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Databases · head to head

Dgraph vs Fivetran HVR

Dgraph logo

Dgraph

Databases

Apache 2.0 distributed graph database written in Go, maintained by Hypermode, queried through GraphQL or its own DQL language.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fivetran HVR logo

Fivetran HVR

Databases

Log-based change data capture for database replication and synchronization

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Dgraph has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Dgraph sharding is by predicate, so a single very hot predicate lives entirely in one Raft group and cannot be split further; adding nodes does not relieve it and the fix is a data model change.; Fivetran HVR pricing not published separately; part of Fivetran's usage model
  • They diverge on capability: Dgraph covers Apache 2.0 licence, Fivetran HVR covers Log-based change capture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dgraph and Fivetran HVR actually diverge.

Attributes where Dgraph and Fivetran HVR differ
AttributeDgraphFivetran HVR
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumUsage-based, integrated with Fivetran billing
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Mac, Docker, WebData Warehouse, Data Lake, Operational Databases
Founded20162012

Identical on both: 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 Dgraph

  • Apache 2.0 licence
  • Generated GraphQL API
  • DQL query language
  • Predicate sharding
  • Raft replication
  • Distributed ACID transactions
  • Written in Go
  • Full-text and geo indexing

Only in Fivetran HVR

  • Log-based change capture
  • Real-time replication
  • Schema evolution handling
  • Multi-table consistency
  • Zero-impact monitoring
  • Fivetran integration

What people use each for

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

Dgraph

  • An application whose core data is a graph, such as permissions, social connections or product relationships, where the frontend already consumes GraphQLnot Fivetran HVR
  • A knowledge graph that outgrew a single machine and needs storage distributed across nodes without a per-core licence negotiationnot Fivetran HVR
  • Recommendation or fraud-detection features that traverse several hops at request time, where a relational join chain has become the bottlenecknot Fivetran HVR
  • Teams that want a graph database they can read, fork and self-host under a permissive licence rather than a source-available onenot Fivetran HVR

Fivetran HVR

  • Real-time database replication to data warehousesnot Dgraph
  • Maintaining operational copies for analyticsnot Dgraph
  • Disaster recovery and business continuitynot Dgraph
  • Feeding AI systems with fresh governed datanot Dgraph

Where each one falls short

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

Dgraph

  • Sharding is by predicate, so a single very hot predicate lives entirely in one Raft group and cannot be split further; adding nodes does not relieve it and the fix is a data model change.
  • Stewardship passed from Dgraph Labs to Hypermode after the original company stopped operating independently, so anyone building on it is betting on a second custodian rather than on the original team's roadmap.
  • The GraphQL layer is generated and opinionated, so anything it does not express drops you into DQL, which is a second language your team must learn and which no other database speaks.
  • The community is a fraction of Neo4j's, so operational answers, tuning experience, hiring and third-party tooling are all thinner, and unusual failure modes in a Zero and Alpha cluster leave you reading source rather than a forum.
  • There is no portable graph standard to migrate to; Cypher, Gremlin and SPARQL are all different query models, so the schema and every query is a rewrite if you later leave, and that cost grows with the application.

Fivetran HVR

  • Pricing not published separately; part of Fivetran's usage model
  • Requires Fivetran relationship for implementation
  • Limited standalone documentation and community resources
  • May be overkill for simple batch replication needs
  • Competitive offerings provide more transparent per-connector pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Dgraph

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

Fivetran HVR

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Fivetran HVR review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Dgraph if

  • You need apache 2.0 licence.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want generated graphql api.
Dgraph review

Choose Fivetran HVR if

  • You need log-based change capture.
  • You work on Data Warehouse, Data Lake, Operational Databases.
  • You also want real-time replication.
Fivetran HVR review

Questions people ask

Is Dgraph or Fivetran HVR better?
Neither clearly leads. Dgraph starts at Free and Fivetran HVR at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dgraph or Fivetran HVR?
Dgraph has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Dgraph and On request for Fivetran HVR.
Does Dgraph or Fivetran HVR run on more platforms?
Dgraph runs on Linux, Mac, Docker, Web. Fivetran HVR runs on Data Warehouse, Data Lake, Operational Databases.
Can I use Dgraph for free?
Yes. Dgraph has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fivetran HVR starts at On request.
What is Dgraph best used for?
Dgraph is most often used for an application whose core data is a graph, such as permissions, social connections or product relationships, where the frontend already consumes graphql, a knowledge graph that outgrew a single machine and needs storage distributed across nodes without a per-core licence negotiation, recommendation or fraud-detection features that traverse several hops at request time, where a relational join chain has become the bottleneck, teams that want a graph database they can read, fork and self-host under a permissive licence rather than a source-available one. Of those, an application whose core data is a graph, such as permissions, social connections or product relationships, where the frontend already consumes graphql and a knowledge graph that outgrew a single machine and needs storage distributed across nodes without a per-core licence negotiation are not what Fivetran HVR is typically brought in for.
What can Dgraph do that Fivetran HVR cannot?
Dgraph covers Apache 2.0 licence, Generated GraphQL API, DQL query language, Predicate sharding. Fivetran HVR covers Log-based change capture, Real-time replication, Schema evolution handling, Multi-table consistency.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dgraph: Is Dgraph open source?

Yes. The current repository is Apache 2.0, which is a permissive OSI licence, and the project is at v25 under Hypermode's maintenance.

Fivetran HVR: What databases does Fivetran HVR support?

HVR supports major databases including Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and others that emit transaction logs.

Source
Dgraph: Is it really GraphQL?

It serves a generated GraphQL API, which is real GraphQL for clients. Its native language, DQL, resembles GraphQL syntactically but is Dgraph's own language and is not the GraphQL specification.

Fivetran HVR: Is HVR part of standard Fivetran pricing?

Yes, HVR is integrated into Fivetran's usage-based pricing model with standard per-row-synced and transformation costs.

Source
Dgraph: How does it compare to Neo4j?

Neo4j has the larger ecosystem, Cypher, and far more operational precedent. Dgraph distributes storage across nodes by default and gives you a GraphQL endpoint without writing resolvers. The choice usually turns on whether you need horizontal scale and a GraphQL surface more than you need ecosystem depth.

Dgraph: What does a production cluster look like?

At minimum a set of Zero nodes for coordination and a replicated set of Alpha nodes for data, typically three of each for fault tolerance, which is a meaningfully larger operational footprint than a single graph server.

Dgraph: Who maintains it now?

Hypermode. Dgraph Labs, the original company, no longer operates it, and that change of custodian is the main non-technical risk to weigh.

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