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Databases · head to head

DataStax vs Earthly

DataStax logo

DataStax

Databases

The real-time data company for AI applications

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit DataStaxFull review
Earthly logo

Earthly

Developer Tools

Engineering guardrails for the AI era

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit EarthlyFull review

The short version

  • Both are free.
  • Only DataStax lists cassandra Compatible; only Earthly lists policy as code.
  • Where Earthly falls short: pricing model not published; requires sales contact.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DataStax and Earthly actually diverge.

Attributes where DataStax and Earthly differ
AttributeDataStaxEarthly
Pricing modelFreemiumNo pricing published on website
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, GcpWeb, API
CategoryDatabasesDeveloper Tools
Founded20102020

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

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 DataStax

  • Cassandra Compatible
  • Vector Search
  • Serverless
  • Multi-cloud
  • Streaming
  • CDC
  • GraphQL API
  • LangChain

Only in Earthly

  • Policy as code
  • Multi-stage enforcement
  • AI agent governance
  • Repository-wide policies
  • Incident response automation
  • Compliance management
  • Earthfiles build tool
  • Satellites

What people use each for

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

DataStax

  • Real-time applicationsnot Earthly
  • Content managementnot Earthly
  • User profilesnot Earthly
  • Mobile backendsnot Earthly
  • Cachingnot Earthly

Earthly

  • Enforcing engineering standards across AI and human developersnot DataStax
  • Automating incident response procedures across all repositoriesnot DataStax
  • Embedding compliance requirements into development workflowsnot DataStax
  • Standardizing build processes with Earthfilesnot DataStax

Where each one falls short

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

DataStax

  • DataStax's own Astra DB documentation states the Enterprise plan is an annual, contract-based plan with negotiated pricing, meaning list prices are not published for that tier
  • DataStax's Astra DB documentation directs Standard plan customers to IBM's watsonx.data pricing for exact consumption-based rates following the DataStax/IBM deal, rather than publishing them on DataStax's own site

Earthly

  • Pricing model not published; requires sales contact
  • Earthly Lunar is a recent launch (2025) with limited track record
  • Primarily GitHub-focused; limited integration with other platforms
  • No public documentation on pricing or feature tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

DataStax

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5GB storage
    • 40M read/write ops
    • Vector search
  • Pay As You GoFree
    • Usage-based pricing
    • Multi-region
    • Enterprise support

Earthly

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Earthly review.

Which should you pick?

Choose DataStax if

  • You need cassandra compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp.
  • You also want vector search.
DataStax review

Choose Earthly if

  • You need policy as code.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want multi-stage enforcement.
Earthly review

Questions people ask

Is DataStax or Earthly better?
Neither clearly leads. DataStax starts at Free and Earthly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DataStax or Earthly?
DataStax starts at Free and Earthly at Free.
Does DataStax or Earthly run on more platforms?
DataStax runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp. Earthly runs on Web, API.
Can I use DataStax for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is DataStax best used for?
DataStax is most often used for real-time applications, content management, user profiles, mobile backends. Of those, real-time applications and content management are not what Earthly is typically brought in for.
What can DataStax do that Earthly cannot?
DataStax covers Cassandra Compatible, Vector Search, Serverless, Multi-cloud. Earthly covers Policy as code, Multi-stage enforcement, AI agent governance, Repository-wide policies.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DataStax: Is DataStax available as a managed service?

Yes, DataStax is available as Astra DB, a managed database service. Users can sign up for Astra DB directly to create accounts and access the platform.

Source
Earthly: What is the difference between Earthfiles and Earthly Lunar?

Earthfiles is an open-source build tool that reached 12,000 GitHub stars and is used by companies like NVIDIA, Intel, and Databricks. Earthly Lunar is a separate governance platform launched in 2025 for enforcing standards across development workflows.

Source
DataStax: How is DataStax priced?

DataStax (now part of IBM) does not publish pricing on its documentation homepage. Pricing information would need to be obtained through the Astra DB signup page or by contacting IBM directly.

Source
Earthly: How does Earthly Lunar enforce standards?

Lunar converts engineering standards, compliance requirements, and processes documented in AGENTS.md files, wikis, and incident postmortems into enforceable guardrails that apply consistently across repositories and development stages.

Source
DataStax: Is there an enterprise licensing option?

DataStax is now part of IBM. Enterprise customers should contact IBM directly for licensing agreements and enterprise-specific pricing.

Source
Earthly: What is the pricing for Earthly Lunar?

Pricing is not published on the website. Interested customers should contact Earthly's sales team for current pricing and feature tiers.

Source
DataStax: Can I try DataStax without an account?

To use DataStax Astra DB, account creation is required. The documentation does not mention a free trial or demonstration environment that does not require signup.

Source
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