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Databases · head to head

NATS vs Neo4j

NATS logo

NATS

Databases

High-performance messaging system for cloud-native applications

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: NATS core NATS has no persistence at all, so messages are lost if no subscriber is listening; Neo4j auraDB Free has no service availability SLA, no backups and no point-in-time recovery
  • They diverge on capability: NATS covers Very low latency, Neo4j covers Native Graph Storage.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NATS and Neo4j actually diverge.

Attributes where NATS and Neo4j differ
AttributeNATSNeo4j
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, KubernetesLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web
FoundedUnknown2007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 NATS

  • Very low latency
  • JetStream
  • Single binary
  • Request-reply

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.

NATS

  • Service-to-service messaging where latency is the binding constraintnot Neo4j
  • Edge and IoT messaging where a lightweight broker mattersnot Neo4j
  • Replacing a heavier broker when the workload does not need its guaranteesnot Neo4j

Neo4j

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

Where each one falls short

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

NATS

  • Core NATS has no persistence at all, so messages are lost if no subscriber is listening
  • JetStream adds the durability but also the operational complexity NATS is chosen to avoid
  • A much smaller ecosystem than Kafka or RabbitMQ, with fewer connectors and integrations
  • Fewer people know it, so hiring and existing organisational knowledge favour the alternatives

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

NATS

Free
  • NATSFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

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 NATS if

  • You need very low latency.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want jetstream.
NATS 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 NATS or Neo4j better?
Neither clearly leads. NATS 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, NATS or Neo4j?
NATS starts at Free and Neo4j at Free.
Does NATS or Neo4j run on more platforms?
NATS runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes. Neo4j runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
Can I use NATS for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is NATS best used for?
NATS is most often used for service-to-service messaging where latency is the binding constraint, edge and iot messaging where a lightweight broker matters, replacing a heavier broker when the workload does not need its guarantees. Of those, service-to-service messaging where latency is the binding constraint and edge and iot messaging where a lightweight broker matters are not what Neo4j is typically brought in for.
What can NATS do that Neo4j cannot?
NATS covers Very low latency, JetStream, Single binary, Request-reply. Neo4j covers Native Graph Storage, Cypher Query Language, ACID Transactions, High Availability.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NATS: Is NATS free?

Yes, open source and CNCF-graduated. Synadia sells a managed service.

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
NATS: Does NATS persist messages?

Core NATS does not — it is fire-and-forget. JetStream adds persistence, streaming and replay when you need them.

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
NATS: NATS or Kafka?

NATS is far lighter and lower latency, and much simpler to run. Kafka is the answer when you need a durable replayable log and a large connector ecosystem.

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
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