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Database & Data Management · head to head

DuckDB vs RavenDB

DuckDB logo

DuckDB

Database & Data Management

Fast in-process analytical database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RavenDB logo

RavenDB

Database & Data Management

The fully transactional NoSQL document 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; RavenDB the free Developer licence bars commercial use and expires every 6 months, requiring renewal
  • They diverge on capability: DuckDB covers In-process Execution, RavenDB covers ACID Transactions.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DuckDB and RavenDB actually diverge.

Attributes where DuckDB and RavenDB differ
AttributeDuckDBRavenDB
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, WebAssemblyLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web
Founded20192010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Database & Data Management).

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
  • R

Only in RavenDB

  • ACID Transactions
  • Auto-indexing
  • Full-text Search
  • Graph Queries
  • Distributed Counters
  • Time Series
  • Document Compression
  • .NET

Both cover

  • Python
  • Node.js
  • 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 RavenDB
  • OLAP queries and data explorationnot RavenDB
  • Data science and machine learning workflowsnot RavenDB
  • Multi-format data ingestion and processingnot RavenDB

RavenDB

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

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

DuckDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the DuckDB review.

RavenDB

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

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 RavenDB if

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

Questions people ask

Is DuckDB or RavenDB better?
Neither clearly leads. DuckDB 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, DuckDB or RavenDB?
DuckDB starts at Free and RavenDB at Free.
Does DuckDB or RavenDB run on more platforms?
DuckDB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly. RavenDB 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 RavenDB is typically brought in for.
What can DuckDB do that RavenDB cannot?
DuckDB covers In-process Execution, Columnar Storage, Vectorized Execution, Rich SQL Support. RavenDB covers ACID Transactions, Auto-indexing, Full-text Search, Graph Queries. Both handle Python, Node.js, Linux support, Windows support.
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