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Database & Data Management · head to head

DynamoDB vs MongoDB

DynamoDB logo

DynamoDB

Database & Data Management

Fast, flexible NoSQL database service for any scale

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MongoDB logo

MongoDB

Technology

The developer data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only MongoDB 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; MongoDB 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects
  • They diverge on capability: DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency, MongoDB covers Document model.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DynamoDB and MongoDB actually diverge.

Attributes where DynamoDB and MongoDB differ
AttributeDynamoDBMongoDB
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsAWSCloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure)
CategoryDatabase & Data ManagementTechnology
Founded20062007

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
  • Streams
  • Lambda
  • API Gateway

Only in MongoDB

  • Document model
  • Distributed architecture
  • ACID transactions
  • Real-time analytics
  • Full-text search
  • Time series data
  • Geospatial queries
  • Aggregation framework

Both cover

  • Encryption

What people use each for

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

DynamoDB

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

MongoDB

  • Mobile applicationsnot DynamoDB
  • Content managementnot DynamoDB
  • Real-time analyticsnot DynamoDB
  • IoT applicationsnot DynamoDB
  • Gaming backendsnot 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

MongoDB

  • 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects
  • No native JOIN support for relational data operations
  • Higher memory usage due to storing field names with each document
  • Eventual consistency in distributed deployments can cause data stale reads

Pricing, plan by plan

DynamoDB

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the DynamoDB review.

MongoDB

Free
  • M0Free
    • 512 MB storage
    • Learning and exploration
  • M2$9/month
    • 2 GB storage
    • Development and testing
  • M5$25/month
    • 5 GB storage
  • M10+$56.94/month
    • Dedicated clusters for production

Which should you pick?

Choose DynamoDB if

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

Choose MongoDB if

  • You need document model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
  • You also want distributed architecture.
MongoDB review

Questions people ask

Is DynamoDB or MongoDB better?
Neither clearly leads. DynamoDB starts at On request and MongoDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DynamoDB or MongoDB?
MongoDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DynamoDB and Free for MongoDB.
Does DynamoDB or MongoDB run on more platforms?
DynamoDB runs on AWS. MongoDB runs on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
Can I use MongoDB for free?
Yes. MongoDB 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 MongoDB is typically brought in for.
What can DynamoDB do that MongoDB cannot?
DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency, Serverless, Auto-scaling, Global Tables. MongoDB covers Document model, Distributed architecture, ACID transactions, Real-time analytics. Both handle Encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MongoDB: Does MongoDB offer a free tier?

Yes. MongoDB Atlas offers an M0 free tier with 512 MB storage for learning and exploration, plus paid options starting at $9/month for M2 with 2 GB storage.

Source
MongoDB: Can I self-host MongoDB?

Yes. You can run MongoDB Community Edition on your own servers, or use MongoDB Enterprise Advanced for self-managed production deployments with enterprise features.

Source
MongoDB: What is the maximum document size in MongoDB?

Documents are limited to 16 MB. For documents exceeding this limit, you can use MongoDB's GridFS API to store files larger than the maximum size.

Source
MongoDB: Does MongoDB support ACID transactions?

Yes. MongoDB supports ACID transactions within a single document by default, and multi-document ACID transactions are available for replica sets and sharded clusters in MongoDB 4.0+.

Source
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