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Software · head to head

MongoDB vs CouchDB

MongoDB logo

MongoDB

Software

The developer data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CouchDB logo

CouchDB

Software

Seamless multi-master sync with Apache CouchDB

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MongoDB 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects; CouchDB append-only storage model may have performance implications for certain workloads with high update rates
  • They diverge on capability: MongoDB covers Document model, CouchDB covers Multi-master Replication.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MongoDB and CouchDB actually diverge.

Attributes where MongoDB and CouchDB differ
AttributeMongoDBCouchDB
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsCloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure)Docker, Windows (x64), macOS, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS), Raspberry Pi
Founded20071999

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 MongoDB

  • Document model
  • Distributed architecture
  • ACID transactions
  • Real-time analytics
  • Full-text search
  • Time series data
  • Geospatial queries
  • Aggregation framework

Only in CouchDB

  • Multi-master Replication
  • HTTP/JSON API
  • MapReduce Views
  • ACID Semantics
  • Offline-first
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Fauxton UI
  • PouchDB

What people use each for

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

MongoDB

  • Mobile applicationsnot CouchDB
  • Content managementnot CouchDB
  • Real-time analyticsnot CouchDB
  • IoT applicationsnot CouchDB
  • Gaming backendsnot CouchDB

CouchDB

  • Offline-first applications requiring seamless replication across mobile and server environmentsnot MongoDB
  • Multi-master deployments where data consistency eventually resolves across regionsnot MongoDB
  • IoT and edge computing scenarios with intermittent connectivitynot MongoDB

Where each one falls short

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

MongoDB

  • 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects
  • No native JOIN support for relational data operations
  • Higher memory usage due to storing field names with each document
  • Eventual consistency in distributed deployments can cause data stale reads

CouchDB

  • Append-only storage model may have performance implications for certain workloads with high update rates
  • Requires network synchronisation for cluster data consistency; can introduce latency in multi-master scenarios
  • No explicit support for complex joins; MapReduce queries may be inefficient compared to relational databases

Pricing, plan by plan

MongoDB

Free
  • M0Free
    • 512 MB storage
    • Learning and exploration
  • M2$9/month
    • 2 GB storage
    • Development and testing
  • M5$25/month
    • 5 GB storage
  • M10+$56.94/month
    • Dedicated clusters for production

CouchDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CouchDB review.

Which should you pick?

Choose MongoDB if

  • You need document model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
  • You also want distributed architecture.
MongoDB review

Choose CouchDB if

  • You need multi-master replication.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Windows (x64), macOS, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS), Raspberry Pi.
  • You also want http/json api.
CouchDB review

Questions people ask

Is MongoDB or CouchDB better?
Neither clearly leads. MongoDB starts at Free and CouchDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MongoDB or CouchDB?
MongoDB starts at Free and CouchDB at Free.
Does MongoDB or CouchDB run on more platforms?
MongoDB runs on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure). CouchDB runs on Docker, Windows (x64), macOS, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS), Raspberry Pi.
Can I use MongoDB for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is MongoDB best used for?
MongoDB is most often used for mobile applications, content management, real-time analytics, iot applications. Of those, mobile applications and content management are not what CouchDB is typically brought in for.
What can MongoDB do that CouchDB cannot?
MongoDB covers Document model, Distributed architecture, ACID transactions, Real-time analytics. CouchDB covers Multi-master Replication, HTTP/JSON API, MapReduce Views, ACID Semantics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MongoDB: Does MongoDB offer a free tier?

Yes. MongoDB Atlas offers an M0 free tier with 512 MB storage for learning and exploration, plus paid options starting at $9/month for M2 with 2 GB storage.

Source
MongoDB: Can I self-host MongoDB?

Yes. You can run MongoDB Community Edition on your own servers, or use MongoDB Enterprise Advanced for self-managed production deployments with enterprise features.

Source
MongoDB: What is the maximum document size in MongoDB?

Documents are limited to 16 MB. For documents exceeding this limit, you can use MongoDB's GridFS API to store files larger than the maximum size.

Source
MongoDB: Does MongoDB support ACID transactions?

Yes. MongoDB supports ACID transactions within a single document by default, and multi-document ACID transactions are available for replica sets and sharded clusters in MongoDB 4.0+.

Source
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