Softwr

Database & Data Management · head to head

DynamoDB vs InfluxDB

DynamoDB logo

DynamoDB

Database & Data Management

Fast, flexible NoSQL database service for any scale

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
InfluxDB logo

InfluxDB

Log Management

Purpose-built time series database for metrics and events

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only InfluxDB 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; InfluxDB high-cardinality data causes memory pressure and performance degradation
  • They diverge on capability: DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency, InfluxDB covers Time-series Storage.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DynamoDB and InfluxDB actually diverge.

Attributes where DynamoDB and InfluxDB differ
AttributeDynamoDBInfluxDB
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsAWSCloud, Docker, Linux, macOS, Windows, AWS, Google Cloud, Azure
CategoryDatabase & Data ManagementLog Management
Founded20062012

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 InfluxDB

  • Time-series Storage
  • Flux Query Language
  • High Write Throughput
  • Data Compression
  • Retention Policies
  • Continuous Queries
  • Built-in Dashboards
  • Telegraf

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 InfluxDB
  • Mobile and IoT device backendsnot InfluxDB
  • Real-time analytics and dashboardsnot InfluxDB
  • Multi-region, globally distributed applicationsnot InfluxDB

InfluxDB

  • Monitoringnot DynamoDB
  • IoT datanot DynamoDB
  • Financial datanot DynamoDB
  • Log analyticsnot DynamoDB
  • Observabilitynot 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

InfluxDB

  • High-cardinality data causes memory pressure and performance degradation
  • No support for joins or transactions like relational databases
  • Queries limited to 72-hour window in InfluxDB 3 OSS Core
  • Clustering and authentication features absent from community version

Pricing, plan by plan

DynamoDB

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the DynamoDB review.

InfluxDB

Free
  • Cloud Serverless FreeFree
    • 5 MB writes per 5 minutes
    • 300 MB queries per 5 minutes
    • 30 day retention
  • Cloud Serverless Usage-Based$null/mo
    • 0.0025 USD per MB ingested
    • 0.012 USD per 100 queries
    • 0.002 USD per GB-hour storage

Which should you pick?

Choose DynamoDB if

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

Choose InfluxDB if

  • You need time-series storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Docker, Linux, macOS, Windows, AWS, Google Cloud, Azure.
  • You also want flux query language.
InfluxDB review

Questions people ask

Is DynamoDB or InfluxDB better?
Neither clearly leads. DynamoDB starts at On request and InfluxDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DynamoDB or InfluxDB?
InfluxDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DynamoDB and Free for InfluxDB.
Does DynamoDB or InfluxDB run on more platforms?
DynamoDB runs on AWS. InfluxDB runs on Cloud, Docker, Linux, macOS, Windows, AWS, Google Cloud, Azure.
Can I use InfluxDB for free?
Yes. InfluxDB 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 InfluxDB is typically brought in for.
What can DynamoDB do that InfluxDB cannot?
DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency, Serverless, Auto-scaling, Global Tables. InfluxDB covers Time-series Storage, Flux Query Language, High Write Throughput, Data Compression. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

InfluxDB: Is there a free tier and what are the limits?

InfluxDB 3 Core OSS is free forever for local development and prototyping. Cloud Serverless free tier includes 5 MB writes per 5 minutes, 300 MB queries per 5 minutes, 30 day retention, and 2 databases.

Source
InfluxDB: Can I self-host InfluxDB?

Yes, InfluxDB 3 Core is fully open source and can be self-hosted with no license required. InfluxDB 3 Enterprise is self-managed and includes a 30-day free trial.

Source
InfluxDB: What are the series cardinality limitations?

InfluxDB is sensitive to high-cardinality data. High cardinality increases RAM usage and can trigger out-of-memory errors, making it unsuitable for some workloads with many unique tag combinations.

Source
InfluxDB: Does InfluxDB support SQL queries?

InfluxDB has limited SQL support. Full SQL is available in InfluxDB 3, but earlier versions support only specific SQL commands and use InfluxQL as the primary query language.

Source
InfluxDB: Can I export my data from InfluxDB?

Yes, data can be exported from InfluxDB using query results. However, the process and supported formats depend on the version and deployment type you are using.

Source
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