Softwr

Software · head to head

Elasticsearch vs Webex by Cisco

Elasticsearch logo

Elasticsearch

Software

The heart of the Elastic Stack for search and analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Webex by Cisco logo

Webex by Cisco

Software

A simpler, smarter way to work

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Elasticsearch eventual consistency model with 1-second default refresh interval, not suitable for real-time transactional requirements; Webex by Cisco listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)
  • They diverge on capability: Elasticsearch covers Full-text Search, Webex by Cisco covers Video and audio conferencing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Elasticsearch and Webex by Cisco actually diverge.

Attributes where Elasticsearch and Webex by Cisco differ
AttributeElasticsearchWebex by Cisco
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
Founded20101984

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Elasticsearch

  • Full-text Search
  • Real-time Analytics
  • Distributed Architecture
  • RESTful API
  • Schema-free JSON
  • Aggregations
  • Machine Learning
  • Kibana

Only in Webex by Cisco

  • Video and audio conferencing
  • Screen sharing and annotation
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Recording and playback
  • Meeting transcription
  • Chat and messaging
  • Calendar integration
  • Breakout sessions

What people use each for

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

Elasticsearch

  • Real-time applicationsnot Webex by Cisco
  • Content managementnot Webex by Cisco
  • User profilesnot Webex by Cisco
  • Mobile backendsnot Webex by Cisco
  • Cachingnot Webex by Cisco

Webex by Cisco

  • Video conferencingnot Elasticsearch
  • Webinarsnot Elasticsearch
  • Virtual eventsnot Elasticsearch
  • Trainingnot Elasticsearch
  • Enterprise communicationnot Elasticsearch

Where each one falls short

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

Elasticsearch

  • Eventual consistency model with 1-second default refresh interval, not suitable for real-time transactional requirements
  • No support for ACID transactions or rollbacks; updates delete and re-insert documents
  • JVM-dependent architecture requires careful memory management and monitoring to prevent garbage collection issues at scale

Webex by Cisco

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)

Pricing, plan by plan

Elasticsearch

Free
  • Self-ManagedFree
    • Open source
    • Self-hosted
  • Elasticsearch Cloud$16.4/month
    • Managed service
    • 14-day free trial

Webex by Cisco

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited 1:1 meetings
    • Group meetings (40 min limit, 100 participants)
    • HD video
  • Pro$13.5/month
    • Unlimited meetings (500 participants)
    • Cloud recording and storage
    • Advanced scheduling
  • Business$18/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Custom branding
    • Advanced security
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Custom deployment

Which should you pick?

Choose Elasticsearch if

  • You need full-text search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want real-time analytics.
Elasticsearch review

Choose Webex by Cisco if

  • You need video and audio conferencing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want screen sharing and annotation.
Webex by Cisco review

Questions people ask

Is Elasticsearch or Webex by Cisco better?
Neither clearly leads. Elasticsearch starts at Free and Webex by Cisco at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Elasticsearch or Webex by Cisco?
Elasticsearch starts at Free and Webex by Cisco at Free.
Does Elasticsearch or Webex by Cisco run on more platforms?
Elasticsearch runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker, Kubernetes. Webex by Cisco runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
Can I use Elasticsearch for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Elasticsearch best used for?
Elasticsearch is most often used for real-time applications, content management, user profiles, mobile backends. Of those, real-time applications and content management are not what Webex by Cisco is typically brought in for.
What can Elasticsearch do that Webex by Cisco cannot?
Elasticsearch covers Full-text Search, Real-time Analytics, Distributed Architecture, RESTful API. Webex by Cisco covers Video and audio conferencing, Screen sharing and annotation, Virtual backgrounds, Recording and playback.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Elasticsearch: Is Elasticsearch free?

Yes, Elasticsearch can be deployed as free and open-source software for self-managed installations. Elastic Cloud managed service starts at $16.40 per month, with a free 14-day trial available.

Source
Elasticsearch: Can I use Elasticsearch without Kibana?

Yes, Elasticsearch is a search engine independent of Kibana. Kibana is a visualization and analytics tool that works with Elasticsearch but is optional. You can use the Elasticsearch API directly for searching.

Source
Elasticsearch: Does Elasticsearch support real-time indexing?

Elasticsearch indexes data with a refresh interval, typically 1 second. Data becomes searchable after the refresh cycle, making it near-real-time but not instantaneous. This can be configured but impacts performance.

Source
Elasticsearch: What are Elasticsearch's scaling limitations?

Elasticsearch requires careful operational management at scale, including shard balancing, heap sizing, and monitoring. Large clusters can suffer from garbage collection issues and become expensive to operate.

Source
Elasticsearch: Does Elasticsearch support transactions and rollbacks?

No, Elasticsearch does not support ACID transactions or rollbacks. Updates are expensive operations that delete and re-insert documents, making it unsuitable for transactional workloads.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Elasticsearch

More on Webex by Cisco

Keep looking

Other head to heads