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Databases · head to head

Immuta vs ScyllaDB

Immuta logo

Immuta

Databases

Attribute-based access control and masking applied inside Snowflake, Databricks and BigQuery

From
On request
Rated
-
ScyllaDB logo

ScyllaDB

Databases

The real-time big data database compatible with Cassandra

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only ScyllaDB has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Immuta contracts commonly start around one hundred to two hundred thousand US dollars a year for mid-market deployments and exceed five hundred thousand at enterprise scale, which excludes most data teams without a regulatory mandate.; ScyllaDB enterprise tier requires custom quote from sales
  • They diverge on capability: Immuta covers Attribute-based policy, ScyllaDB covers Cassandra Compatible.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Immuta and ScyllaDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Immuta and ScyllaDB differ
AttributeImmutaScyllaDB
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, API, CloudLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Web
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: 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 Immuta

  • Attribute-based policy
  • Native enforcement
  • Dynamic masking
  • Row-level filtering
  • Purpose-based access
  • Sensitive data tagging
  • Audit logging
  • Multi-platform

Only in ScyllaDB

  • Cassandra Compatible
  • DynamoDB Compatible
  • 10x Throughput
  • Low Latency
  • Auto-tuning
  • Lightweight Transactions
  • Change Data Capture
  • Cassandra Drivers

What people use each for

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

Immuta

  • A bank whose Snowflake estate has grown to tens of thousands of roles that no one can review before an auditnot ScyllaDB
  • A healthcare analytics team that must let researchers query patient data with identifiers masked unless a specific purpose is recordednot ScyllaDB
  • A multinational applying different residency and access rules per jurisdiction to the same tables without duplicating datasetsnot ScyllaDB
  • An organisation running both Snowflake and Databricks that wants one policy set rather than two divergent implementationsnot ScyllaDB

ScyllaDB

  • Real-time applicationsnot Immuta
  • Content managementnot Immuta
  • User profilesnot Immuta
  • Mobile backendsnot Immuta
  • Cachingnot Immuta

Where each one falls short

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

Immuta

  • Contracts commonly start around one hundred to two hundred thousand US dollars a year for mid-market deployments and exceed five hundred thousand at enterprise scale, which excludes most data teams without a regulatory mandate.
  • Policy is only as good as the data classification underneath it, so an organisation with poorly tagged columns will spend months on classification before Immuta enforces anything useful.
  • Native enforcement means capability varies by platform, and a feature available on Snowflake may be absent or behave differently on BigQuery, which undermines the promise of one policy set everywhere.
  • Adding an access governance layer creates a new dependency in the path to data: a misconfigured policy silently returns fewer rows rather than erroring, and analysts can act on incomplete results without noticing.
  • It governs cloud data platforms, so personal data in operational databases, files and SaaS applications sits outside its scope and needs separate controls, meaning Immuta is rarely the whole answer.

ScyllaDB

  • Enterprise tier requires custom quote from sales
  • Pricing varies by cloud provider, storage, and instance configuration
  • Contracts available but commitment required for subscription discounts

Pricing, plan by plan

Immuta

On request
  • Immuta Platform$undefined/year
    • Attribute-based policy authoring
    • Native enforcement in supported data platforms
    • Dynamic masking and row-level security

ScyllaDB

Free
  • ScyllaDB Cloud Standard$null/variable
    • Usage-based billing: vCPU, RAM, NVMe SSD storage
    • 2-hour P1 support response time
    • 99.9% uptime SLA
  • ScyllaDB Cloud Professional$null/variable
    • Enterprise-grade scalability
    • 1-hour P1 support response
    • Enhanced features included
  • ScyllaDB Cloud Premium$null/variable
    • Custom security and networking
    • 15-minute P1 support response
    • 99.99% uptime SLA
  • ScyllaDB Enterprise$null/quote
    • Self-managed deployment
    • On-premise or private cloud
    • Custom quote required

Which should you pick?

Choose Immuta if

  • You need attribute-based policy.
  • You work on Web, API, Cloud.
  • You also want native enforcement.

Choose ScyllaDB if

  • You need cassandra compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Web.
  • You also want dynamodb compatible.

Questions people ask

Is Immuta or ScyllaDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Immuta starts at On request and ScyllaDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Immuta or ScyllaDB?
ScyllaDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Immuta and Free for ScyllaDB.
Does Immuta or ScyllaDB run on more platforms?
Immuta runs on Web, API, Cloud. ScyllaDB runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Web.
Can I use ScyllaDB for free?
Yes. ScyllaDB has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Immuta starts at On request.
What is Immuta best used for?
Immuta is most often used for a bank whose snowflake estate has grown to tens of thousands of roles that no one can review before an audit, a healthcare analytics team that must let researchers query patient data with identifiers masked unless a specific purpose is recorded, a multinational applying different residency and access rules per jurisdiction to the same tables without duplicating datasets, an organisation running both snowflake and databricks that wants one policy set rather than two divergent implementations. Of those, a bank whose snowflake estate has grown to tens of thousands of roles that no one can review before an audit and a healthcare analytics team that must let researchers query patient data with identifiers masked unless a specific purpose is recorded are not what ScyllaDB is typically brought in for.
What can Immuta do that ScyllaDB cannot?
Immuta covers Attribute-based policy, Native enforcement, Dynamic masking, Row-level filtering. ScyllaDB covers Cassandra Compatible, DynamoDB Compatible, 10x Throughput, Low Latency.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Immuta: Does Immuta sit in the query path?

No. It compiles policies into the data platform's own native controls, so queries run at normal speed through your existing tools.

ScyllaDB: How is ScyllaDB Cloud pricing calculated?

ScyllaDB Cloud uses transparent, resource-based billing based on instance type (vCPU and RAM), NVMe SSD storage, service plan tier, deployment model, and cloud provider costs.

Source
Immuta: What does it cost?

Not published. Market data suggests roughly 100,000 to 200,000 US dollars a year for mid-market deployments and considerably more at enterprise scale.

ScyllaDB: Does ScyllaDB offer a free trial?

ScyllaDB offers a 30-day developer trial on smaller instances and a 48-hour production evaluation trial with full-grade instances.

Source
Immuta: Is Immuta still independent?

Yes. It remains independently owned, unlike several competitors in data access governance that have been acquired.

ScyllaDB: What cost savings are available for long-term ScyllaDB commitments?

ScyllaDB subscription contracts provide up to 70% or more in savings compared to on-demand hourly billing. 1-year and 3-year contract options are available.

Source
Immuta: Does it work across more than one warehouse?

Yes, one policy set can target Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery and Starburst, though enforcement capability varies by platform.

ScyllaDB: How much cheaper is ScyllaDB than DynamoDB?

Unlike DynamoDB which charges per read/write unit, ScyllaDB charges based on resource usage only, potentially delivering 50% or greater cost reduction for high-throughput workloads.

Source
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