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Software · head to head

DuckDB vs Neo4j

DuckDB logo

DuckDB

Software

Fast in-process analytical database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Neo4j logo

Neo4j

Software

The world's leading graph database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DuckDB client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios; Neo4j auraDB Free has no service availability SLA, no backups and no point-in-time recovery
  • They diverge on capability: DuckDB covers In-process Execution, Neo4j covers Native Graph Storage.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DuckDB and Neo4j actually diverge.

Attributes where DuckDB and Neo4j differ
AttributeDuckDBNeo4j
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, WebAssemblyLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web
Founded20192007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 DuckDB

  • In-process Execution
  • Columnar Storage
  • Vectorized Execution
  • Rich SQL Support
  • Parquet Support
  • CSV/JSON Import
  • Zero Dependencies
  • Python

Only in Neo4j

  • Native Graph Storage
  • Cypher Query Language
  • ACID Transactions
  • High Availability
  • Graph Data Science
  • Full-text Search
  • Native Indexes
  • GraphQL

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

What people use each for

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

DuckDB

  • Analytics and data warehousingnot Neo4j
  • OLAP queries and data explorationnot Neo4j
  • Data science and machine learning workflowsnot Neo4j
  • Multi-format data ingestion and processingnot Neo4j

Neo4j

  • Running a managed graph database on AWS, Azure or Google Cloudnot DuckDB
  • Building knowledge graphs and GraphRAG retrieval for AI applicationsnot DuckDB
  • Fraud detection, recommendations and supply chain analysis over connected datanot DuckDB

Where each one falls short

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

DuckDB

  • Client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios

Neo4j

  • AuraDB Free has no service availability SLA, no backups and no point-in-time recovery
  • AuraDB Free imposes limits on node and relationship counts and runs single-zone only
  • SSO authentication and role-based access control are excluded from AuraDB Free and AuraDB Professional, starting only at Business Critical at $146 per GB per month with a 2GB minimum cluster
  • AuraDB Professional starts at $65 per GB per month with a minimum 1GB cluster and caps at 128GB memory per instance
  • AuraDB Professional backups are daily with only 7-day retention, against 30 days on Business Critical
  • Customer managed keys and private endpoints are available only on AuraDB Virtual Dedicated Cloud, which is quote only with no published price
  • Change data capture, query log forwarding, secondaries and access to Neo4j Professional Services are excluded below the Business Critical tier
  • Support on AuraDB Free is community only and AuraDB Professional is best effort, with 24x7 one-hour response starting at Business Critical
  • AuraDB Virtual Dedicated Cloud is sold on prepaid contract terms with enterprise commercial negotiation rather than self-serve card payment

Pricing, plan by plan

DuckDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the DuckDB review.

Neo4j

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Single database
    • Cypher queries
    • APOC library
  • AuraDB FreeFree
    • 50K nodes
    • 175K relationships
    • Cloud hosted
  • AuraDB Professional$65/month
    • Dedicated instance
    • Auto-scaling
    • Enterprise support

Which should you pick?

Choose DuckDB if

  • You need in-process execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly.
  • You also want columnar storage.
DuckDB review

Choose Neo4j if

  • You need native graph storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want cypher query language.
Neo4j review

Questions people ask

Is DuckDB or Neo4j better?
Neither clearly leads. DuckDB starts at Free and Neo4j at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DuckDB or Neo4j?
DuckDB starts at Free and Neo4j at Free.
Does DuckDB or Neo4j run on more platforms?
DuckDB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly. Neo4j runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
Can I use DuckDB for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is DuckDB best used for?
DuckDB is most often used for analytics and data warehousing, olap queries and data exploration, data science and machine learning workflows, multi-format data ingestion and processing. Of those, analytics and data warehousing and olap queries and data exploration are not what Neo4j is typically brought in for.
What can DuckDB do that Neo4j cannot?
DuckDB covers In-process Execution, Columnar Storage, Vectorized Execution, Rich SQL Support. Neo4j covers Native Graph Storage, Cypher Query Language, ACID Transactions, High Availability. Both handle Linux support, Windows support, Mac support.
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