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Business Intelligence · head to head

Geckoboard vs TimescaleDB

Geckoboard logo

Geckoboard

Business Intelligence

Real-time KPI dashboards

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TimescaleDB logo

TimescaleDB

Databases

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Geckoboard annual billing required; monthly billing not offered; TimescaleDB inherits PostgreSQL write path limitations, creating a ceiling on ingestion throughput
  • They diverge on capability: Geckoboard covers Real-time Updates, TimescaleDB covers Time-series Optimization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Geckoboard and TimescaleDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Geckoboard and TimescaleDB differ
AttributeGeckoboardTimescaleDB
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Tv, MobileLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDatabases
Founded20102012

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

  • Real-time Updates
  • TV Mode
  • Custom Widgets
  • Data Blending
  • Sharing
  • Salesforce
  • Zendesk
  • Google Analytics

Only in TimescaleDB

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Geckoboard

  • TV wall dashboards for office and operations displaysnot TimescaleDB
  • Live KPI monitoring for sales and support teamsnot TimescaleDB
  • Sharing read-only metrics widely, since viewers are unlimited on every tiernot TimescaleDB
  • Alerting when a metric crosses a thresholdnot TimescaleDB

TimescaleDB

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

Where each one falls short

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

Geckoboard

  • Annual billing required; monthly billing not offered
  • Add-on dashboards cost $24 each
  • Additional editors cost $20 each
  • Additional screens cost $20 each

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

Geckoboard

Free
  • Essentials$79/month
    • 2 dashboards
    • 1 editor
    • 1 screen
  • Performance$319/month
    • 20 dashboards
    • 3 editors
    • 5 screens
  • Enterprise$null/mo
    • Unlimited dashboards, editors, and screens
    • All Performance features
    • Dedicated support manager

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 Geckoboard if

  • You need real-time updates.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Tv, Mobile.
  • You also want tv mode.
Geckoboard review

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.
TimescaleDB review

Questions people ask

Is Geckoboard or TimescaleDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Geckoboard starts at Free and TimescaleDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Geckoboard or TimescaleDB?
Geckoboard starts at Free and TimescaleDB at Free.
Does Geckoboard or TimescaleDB run on more platforms?
Geckoboard runs on Web, Tv, Mobile. TimescaleDB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Geckoboard for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Geckoboard best used for?
Geckoboard is most often used for tv wall dashboards for office and operations displays, live kpi monitoring for sales and support teams, sharing read-only metrics widely, since viewers are unlimited on every tier, alerting when a metric crosses a threshold. Of those, tv wall dashboards for office and operations displays and live kpi monitoring for sales and support teams are not what TimescaleDB is typically brought in for.
What can Geckoboard do that TimescaleDB cannot?
Geckoboard covers Real-time Updates, TV Mode, Custom Widgets, Data Blending. TimescaleDB covers Time-series Optimization, PostgreSQL Extension, Automatic Partitioning, Continuous Aggregates. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Geckoboard: How much does Geckoboard cost?

Geckoboard offers Essentials at $79 per month, Performance at $319 per month, and custom-priced Enterprise plans. All plans are billed annually. A 14-day free trial is available.

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
Geckoboard: Is there an annual billing discount for Geckoboard?

Yes, annual billing provides 20% savings compared to monthly pricing. Pricing is shown for annual billing with VAT not included.

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
Geckoboard: What are the add-on costs for additional Geckoboard resources?

Additional dashboards cost $24 each, extra editors cost $20 each, and additional screens cost $20 each. All add-ons are billed with the annual subscription.

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
Geckoboard: Does Geckoboard offer discounts for nonprofits?

Yes, Geckoboard offers 20% off any plan for nonprofit organizations.

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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