couchbase

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

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 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

Questions people ask

Is CouchDB or Couchbase better?
Neither clearly leads. CouchDB starts at Free and Couchbase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CouchDB or Couchbase?
CouchDB starts at Free and Couchbase at Free.
Does CouchDB or Couchbase run on more platforms?
CouchDB runs on Docker, Windows (x64), macOS, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS), Raspberry Pi. Couchbase runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
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 Couchbase is typically brought in for.
What can CouchDB do that Couchbase cannot?
CouchDB covers Multi-master Replication, HTTP/JSON API, MapReduce Views, ACID Semantics. Couchbase covers JSON Document Model, SQL++ Query, Full-text Search, Eventing. Both handle Linux support, Windows support, Mac support, Docker support.
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