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Database & Data Management · head to head

DynamoDB vs Firestore

DynamoDB logo

DynamoDB

Database & Data Management

Fast, flexible NoSQL database service for any scale

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Firestore logo

Firestore

Database & Data Management

Flexible, scalable NoSQL cloud database from Firebase

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Firestore has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DynamoDB noSQL-only; does not support complex relational queries or SQL joins; Firestore the no-cost Spark plan caps Standard edition at 50,000 document reads, 20,000 writes and 20,000 deletes per day
  • They diverge on capability: DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency, Firestore covers Document Model.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DynamoDB and Firestore actually diverge.

Attributes where DynamoDB and Firestore differ
AttributeDynamoDBFirestore
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsAWSWeb, Ios, Android, Flutter
Founded20062011

Identical on both: 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 DynamoDB

  • Single-digit Millisecond Latency
  • Serverless
  • Auto-scaling
  • Global Tables
  • Point-in-time Recovery
  • Encryption
  • Streams
  • Lambda

Only in Firestore

  • Document Model
  • Real-time Updates
  • Offline Support
  • ACID Transactions
  • Expressive Queries
  • Multi-region
  • Security Rules
  • Firebase Auth

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

DynamoDB

  • High-scale, variable-workload applicationsnot Firestore
  • Mobile and IoT device backendsnot Firestore
  • Real-time analytics and dashboardsnot Firestore
  • Multi-region, globally distributed applicationsnot Firestore

Firestore

  • Storing structured application data with realtime listenersnot DynamoDB
  • Backing mobile and web apps with a serverless document databasenot DynamoDB
  • Building offline first apps that sync when connectivity returnsnot DynamoDB

Where each one falls short

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

DynamoDB

  • NoSQL-only; does not support complex relational queries or SQL joins
  • Limited query flexibility; requires thinking in terms of keys and indexes rather than ad-hoc queries

Firestore

  • The no-cost Spark plan caps Standard edition at 50,000 document reads, 20,000 writes and 20,000 deletes per day
  • The Spark plan caps storage at 1 GiB and network egress at 10 GiB per month
  • Charging is per document read, so a query returning many documents bills for every one of them
  • Going beyond the free thresholds requires the pay as you go Blaze plan billed at Google Cloud rates with no fixed monthly ceiling

Pricing, plan by plan

DynamoDB

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the DynamoDB review.

Firestore

Free
  • SparkFree
    • 1GB storage
    • 50K reads/day
    • 20K writes/day
  • BlazeFree
    • Pay as you go
    • Unlimited operations
    • Multi-region

Which should you pick?

Choose DynamoDB if

  • You need single-digit millisecond latency.
  • You work on AWS.
  • You also want serverless.
DynamoDB review

Choose Firestore if

  • You need document model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Flutter.
  • You also want real-time updates.
Firestore review

Questions people ask

Is DynamoDB or Firestore better?
Neither clearly leads. DynamoDB starts at On request and Firestore at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DynamoDB or Firestore?
Firestore has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DynamoDB and Free for Firestore.
Does DynamoDB or Firestore run on more platforms?
DynamoDB runs on AWS. Firestore runs on Web, Ios, Android, Flutter.
Can I use Firestore for free?
Yes. Firestore has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DynamoDB starts at On request.
What is DynamoDB best used for?
DynamoDB is most often used for high-scale, variable-workload applications, mobile and iot device backends, real-time analytics and dashboards, multi-region, globally distributed applications. Of those, high-scale, variable-workload applications and mobile and iot device backends are not what Firestore is typically brought in for.
What can DynamoDB do that Firestore cannot?
DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency, Serverless, Auto-scaling, Global Tables. Firestore covers Document Model, Real-time Updates, Offline Support, ACID Transactions. Both handle Web support.
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