Softwr

Software · head to head

DuckDB vs Timescale

DuckDB logo

DuckDB

Software

Fast in-process analytical database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Timescale logo

Timescale

Software

PostgreSQL platform for time-series and analytical workloads

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DuckDB has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DuckDB client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios; Timescale it is built on Postgres, so it inherits Postgres's vertical-scaling limits compared to purpose-built distributed time-series systems.
  • They diverge on capability: DuckDB covers In-process Execution, Timescale covers Hypertables.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DuckDB and Timescale actually diverge.

Attributes where DuckDB and Timescale differ
AttributeDuckDBTimescale
Starting priceFree$30/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, WebAssemblyweb, api
Founded2019Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Timescale

  • Hypertables
  • Native compression
  • Continuous aggregates
  • Point-in-time recovery
  • Read replicas
  • Private networking

What people use each for

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

DuckDB

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

Timescale

  • IoT and sensor data storagenot DuckDB
  • Operational and infrastructure metricsnot DuckDB
  • Time-series analytics dashboardsnot DuckDB
  • Financial and market tick 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

Timescale

  • It is built on Postgres, so it inherits Postgres's vertical-scaling limits compared to purpose-built distributed time-series systems.
  • The free trial is time-limited (30 days) rather than a permanent free tier.
  • Enterprise features like HIPAA compliance and cross-region backups require custom-priced Enterprise plans, not available on entry tiers.
  • Multi-node horizontal scaling and read replicas are gated behind the higher-priced Scale plan.

Pricing, plan by plan

DuckDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the DuckDB review.

Timescale

$30/month
  • Performance$30/month
    • 4 database services
    • Up to 8 CPU / 32GB memory per service
    • Up to 16TB disk per service
  • Scale$36/month
    • Unlimited database services
    • Up to 32 CPU / 128GB memory per service
    • Up to 64TB disk per service
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Up to 64 CPU / 256GB memory per service
    • Cross-region backups
    • SAML SSO, HIPAA compliance

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 Timescale if

  • You need hypertables.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want native compression.
Timescale review

Questions people ask

Is DuckDB or Timescale better?
Neither clearly leads. DuckDB starts at Free and Timescale at $30/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DuckDB or Timescale?
DuckDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for DuckDB and $30/month for Timescale.
Does DuckDB or Timescale run on more platforms?
DuckDB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly. Timescale runs on web, api.
Can I use DuckDB for free?
Yes. DuckDB has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Timescale starts at $30/month.
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 Timescale is typically brought in for.
What can DuckDB do that Timescale cannot?
DuckDB covers In-process Execution, Columnar Storage, Vectorized Execution, Rich SQL Support. Timescale covers Hypertables, Native compression, Continuous aggregates, Point-in-time recovery.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Timescale: What does Timescale (Tiger Data) cost?

Tiger Cloud starts at $30/month for the Performance plan (4 database services, up to 8 CPU/32GB RAM), $36/month for Scale (unlimited services, multi-node HA), and custom Enterprise pricing for larger deployments.

Source
Timescale: Is there a free trial and what does it include?

New users get a 30-day trial of the Performance plan with no credit card required, letting them test hypertables, compression and continuous aggregates before paying.

Source
Timescale: How is usage billed?

Billing is monthly in arrears with hourly-metered compute and storage based on average GB consumed per hour; mid-month plan changes are pro-rated and customers can cancel anytime.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on DuckDB

More on Timescale

Keep looking

Other head to heads