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Software · head to head

Dgraph vs RavenDB

Dgraph logo

Dgraph

Software

The only native GraphQL database with graph backend

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RavenDB logo

RavenDB

Software

The fully transactional NoSQL document database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dgraph the GitHub repository (dgraph-io/dgraph) is licensed Apache 2.0 with no paid tier, cloud offering, or enterprise edition mentioned anywhere in the README; RavenDB the free Developer licence bars commercial use and expires every 6 months, requiring renewal
  • They diverge on capability: Dgraph covers Native GraphQL, RavenDB covers Auto-indexing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dgraph and RavenDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Dgraph and RavenDB differ
AttributeDgraphRavenDB
PlatformsLinux, Mac, Docker, WebLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web
Founded20162010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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

  • Native GraphQL
  • Distributed Architecture
  • GraphQL Subscriptions
  • Geolocation Queries
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • GraphQL
  • Ratel UI
  • Slash GraphQL

Only in RavenDB

  • Auto-indexing
  • Graph Queries
  • Distributed Counters
  • Time Series
  • Document Compression
  • .NET
  • Node.js
  • Java

Both cover

  • ACID Transactions
  • Full-text Search
  • Linux support
  • Mac support
  • Docker support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Dgraph

  • Knowledge graphsnot RavenDB
  • Fraud detectionnot RavenDB
  • Recommendation enginesnot RavenDB
  • Network analysisnot RavenDB
  • Master data managementnot RavenDB

RavenDB

  • Running a distributed document database with ACID transactionsnot Dgraph
  • Self hosting a multi node database cluster on your own hardwarenot Dgraph
  • Replicating operational data out to analytics systems through ETLnot Dgraph

Where each one falls short

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

Dgraph

  • The GitHub repository (dgraph-io/dgraph) is licensed Apache 2.0 with no paid tier, cloud offering, or enterprise edition mentioned anywhere in the README

RavenDB

  • The free Developer licence bars commercial use and expires every 6 months, requiring renewal
  • The free Community licence caps a customer at 60 cores and forces you to stay on the latest major version
  • The Professional licence is limited to a single database, a 5 node cluster, 40 cores and 240 GB RAM
  • Sharding across nodes, ETL to OLAP, Elasticsearch and Kafka, and data archival are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise and AI licence pricing is contact us only with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Dgraph

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

RavenDB

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • 3 cores
    • 6GB RAM
    • Community support
  • Professional$499/year
    • Production use
    • Professional support
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

Choose Dgraph if

  • You need native graphql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want distributed architecture.
Dgraph review

Choose RavenDB if

  • You need auto-indexing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want graph queries.
RavenDB review

Questions people ask

Is Dgraph or RavenDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Dgraph starts at Free and RavenDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dgraph or RavenDB?
Dgraph starts at Free and RavenDB at Free.
Does Dgraph or RavenDB run on more platforms?
Dgraph runs on Linux, Mac, Docker, Web. RavenDB runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
Can I use Dgraph for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Dgraph best used for?
Dgraph is most often used for knowledge graphs, fraud detection, recommendation engines, network analysis. Of those, knowledge graphs and fraud detection are not what RavenDB is typically brought in for.
What can Dgraph do that RavenDB cannot?
Dgraph covers Native GraphQL, Distributed Architecture, GraphQL Subscriptions, Geolocation Queries. RavenDB covers Auto-indexing, Graph Queries, Distributed Counters, Time Series. Both handle ACID Transactions, Full-text Search, Linux support, Mac support.
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