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Business Intelligence · head to head

Evidence vs TimescaleDB

Evidence logo

Evidence

Business Intelligence

Business intelligence as code for teams and AI agents

From
$2500/month
Rated
-
TimescaleDB logo

TimescaleDB

Databases

Time-series database built on PostgreSQL for real-time analytics

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only TimescaleDB has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Evidence high starting price at $2,500/month limits small team adoption; TimescaleDB inherits PostgreSQL write path limitations, creating a ceiling on ingestion throughput
  • They diverge on capability: Evidence covers Analytics Agent, TimescaleDB covers Time-series Optimization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Evidence and TimescaleDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Evidence and TimescaleDB differ
AttributeEvidenceTimescaleDB
Starting price$2500/monthFree
Pricing modelFlat team pricing with no per-user feesUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, EmbeddedLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDatabases
FoundedUnknown2012

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 Evidence

  • Analytics Agent
  • Code-based infrastructure
  • Development environment
  • Visualization tools
  • Embedded analytics
  • Enterprise security
  • Multi-channel access

Only in TimescaleDB

  • Time-series Optimization
  • PostgreSQL Extension
  • Automatic Partitioning
  • Continuous Aggregates
  • Native Compression
  • Full SQL Support
  • Real-time Analytics
  • PostgreSQL

What people use each for

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

Evidence

  • Building version-controlled analytics infrastructurenot TimescaleDB
  • Enabling AI agents to answer business questionsnot TimescaleDB
  • Delivering analytics through multiple channels (web, Slack, ChatGPT)not TimescaleDB
  • Embedding white-labeled analytics in productsnot TimescaleDB

TimescaleDB

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

Where each one falls short

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

Evidence

  • High starting price at $2,500/month limits small team adoption
  • No freemium option for evaluation or learning
  • Code-based approach has steeper learning curve than visual tools
  • AI credits limited on Team plan; additional credits cost extra
  • Requires Git workflow familiarity for effective collaboration

TimescaleDB

  • Inherits PostgreSQL write path limitations, creating a ceiling on ingestion throughput
  • Operational complexity increases significantly at scale, requiring expertise in chunk tuning and autovacuum management
  • Bloom filter indexes on compressed columns can return incorrect query results before upgrade
  • PostgreSQL 15 support ending June 2026, forcing mandatory upgrades to PostgreSQL 16 or later

Pricing, plan by plan

Evidence

$2500/month
  • Team$2500/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Monthly billing
    • Analytics Agent
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • All Team features
    • SSO/SAML authentication
    • SCIM directory sync

TimescaleDB

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Self-hosted TimescaleDB
    • MIT-licensed core
    • Full PostgreSQL compatibility
  • Scale Plan (Cloud)$36/month
    • Compute and storage charges
    • Multi-node HA
    • Unlimited VPCs

Which should you pick?

Choose Evidence if

  • You need analytics agent.
  • You work on Cloud, Embedded.
  • You also want code-based infrastructure.

Choose TimescaleDB if

  • You need time-series optimization.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want postgresql extension.

Questions people ask

Is Evidence or TimescaleDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Evidence starts at $2500/month and TimescaleDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Evidence or TimescaleDB?
TimescaleDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2500/month for Evidence and Free for TimescaleDB.
Does Evidence or TimescaleDB run on more platforms?
Evidence runs on Cloud, Embedded. TimescaleDB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use TimescaleDB for free?
Yes. TimescaleDB has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Evidence starts at $2500/month.
What is Evidence best used for?
Evidence is most often used for building version-controlled analytics infrastructure, enabling ai agents to answer business questions, delivering analytics through multiple channels (web, slack, chatgpt), embedding white-labeled analytics in products. Of those, building version-controlled analytics infrastructure and enabling ai agents to answer business questions are not what TimescaleDB is typically brought in for.
What can Evidence do that TimescaleDB cannot?
Evidence covers Analytics Agent, Code-based infrastructure, Development environment, Visualization tools. TimescaleDB covers Time-series Optimization, PostgreSQL Extension, Automatic Partitioning, Continuous Aggregates.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Evidence: Does Evidence have per-user pricing?

No, Evidence offers one flat price for unlimited users at $2,500/month on the Team plan with a 30-day free trial.

Source
TimescaleDB: Is TimescaleDB free?

Yes. TimescaleDB is free and open source under the Timescale License. The managed cloud service offers a free trial with $1,000 in credits expiring in 30 days.

Source
Evidence: How many AI credits come with Team plan?

Team plan includes 20,000 AI credits monthly at $0.01 per additional credit. Enterprise offers custom credit packages.

Source
TimescaleDB: What database does TimescaleDB run on top of?

TimescaleDB is a PostgreSQL extension that runs on top of PostgreSQL. You retain full PostgreSQL compatibility including SQL queries, transactions, and ecosystem tools.

Source
Evidence: What is included in the Enterprise plan?

Enterprise adds SSO/SAML, SCIM directory sync, row-level access rules, embedding capabilities, and custom deployment options at custom pricing.

Source
TimescaleDB: How much can TimescaleDB compress data?

TimescaleDB offers transparent columnar compression that can reduce storage by up to 95%. Newer data remains in row-oriented format for fast writes, while older data is automatically compressed to the column store.

Source
TimescaleDB: Does TimescaleDB require manual partitioning?

No. TimescaleDB handles automatic time-based partitioning through hypertables. Data is automatically chunked based on time intervals, requiring no manual partition management.

Source
TimescaleDB: What PostgreSQL versions does TimescaleDB support?

As of October 2025, TimescaleDB requires PostgreSQL 16 or greater. PostgreSQL 15 support will end with the June 2026 release, after which all instances must upgrade to PostgreSQL 16.

Source
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