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Databases · head to head

Dremio vs RAD Studio

Dremio logo

Dremio

Databases

SQL query engine and lakehouse layer over Iceberg tables in object storage

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit DremioFull review
RAD Studio logo

RAD Studio

Developer Tools

Cross-platform native app development with Delphi and C++Builder

From
$2000/perpetual
Free plan
No
Visit RAD StudioFull review

The short version

  • RAD Studio is a cross-platform IDE.
  • Dremio has a free plan, then $0.2/mo; RAD Studio starts at $2000/mo.
  • Where Dremio falls short: Dremio Cloud is AWS-first, which leaves Azure and Google Cloud customers on the self-managed path with the operational burden that entails.
  • Where RAD Studio falls short: professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dremio and RAD Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Dremio and RAD Studio differ
AttributeDremioRAD Studio
Starting priceFree$2000/perpetual
Pricing modelPer Dremio Compute Unit consumedOne-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Self-hosted, WebWeb
CategoryDatabasesDeveloper Tools

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 Dremio

  • Arrow-based execution
  • Reflections
  • Semantic layer
  • Iceberg catalogue
  • Federated queries
  • Autonomous management
  • Fine-grained access control
  • BI connectors

Only in RAD Studio

Nothing recorded that Dremio does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Dremio

  • A company with petabytes of Parquet in S3 that wants BI dashboards without duplicating it into a warehousenot RAD Studio
  • A data platform team standardising on Apache Iceberg and needing a SQL engine plus catalogue that does not lock the tables innot RAD Studio
  • An analytics group accelerating slow lake queries with Reflections instead of hand-built aggregate tablesnot RAD Studio
  • A regulated enterprise that must keep data on premises but wants a modern lakehouse SQL layernot RAD Studio

RAD Studio

  • Building Windows desktop applications with VCL componentsnot Dremio
  • Creating iOS and Android apps from shared Delphi codebasenot Dremio
  • Connecting to Oracle databases through FireDAC connectivitynot Dremio
  • Building REST web services that run on Linux serversnot Dremio

Where each one falls short

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

Dremio

  • Reflections consume compute and storage to build and refresh continuously, so a team that enables them widely discovers that background maintenance rather than user queries drives the DCU bill
  • Self-managing Dremio on Kubernetes requires real platform engineering capacity for tuning executors, memory and coordinator sizing, and it is not comparable in effort to running a managed warehouse
  • The Community Edition lacks the security and governance features most enterprises require, so the free tier is a trial path rather than a viable production option for regulated buyers
  • Dremio Cloud is AWS-first, which leaves Azure and Google Cloud customers on the self-managed path with the operational burden that entails
  • Query performance without Reflections on raw, poorly laid out files is often unremarkable, so the promise of querying the lake as is depends on file layout work you still have to do

RAD Studio

  • Professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
  • Enterprise edition steps up to $3,400 license plus $1,199 maintenance, and Architect edition to $4,416 license plus $2,183 maintenance
  • The perpetual license only entitles the buyer to updates for one year; continued access to new updates and upgrades requires an annually renewable Update Subscription

Pricing, plan by plan

Dremio

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Self-managed on your own hardware
    • SQL engine and semantic layer
    • No vendor support
  • Dremio Cloud$0.2/hour
    • Billed at $0.20 per Dremio Compute Unit
    • Includes query execution, Reflections and background processing
    • 400 dollar trial credit for 30 days
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Self-managed on Kubernetes, on premises or any cloud
    • Enterprise security, SSO and governance
    • Vendor support with SLA

RAD Studio

$2000/perpetual
  • Professional Edition$2,000 one-off
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $599
    • Total $2,599 + Tax
  • Enterprise Edition$3,400 one-off
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $1,199
    • Total $4,599 + Tax
  • Architect Edition$4,416 one-off
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $2,183
    • Total $6,599 + Tax

Which should you pick?

Choose Dremio if

  • You need arrow-based execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Self-hosted, Web.
  • You also want reflections.
Dremio review

Choose RAD Studio if

Nothing in the data separates RAD Studio from Dremio on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

RAD Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Dremio or RAD Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Dremio starts at Free and RAD Studio at $2000/perpetual, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dremio or RAD Studio?
Dremio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Dremio and $2000/perpetual for RAD Studio.
Does Dremio or RAD Studio run on more platforms?
Dremio runs on Linux, Self-hosted, Web. RAD Studio runs on Web.
Can I use Dremio for free?
Yes. Dremio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RAD Studio starts at $2000/perpetual.
What is Dremio best used for?
Dremio is most often used for a company with petabytes of parquet in s3 that wants bi dashboards without duplicating it into a warehouse, a data platform team standardising on apache iceberg and needing a sql engine plus catalogue that does not lock the tables in, an analytics group accelerating slow lake queries with reflections instead of hand-built aggregate tables, a regulated enterprise that must keep data on premises but wants a modern lakehouse sql layer. Of those, a company with petabytes of parquet in s3 that wants bi dashboards without duplicating it into a warehouse and a data platform team standardising on apache iceberg and needing a sql engine plus catalogue that does not lock the tables in are not what RAD Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Dremio do that RAD Studio cannot?
Dremio covers Arrow-based execution, Reflections, Semantic layer, Iceberg catalogue.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dremio: How is Dremio Cloud billed?

At 0.20 US dollars per Dremio Compute Unit, which counts query execution, Reflection building and platform overhead, not just user queries.

RAD Studio: How much does RAD Studio cost?

RAD Studio uses perpetual licensing: Professional Edition $2,000 perpetual license + $599 first year maintenance ($2,599 total + tax). Enterprise Edition $3,400 license + $1,199 maintenance ($4,599 total + tax). Architect Edition $4,416 license + $2,183 maintenance ($6,599 total + tax).

Source
Dremio: Is there a free version?

Yes, a Community Edition you self-manage, but it omits the enterprise security and governance features and comes with no support.

RAD Studio: What is the difference between RAD Studio editions?

Professional Edition ($2,599 total + tax) targets individual developers. Enterprise Edition ($4,599 total + tax) adds multi-tier app capabilities. Architect Edition ($6,599 total + tax) includes advanced database and cloud features. All three include perpetual licenses.

Source
Dremio: Does it lock in my data?

No, tables stay in Apache Iceberg or Parquet in your own object storage and can be read by Spark, Trino or other engines.

RAD Studio: Does RAD Studio offer Kai AI integration and discounts?

Yes, adding Kai AI to any edition provides discounts: 25% off Professional ($2,136 + tax), 30% off Enterprise ($3,394 + tax), and 40% off Architect ($4,109 + tax). This promotion is active through August 31, 2026.

Source
Dremio: Do I still need a warehouse?

Often not for analytics, but Dremio is not a transactional store and high-concurrency operational serving is not its strength.

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