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Business Intelligence · head to head

Cyfe vs TimescaleDB

Cyfe logo

Cyfe

Business Intelligence

All-in-one business dashboard

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TimescaleDB logo

TimescaleDB

Databases

Time-series database built on PostgreSQL for real-time analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cyfe dashboards are the billing unit, at 2 on the $29 Starter plan and 5 on the $39 Standard plan; TimescaleDB inherits PostgreSQL write path limitations, creating a ceiling on ingestion throughput
  • They diverge on capability: Cyfe covers Pre-built Widgets, TimescaleDB covers Time-series Optimization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cyfe and TimescaleDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Cyfe and TimescaleDB differ
AttributeCyfeTimescaleDB
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, TvLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDatabases

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2012).

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 Cyfe

  • Pre-built Widgets
  • Custom Metrics
  • Historical Data
  • White-labeling
  • Embedding
  • Google Analytics
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Only in TimescaleDB

  • Time-series Optimization
  • PostgreSQL Extension
  • Automatic Partitioning
  • Continuous Aggregates
  • Native Compression
  • Full SQL Support
  • Real-time Analytics
  • PostgreSQL

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Cyfe

  • Building business dashboards from marketing, sales and finance sourcesnot TimescaleDB
  • Displaying live metrics on office screens and shared public URLsnot TimescaleDB

TimescaleDB

  • Monitoringnot Cyfe
  • IoT datanot Cyfe
  • Financial datanot Cyfe
  • Log analyticsnot Cyfe
  • Observabilitynot Cyfe

Where each one falls short

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

Cyfe

  • Dashboards are the billing unit, at 2 on the $29 Starter plan and 5 on the $39 Standard plan
  • Users are capped separately, at 1 on Starter and 2 on Standard, so a two person team needs the second tier for seats alone
  • Unlimited users only appears on the $119 Premier plan
  • Additional dashboards beyond a plan are $5 each
  • The Agency plan includes 10 clients with further clients at $19 each

TimescaleDB

  • Inherits PostgreSQL write path limitations, creating a ceiling on ingestion throughput
  • Operational complexity increases significantly at scale, requiring expertise in chunk tuning and autovacuum management
  • Bloom filter indexes on compressed columns can return incorrect query results before upgrade
  • PostgreSQL 15 support ending June 2026, forcing mandatory upgrades to PostgreSQL 16 or later

Pricing, plan by plan

Cyfe

Free
  • Starter$29/month
    • 2 Dashboards
    • 1 User
    • 14-day free trial
  • Standard$39/month
    • 5 Dashboards
    • 2 Users
    • 14-day free trial
  • Pro$65/month
    • 10 Dashboards
    • 5 Users
    • 14-day free trial
  • Premier$119/month
    • 20 Dashboards
    • Unlimited Users
    • Additional dashboards available at $5 per dashboard

TimescaleDB

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Self-hosted TimescaleDB
    • MIT-licensed core
    • Full PostgreSQL compatibility
  • Scale Plan (Cloud)$36/month
    • Compute and storage charges
    • Multi-node HA
    • Unlimited VPCs

Which should you pick?

Choose Cyfe if

  • You need pre-built widgets.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Tv.
  • You also want custom metrics.
Cyfe review

Choose TimescaleDB if

  • You need time-series optimization.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want postgresql extension.
TimescaleDB review

Questions people ask

Is Cyfe or TimescaleDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Cyfe starts at Free and TimescaleDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cyfe or TimescaleDB?
Cyfe starts at Free and TimescaleDB at Free.
Does Cyfe or TimescaleDB run on more platforms?
Cyfe runs on Web, Mobile, Tv. TimescaleDB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Cyfe for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cyfe best used for?
Cyfe is most often used for building business dashboards from marketing, sales and finance sources, displaying live metrics on office screens and shared public urls. Of those, building business dashboards from marketing, sales and finance sources and displaying live metrics on office screens and shared public urls are not what TimescaleDB is typically brought in for.
What can Cyfe do that TimescaleDB cannot?
Cyfe covers Pre-built Widgets, Custom Metrics, Historical Data, White-labeling. TimescaleDB covers Time-series Optimization, PostgreSQL Extension, Automatic Partitioning, Continuous Aggregates. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cyfe: How much does Cyfe cost?

Cyfe offers five subscription plans: Starter at $29/month (2 dashboards, 1 user), Standard at $39/month (5 dashboards, 2 users), Pro at $65/month (10 dashboards, 5 users), Premier at $119/month (20 dashboards, unlimited users), and Agency at $190/month (100 dashboards, 15 users, 10 clients).

Source
TimescaleDB: Is TimescaleDB free?

Yes. TimescaleDB is free and open source under the Timescale License. The managed cloud service offers a free trial with $1,000 in credits expiring in 30 days.

Source
Cyfe: What features are included in all Cyfe plans?

All Cyfe tiers include unlimited history, TV mode for dashboard displays, public shareable URLs, custom logos and themes, custom SSL domain support, unlimited data exports, and embedded analytics capabilities. The 14-day free trial is available for every plan.

Source
TimescaleDB: What database does TimescaleDB run on top of?

TimescaleDB is a PostgreSQL extension that runs on top of PostgreSQL. You retain full PostgreSQL compatibility including SQL queries, transactions, and ecosystem tools.

Source
Cyfe: What is included in Cyfe's Agency plan?

The Agency plan at $190/month includes 100 dashboards, 15 users, and 10 clients. Additional clients cost $19 each. The plan provides 100% white label branding, branded widgets, custom CSS, and full client management features.

Source
TimescaleDB: How much can TimescaleDB compress data?

TimescaleDB offers transparent columnar compression that can reduce storage by up to 95%. Newer data remains in row-oriented format for fast writes, while older data is automatically compressed to the column store.

Source
TimescaleDB: Does TimescaleDB require manual partitioning?

No. TimescaleDB handles automatic time-based partitioning through hypertables. Data is automatically chunked based on time intervals, requiring no manual partition management.

Source
TimescaleDB: What PostgreSQL versions does TimescaleDB support?

As of October 2025, TimescaleDB requires PostgreSQL 16 or greater. PostgreSQL 15 support will end with the June 2026 release, after which all instances must upgrade to PostgreSQL 16.

Source
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