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Databases · head to head

DataGrip vs RisingWave

DataGrip logo

DataGrip

Databases

Cross-platform database IDE from JetBrains for SQL and NoSQL databases

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RisingWave logo

RisingWave

Databases

Streaming database that maintains incremental materialised views in SQL instead of Flink jobs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DataGrip commercial use requires a paid subscription; the free tier is non-commercial only.; RisingWave anything that does not fit SQL, such as custom windowing, complex event processing or heavy stateful logic, still needs Flink, so RisingWave often adds a system rather than removing one.
  • They diverge on capability: DataGrip covers Intelligent SQL Completion, RisingWave covers SQL materialised views.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DataGrip and RisingWave actually diverge.

Attributes where DataGrip and RisingWave differ
AttributeDataGripRisingWave
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer RisingWave Unit hour
Platformswindows, mac, linuxLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud
Founded2000Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 DataGrip

  • Intelligent SQL Completion
  • Schema Navigation
  • Data Editor
  • Version Control for Scripts
  • Multi-database Support

Only in RisingWave

  • SQL materialised views
  • Postgres wire compatibility
  • Object storage state
  • Source connectors
  • Sink connectors
  • Iceberg tables
  • Watermarks and windowing
  • User defined functions

What people use each for

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

DataGrip

  • Writing and running SQL queries across multiple database enginesnot RisingWave
  • Browsing and editing schema and table data visuallynot RisingWave
  • Version-controlling database migration scriptsnot RisingWave
  • Standardizing database tooling across a JetBrains-based teamnot RisingWave

RisingWave

  • A team with Kafka topics that needs continuously fresh aggregates for a dashboard without standing up a Flink clusternot DataGrip
  • A fraud or risk team maintaining rolling counters and joins across event streams expressed as SQL viewsnot DataGrip
  • A company doing Postgres CDC into a real-time denormalised view for search or servingnot DataGrip
  • An analytics group that wants streaming results landed directly into Apache Iceberg without a separate writer jobnot DataGrip

Where each one falls short

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

DataGrip

  • Commercial use requires a paid subscription; the free tier is non-commercial only.
  • No built-in database administration features like backup scheduling found in dedicated DBA tools.
  • Heavier resource footprint than lightweight single-purpose SQL clients.
  • NoSQL support (e.g. MongoDB) is less mature than its relational database tooling.

RisingWave

  • Anything that does not fit SQL, such as custom windowing, complex event processing or heavy stateful logic, still needs Flink, so RisingWave often adds a system rather than removing one.
  • The Apache 2.0 community edition excludes premium features behind a licence key, and which capabilities sit on which side of that line moves between releases, so a self-hosted plan can be invalidated by an upgrade.
  • Long-running materialised views accumulate state in object storage, and cost and recovery time grow with retention in ways that are hard to forecast before you are in production.
  • The Postgres compatibility is protocol level; it is not a transactional Postgres and using it as a general purpose database, with point updates or high write concurrency, goes badly.
  • It is a comparatively young venture-funded project competing with Flink, Materialize and warehouse-native streaming, and the ecosystem of connectors, operators and third-party expertise is much thinner.

Pricing, plan by plan

DataGrip

Free
  • Free (non-commercial)Free
    • Personal, non-commercial use only
  • Individual - Year 1$99/year
    • Full DataGrip license
    • Free updates during subscription
  • Individual - Year 2+$79/year
    • Continuity discount from second year onward

RisingWave

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Apache 2.0 licence, self-hosted
    • Core streaming engine and connectors
    • Premium features excluded and require a licence key
  • Cloud Basic$0.227/hour
    • Billed per RisingWave Unit hour
    • Hosted on AWS, GCP or Azure
    • Capped at 64 cores
  • Cloud Pro$undefined/year
    • No core limit
    • Bring your own cloud option
    • Premium features included
  • Self-managed Enterprise$undefined/year
    • On premises or Kubernetes
    • Premium features unlocked by licence
    • Annual contract with SLA

Which should you pick?

Choose DataGrip if

  • You need intelligent sql completion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want schema navigation.
DataGrip review

Choose RisingWave if

  • You need sql materialised views.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
  • You also want postgres wire compatibility.
RisingWave review

Questions people ask

Is DataGrip or RisingWave better?
Neither clearly leads. DataGrip starts at Free and RisingWave at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DataGrip or RisingWave?
DataGrip starts at Free and RisingWave at Free.
Does DataGrip or RisingWave run on more platforms?
DataGrip runs on windows, mac, linux. RisingWave runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
Can I use DataGrip for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is DataGrip best used for?
DataGrip is most often used for writing and running sql queries across multiple database engines, browsing and editing schema and table data visually, version-controlling database migration scripts, standardizing database tooling across a jetbrains-based team. Of those, writing and running sql queries across multiple database engines and browsing and editing schema and table data visually are not what RisingWave is typically brought in for.
What can DataGrip do that RisingWave cannot?
DataGrip covers Intelligent SQL Completion, Schema Navigation, Data Editor, Version Control for Scripts. RisingWave covers SQL materialised views, Postgres wire compatibility, Object storage state, Source connectors.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DataGrip: Is DataGrip free for personal use?

JetBrains introduced a free non-commercial license for DataGrip in October 2025, allowing personal use, while commercial use still requires a paid annual or monthly subscription.

Source
RisingWave: Is RisingWave open source?

The community edition is Apache 2.0 and self-hostable, but a set of premium features requires a paid licence key.

DataGrip: Who qualifies for the free non-commercial license?

Only individuals are eligible, for uses like learning, open-source work, or content creation. Anyone paid by an employer, including at a non-profit, must use a commercial license instead.

Source
RisingWave: What does the cloud cost?

It starts at 0.227 US dollars per RisingWave Unit hour on the Basic tier, which is capped at 64 cores.

DataGrip: How long does the free non-commercial license last?

It lasts one year and auto-renews if DataGrip was used at least once in the final six months; otherwise you can simply reapply for a new license.

Source
RisingWave: Does it replace Flink?

For SQL-expressible transformations, often yes. For custom stateful processing and complex event handling, no.

DataGrip: Does the free license have fewer features than the paid version?

No, it is a full-featured IDE identical to the paid version, though it requires anonymized telemetry sharing that cannot be opted out of under the non-commercial agreement.

Source
RisingWave: Can I query it like Postgres?

Yes over the Postgres wire protocol, but it is an analytical streaming engine, not a transactional database.

DataGrip: Can I use DataGrip offline with the free license?

No, activation requires logging into a JetBrains Account; offline activation codes are not available for the free non-commercial license.

Source
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