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Databases · head to head

Grist vs Neo4j

Grist logo

Grist

Databases

The evolution of spreadsheets

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Neo4j logo

Neo4j

Databases

The world's leading graph database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Grist business plan has minimum 5-user requirement; Neo4j auraDB Free has no service availability SLA, no backups and no point-in-time recovery
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Grist and Neo4j actually diverge.

Attributes where Grist and Neo4j differ
AttributeGristNeo4j
PlatformsWebLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web
FoundedUnknown2007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Databases).

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 Grist

Nothing recorded that Neo4j does not also cover.

Only in Neo4j

  • Native Graph Storage
  • Cypher Query Language
  • ACID Transactions
  • High Availability
  • Graph Data Science
  • Full-text Search
  • Native Indexes
  • GraphQL

What people use each for

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

Grist

  • Collaborative data and spreadsheet managementnot Neo4j
  • Database creation and automationnot Neo4j
  • Team data analysis and reportingnot Neo4j

Neo4j

  • Graph database for learning and explorationnot Grist
  • Production workloads requiring high availability and multi-zone redundancynot Grist
  • Enterprise deployments needing custom infrastructurenot Grist

Where each one falls short

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

Grist

  • Business plan has minimum 5-user requirement
  • Enterprise self-hosted pricing not disclosed publicly
  • Annual billing discount only 20%, lower than some competitors

Neo4j

  • AuraDB Free has no service availability SLA, no backups and no point-in-time recovery
  • AuraDB Free imposes limits on node and relationship counts and runs single-zone only
  • SSO authentication and role-based access control are excluded from AuraDB Free and AuraDB Professional, starting only at Business Critical at $146 per GB per month with a 2GB minimum cluster
  • AuraDB Professional starts at $65 per GB per month with a minimum 1GB cluster and caps at 128GB memory per instance
  • AuraDB Professional backups are daily with only 7-day retention, against 30 days on Business Critical
  • Customer managed keys and private endpoints are available only on AuraDB Virtual Dedicated Cloud, which is quote only with no published price
  • Change data capture, query log forwarding, secondaries and access to Neo4j Professional Services are excluded below the Business Critical tier
  • Support on AuraDB Free is community only and AuraDB Professional is best effort, with 24x7 one-hour response starting at Business Critical
  • AuraDB Virtual Dedicated Cloud is sold on prepaid contract terms with enterprise commercial negotiation rather than self-serve card payment

Pricing, plan by plan

Grist

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited documents
    • Up to 5,000 records per document
    • 30-day snapshot history
  • Pro$10/month
    • Up to 100,000 records per document
    • 3-year snapshot history
    • 100+ AI credits monthly
  • Business$30/month
    • 150,000 records per document
    • 5-year snapshot history
    • 2,000 AI credits monthly

Neo4j

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Learning and exploration access
    • No credit card required
    • All graph tools included
  • AuraDB Professional$65/GB/month
    • 1GB minimum cluster
    • Hourly billing available ($0.09/hour for 1GB)
    • Daily backups with 7-day retention
  • AuraDB Business Critical$146/GB/month
    • 2GB minimum cluster
    • Hourly billing available ($0.40/hour for 2GB)
    • Up to 512GB maximum
  • Virtual Dedicated Cloud$null/custom
    • Custom pricing via sales contact
    • Dedicated VPC infrastructure
    • Hourly backups with 60-day retention

Which should you pick?

Choose Grist if

  • You want to start without paying.
Grist review

Choose Neo4j if

  • You need native graph storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want cypher query language.
Neo4j review

Questions people ask

Is Grist or Neo4j better?
Neither clearly leads. Grist starts at Free and Neo4j at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Grist or Neo4j?
Grist starts at Free and Neo4j at Free.
Does Grist or Neo4j run on more platforms?
Grist runs on Web. Neo4j runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
Can I use Grist for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Grist best used for?
Grist is most often used for collaborative data and spreadsheet management, database creation and automation, team data analysis and reporting. Of those, collaborative data and spreadsheet management and database creation and automation are not what Neo4j is typically brought in for.
What can Grist do that Neo4j cannot?
Neo4j covers Native Graph Storage, Cypher Query Language, ACID Transactions, High Availability.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Grist: Does Grist have a free version?

Yes. Grist Free includes unlimited documents with up to 5,000 records each, 30-day snapshot history, and 100 AI Assistant credits. No credit card required.

Source
Neo4j: Is Neo4j free?

Neo4j offers a free tier (AuraDB Free) for learning and exploration with no credit card required. Community Edition is also free and GPL3-licensed. Paid tiers start at $65/GB per month for AuraDB Professional.

Source
Grist: How much does Grist Pro cost?

Grist Pro is $10/user/month (billed monthly) or $8/user/month with annual billing. It includes up to 100,000 records per document and 3-year snapshot history.

Source
Neo4j: What does Neo4j's Professional tier include?

AuraDB Professional costs $65/GB per month with a 1GB minimum cluster, includes daily backups with 7-day retention, single-zone availability, and best-effort support. Hourly billing is available at $0.09/hour per GB.

Source
Grist: What does Grist's Business plan include?

Grist Business is $30/user/month ($24 annually) with a minimum of 5 users. It includes 150,000 records per document, 5-year snapshot history, 2,000 AI credits monthly, and automations with priority support.

Source
Neo4j: What is Neo4j's most advanced pricing tier?

AuraDB Business Critical costs $146/GB per month with a 2GB minimum and includes multi-zone redundancy, 99.95% uptime SLA, 24/7 premium support with one-hour response times, and point-in-time recovery.

Source
Grist: Do nonprofits get discounts on Grist?

Yes. Nonprofits receive a 50% discount on the Pro plan with Letter of Determination verification.

Source
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