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Databases · head to head

Neo4j vs Sourcegraph

Neo4j logo

Neo4j

Databases

Graph database

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Neo4jFull review
Sourcegraph logo

Sourcegraph

Developer Tools

Code search and intelligence platform for large codebases with Cody AI assistant

From
$16000/year
Free plan
No
Visit SourcegraphFull review

The short version

  • Neo4j is a native graph database; Sourcegraph is an enterprise code intelligence platform.
  • Neo4j has a free plan, then $65/mo; Sourcegraph starts at $16000/yr.
  • Where Neo4j falls short: AuraDB Free has no service availability SLA, no backups and no point-in-time recovery.
  • Where Sourcegraph falls short: enterprise pricing starting at $16k annually creates significant barrier for small teams.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Neo4j and Sourcegraph actually diverge.

Attributes where Neo4j and Sourcegraph differ
AttributeNeo4jSourcegraph
Starting priceFree$16000/year
Pricing modelFreemiumSubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted, WebWeb, Self-hosted
CategoryDatabasesDeveloper Tools

Not yet recorded: founded for Sourcegraph.

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 Sourcegraph

Nothing recorded that Neo4j does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Neo4j

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

Sourcegraph

  • Large-scale code migrations across hundreds of repositoriesnot Neo4j
  • Enterprise governance and code ownership trackingnot Neo4j
  • AI-assisted bug hunting and security pattern detectionnot Neo4j
  • Onboarding engineers into large unfamiliar codebasesnot Neo4j
  • Regulatory compliance and code audit trailsnot 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

Sourcegraph

  • Enterprise pricing starting at $16k annually creates significant barrier for small teams
  • No free tier or standard plan published; all options require custom sales engagement
  • Complex enterprise-only positioning limits adoption compared to GitHub Copilot's pervasiveness
  • Requires indexing entire codebase; not suitable for small or ephemeral projects

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 CloudOn request
    • Custom pricing via sales contact
    • Dedicated VPC infrastructure
    • Hourly backups with 60-day retention

Sourcegraph

$16000/year
  • Enterprise$16,000/yr
    • Scales with team size
    • Credits for AI features per user
    • Deep Search

Which should you pick?

Choose Neo4j if

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

Choose Sourcegraph if

  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
Sourcegraph review

Questions people ask

Is Neo4j or Sourcegraph better?
Neither clearly leads. Neo4j starts at Free and Sourcegraph at $16000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Neo4j or Sourcegraph?
Neo4j has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Neo4j and $16000/year for Sourcegraph.
Does Neo4j or Sourcegraph run on more platforms?
Neo4j runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted, Web. Sourcegraph runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use Neo4j for free?
Yes. Neo4j has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sourcegraph starts at $16000/year.
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 Sourcegraph is typically brought in for.
What can Neo4j do that Sourcegraph cannot?
Neo4j covers Native Graph Storage, Cypher Query Language, ACID Transactions, High Availability.

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
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
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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