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Databases · head to head

dbt vs EMQX

dbt logo

dbt

Databases

SQL transformation framework enabling analytics engineers to version, test and deploy models

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
EMQX logo

EMQX

Databases

Erlang MQTT broker for large IoT fleets, relicensed to BSL with production free use limited to one node

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: dbt free tier severely limited: 3,000 models/month cap and single project maximum restricts team and production use; EMQX the move to Business Source Licence 1.1 at version 5.9 in May 2025 limits free production use to a single node, so the clustering that justifies choosing EMQX now requires a paid subscription from the second node onward.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 2 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which dbt and EMQX actually diverge.

Attributes where dbt and EMQX differ
AttributedbtEMQX
Pricing modelsubscription|freePer month by connection and session volume
PlatformsCloud, Self-hosted, IDE integration (VS Code, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf)Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud, macOS

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 dbt

Nothing recorded that EMQX does not also cover.

Only in EMQX

  • Erlang clustering
  • MQTT 5.0 and QUIC
  • Rule engine
  • Data integration sinks
  • Session persistence
  • Multi protocol gateways
  • Authentication and authorisation
  • Dashboard and REST API

What people use each for

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

dbt

  • Data warehouse transformation and ELT pipelinesnot EMQX
  • Analytics engineering for reporting and business intelligencenot EMQX
  • Data quality testing and validation at scalenot EMQX
  • Cross-functional data collaboration with version controlnot EMQX
  • Cost optimisation of warehouse usage through intelligent schedulingnot EMQX

EMQX

  • A connected vehicle platform needing millions of persistent MQTT sessions with QUIC for handover across mobile networksnot dbt
  • An industrial operator routing sensor telemetry straight into TimescaleDB or Kafka without writing a consumer servicenot dbt
  • An IoT product team that has outgrown a single Mosquitto instance and needs clustering and shared subscriptionsnot dbt
  • A smart building deployment mixing MQTT, CoAP and LwM2M devices on one brokernot dbt

Where each one falls short

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

dbt

  • Free tier severely limited: 3,000 models/month cap and single project maximum restricts team and production use
  • Starter at $1,200/year per seat: minimum 5-seat team costs $6,000/year baseline; no single-seat or 2-seat paid option
  • Enterprise pricing opaque: 'custom pricing' with no budget range for startups vs. enterprises; requires sales consultation
  • Model volume metering unclear: 'successful models/month' as a limit is ambiguous; unclear if this counts transformation runs, test runs, or deployment attempts

EMQX

  • The move to Business Source Licence 1.1 at version 5.9 in May 2025 limits free production use to a single node, so the clustering that justifies choosing EMQX now requires a paid subscription from the second node onward.
  • The relicensing arrived in a minor release, which caught users who had pinned to 5.x expecting Apache 2.0 terms and forced legal review of existing deployments.
  • Running an Erlang/OTP cluster well requires operational knowledge most teams do not have, and diagnosing distribution, mnesia or memory issues means learning a runtime you use for nothing else.
  • Enterprise pricing is quoted rather than published for the self-managed edition, so the cost of the clustered configuration you actually need is invisible until you talk to sales.
  • The Serverless tier caps at around a thousand connections and shares infrastructure, which makes it a prototyping tier rather than a genuine small production option.

Pricing, plan by plan

dbt

Free
  • DeveloperFree
  • Starter$100/seat/month
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
  • Enterprise+$undefined/mo

EMQX

Free
  • Open Source single nodeFree
    • BSL 1.1 licence since version 5.9
    • Free production use of one node only
    • All former enterprise features visible
  • ServerlessFree
    • Free monthly quota then pay as you go
    • Up to 1,000 connections
    • 8 by 5 support
  • Dedicated Flex$234/month
    • Single tenant cluster
    • Traffic allowance included
    • 24/7 support
  • Enterprise self-managed$undefined/year
    • Deploy on premises, at the edge or in any cloud
    • Clustering licensed
    • 256 MB maximum message size

Which should you pick?

Choose dbt if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Self-hosted, IDE integration (VS Code, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf).
dbt review

Choose EMQX if

  • You need erlang clustering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud, macOS.
  • You also want mqtt 5.0 and quic.
EMQX review

Questions people ask

Is dbt or EMQX better?
Neither clearly leads. dbt starts at Free and EMQX at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, dbt or EMQX?
dbt starts at Free and EMQX at Free.
Does dbt or EMQX run on more platforms?
dbt runs on Cloud, Self-hosted, IDE integration (VS Code, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf). EMQX runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud, macOS.
Can I use dbt for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is dbt best used for?
dbt is most often used for data warehouse transformation and elt pipelines, analytics engineering for reporting and business intelligence, data quality testing and validation at scale, cross-functional data collaboration with version control. Of those, data warehouse transformation and elt pipelines and analytics engineering for reporting and business intelligence are not what EMQX is typically brought in for.
What can dbt do that EMQX cannot?
EMQX covers Erlang clustering, MQTT 5.0 and QUIC, Rule engine, Data integration sinks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

dbt: How much does dbt cost?

dbt Developer is free. dbt Starter is $100/seat/month with a 5-seat minimum (or custom annual billing). Enterprise and Enterprise+ have custom pricing and require contacting sales.

Source
EMQX: Is EMQX still open source?

Not in the OSI sense since version 5.9. It is source-available under Business Source Licence 1.1, reverting to Apache 2.0 four years after each release.

dbt: What is included in the free Developer plan?

The Developer plan is free and includes 1 developer seat, 3,000 successful models/month limit, 1 project, browser-based IDE, MFA, and job scheduling.

Source
EMQX: Can I run a free cluster?

No. The additional use grant permits free production use of one node; clustering requires a commercial licence.

dbt: What is the model limit on each plan?

Developer tier allows 3,000 successful models/month. Starter allows 15,000/month. Enterprise and Enterprise+ allow 100,000/month.

Source
EMQX: What changed for existing users?

Community and enterprise editions merged, so all features are now visible, but the licence terms tightened in the same minor release.

dbt: Can I upgrade or downgrade my dbt plan?

Yes. dbt allows you to 'upgrade or downgrade at any time.' Starter plans bill monthly by credit card based on seat count; Enterprise plans are annual invoicing.

Source
EMQX: Which version is still Apache 2.0?

Releases before 5.9 remain under Apache 2.0, and each BSL release converts to Apache 2.0 four years after publication.

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