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Databases · head to head

Neo4j vs ScyllaDB

Neo4j logo

Neo4j

Databases

The world's leading graph database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ScyllaDB logo

ScyllaDB

Databases

The real-time big data database compatible with Cassandra

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Neo4j auraDB Free has no service availability SLA, no backups and no point-in-time recovery; ScyllaDB enterprise tier requires custom quote from sales
  • They diverge on capability: Neo4j covers Native Graph Storage, ScyllaDB covers Cassandra Compatible.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Neo4j and ScyllaDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Neo4j and ScyllaDB differ
AttributeNeo4jScyllaDB
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, WebLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Web
Founded20072015

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 Neo4j

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

Only in ScyllaDB

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

Both cover

  • Kafka
  • Linux support
  • Docker support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Neo4j

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

ScyllaDB

  • Real-time applicationsnot Neo4j
  • Content managementnot Neo4j
  • User profilesnot Neo4j
  • Mobile backendsnot Neo4j
  • Cachingnot Neo4j

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

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

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 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

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.
ScyllaDB review

Questions people ask

Is Neo4j or ScyllaDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Neo4j starts at Free and ScyllaDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Neo4j or ScyllaDB?
Neo4j starts at Free and ScyllaDB at Free.
Does Neo4j or ScyllaDB run on more platforms?
Neo4j runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web. ScyllaDB runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Web.
Can I use Neo4j for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Neo4j best used for?
Neo4j is most often used for graph database for learning and exploration, production workloads requiring high availability and multi-zone redundancy, enterprise deployments needing custom infrastructure. Of those, graph database for learning and exploration and production workloads requiring high availability and multi-zone redundancy are not what ScyllaDB is typically brought in for.
What can Neo4j do that ScyllaDB cannot?
Neo4j covers Native Graph Storage, Cypher Query Language, ACID Transactions, High Availability. ScyllaDB covers Cassandra Compatible, DynamoDB Compatible, 10x Throughput, Low Latency. Both handle Kafka, Linux support, Docker support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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
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
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
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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