Softwr

Database & Data Management · head to head

DynamoDB vs SingleStore

DynamoDB logo

DynamoDB

Database & Data Management

Fast, flexible NoSQL database service for any scale

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SingleStore logo

SingleStore

Database & Data Management

The real-time distributed SQL database for data-intensive applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SingleStore 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; SingleStore high licensing costs that increase with data scale and cluster size
  • They diverge on capability: DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency, SingleStore covers Real-time Analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DynamoDB and SingleStore actually diverge.

Attributes where DynamoDB and SingleStore differ
AttributeDynamoDBSingleStore
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsAWSCloud (SingleStoreDB Cloud), Self-Managed
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 SingleStore

  • Real-time Analytics
  • Fast Data Ingest
  • In-memory Processing
  • Distributed Architecture
  • MySQL Compatible
  • Columnar Storage
  • Vector Search
  • Kafka

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

SingleStore

  • Transaction processingnot DynamoDB
  • Data storagenot DynamoDB
  • Application backendnot DynamoDB
  • Reportingnot DynamoDB
  • Data analyticsnot 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

SingleStore

  • High licensing costs that increase with data scale and cluster size
  • Eventual consistency in replication: secondary replicas may lag during high write loads
  • Complex operational setup requiring specialized knowledge for optimization
  • Vendor lock-in due to proprietary technology without open-source alternatives
  • Disorganized documentation and lack of online training resources

Pricing, plan by plan

DynamoDB

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the DynamoDB review.

SingleStore

Free
  • Free Tier$0.99/month
    • Usage-based pricing
    • Limited resources

Which should you pick?

Choose DynamoDB if

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

Choose SingleStore if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (SingleStoreDB Cloud), Self-Managed.
  • You also want fast data ingest.
SingleStore review

Questions people ask

Is DynamoDB or SingleStore better?
Neither clearly leads. DynamoDB starts at On request and SingleStore at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DynamoDB or SingleStore?
SingleStore has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DynamoDB and Free for SingleStore.
Does DynamoDB or SingleStore run on more platforms?
DynamoDB runs on AWS. SingleStore runs on Cloud (SingleStoreDB Cloud), Self-Managed.
Can I use SingleStore for free?
Yes. SingleStore 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 SingleStore is typically brought in for.
What can DynamoDB do that SingleStore cannot?
DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency, Serverless, Auto-scaling, Global Tables. SingleStore covers Real-time Analytics, Fast Data Ingest, In-memory Processing, Distributed Architecture. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SingleStore: Does SingleStore offer a free tier?

Yes, SingleStore offers a free tier starting from $0.99/month with usage-based pricing. The free tier allows developers to evaluate the platform with limited resources before scaling to production workloads.

Source
SingleStore: Can SingleStore handle both transactional and analytical workloads?

Yes, SingleStore is a hybrid transactional/analytical processing (HTAP) database that combines operational (OLTP) and analytical (OLAP) workloads in a single unified engine, eliminating the need for separate systems.

Source
SingleStore: Does SingleStore integrate with Apache Spark?

Yes, SingleStore provides the Spark Connector 3.0 for bidirectional data integration with Apache Spark. The connector supports SQL, Python, Scala, Java, and R for data loading and extraction.

Source
SingleStore: Can SingleStore ingest data from Kafka?

Yes, SingleStore supports high-throughput streaming ingestion from Apache Kafka and other sources, enabling millions of events per second without requiring ETL pipelines or data movement.

Source
SingleStore: Is SingleStore available as cloud or self-managed?

SingleStore offers both deployment options: SingleStoreDB Cloud (managed service) and SingleStore Self-Managed for on-premises or private cloud deployments. The managed service handles infrastructure, scaling, and maintenance automatically.

Source
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