Softwr

Database & Data Management · head to head

CouchDB vs Dgraph

CouchDB logo

CouchDB

Database & Data Management

Seamless multi-master sync with Apache CouchDB

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dgraph logo

Dgraph

Database & Data Management

The only native GraphQL database with graph backend

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; Dgraph the GitHub repository (dgraph-io/dgraph) is licensed Apache 2.0 with no paid tier, cloud offering, or enterprise edition mentioned anywhere in the README
  • They diverge on capability: CouchDB covers Multi-master Replication, Dgraph covers Native GraphQL.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CouchDB and Dgraph actually diverge.

Attributes where CouchDB and Dgraph differ
AttributeCouchDBDgraph
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsDocker, Windows (x64), macOS, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS), Raspberry PiLinux, Mac, Docker, Web
Founded19992016

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 Dgraph

  • Native GraphQL
  • Distributed Architecture
  • ACID Transactions
  • GraphQL Subscriptions
  • Full-text Search
  • Geolocation Queries
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • GraphQL

Both cover

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

Dgraph

  • Knowledge graphsnot CouchDB
  • Fraud detectionnot CouchDB
  • Recommendation enginesnot CouchDB
  • Network analysisnot CouchDB
  • Master data managementnot 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

Dgraph

  • The GitHub repository (dgraph-io/dgraph) is licensed Apache 2.0 with no paid tier, cloud offering, or enterprise edition mentioned anywhere in the README

Pricing, plan by plan

CouchDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CouchDB review.

Dgraph

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Native GraphQL
    • Graph queries
    • Full-text search
  • Cloud$39/month
    • Managed service
    • Auto-scaling
    • Enterprise support

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 Dgraph if

  • You need native graphql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want distributed architecture.
Dgraph review

Questions people ask

Is CouchDB or Dgraph better?
Neither clearly leads. CouchDB starts at Free and Dgraph at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CouchDB or Dgraph?
CouchDB starts at Free and Dgraph at Free.
Does CouchDB or Dgraph run on more platforms?
CouchDB runs on Docker, Windows (x64), macOS, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS), Raspberry Pi. Dgraph runs on Linux, 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 Dgraph is typically brought in for.
What can CouchDB do that Dgraph cannot?
CouchDB covers Multi-master Replication, HTTP/JSON API, MapReduce Views, ACID Semantics. Dgraph covers Native GraphQL, Distributed Architecture, ACID Transactions, GraphQL Subscriptions. Both handle Linux support, Mac support, Docker support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on CouchDB

More on Dgraph

Keep looking

Other head to heads