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Databases · head to head

RavenDB vs Sublime Text

RavenDB logo

RavenDB

Databases

The fully transactional NoSQL document database

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit RavenDBFull review
Sublime Text logo

Sublime Text

Developer Tools

A sophisticated text editor for code, markup and prose

From
$99/license
Free plan
No
Visit Sublime TextFull review

The short version

  • RavenDB is an open-source document-oriented database written in C#.
  • RavenDB has a free plan, then $499/yr; Sublime Text starts at $99/mo.
  • Only RavenDB lists ACID Transactions; only Sublime Text lists lightning fast performance.
  • Where RavenDB falls short: the free Developer licence bars commercial use and expires every 6 months, requiring renewal.
  • Where Sublime Text falls short: personal license requires payment after evaluation period.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RavenDB and Sublime Text actually diverge.

Attributes where RavenDB and Sublime Text differ
AttributeRavenDBSublime Text
Starting priceFree$99/license
Pricing modelFreemiumOne-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted, WebWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryDatabasesDeveloper Tools
Founded20102007

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 RavenDB

  • ACID Transactions
  • Auto-indexing
  • Full-text Search
  • Graph Queries
  • Distributed Counters
  • Time Series
  • Document Compression
  • .NET

Only in Sublime Text

  • Lightning fast performance
  • Multiple selections
  • Command palette
  • Instant project switch
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • Customizable UI
  • Advanced search and replace
  • Split editing

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

RavenDB

  • Running a distributed document database with ACID transactionsnot Sublime Text
  • Self hosting a multi node database cluster on your own hardwarenot Sublime Text
  • Replicating operational data out to analytics systems through ETLnot Sublime Text

Sublime Text

  • Editing code and text files in a fast native desktop editornot RavenDB
  • Working across large files and projects with multi cursor editingnot RavenDB

Where each one falls short

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

RavenDB

  • The free Developer licence bars commercial use and expires every 6 months, requiring renewal
  • The free Community licence caps a customer at 60 cores and forces you to stay on the latest major version
  • The Professional licence is limited to a single database, a 5 node cluster, 40 cores and 240 GB RAM
  • Sharding across nodes, ETL to OLAP, Elasticsearch and Kafka, and data archival are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise and AI licence pricing is contact us only with no published rate

Sublime Text

  • Personal license requires payment after evaluation period
  • Business licenses use annual subscription model requiring renewal
  • After 3 years of updates on personal license, upgrade required for continued updates

Pricing, plan by plan

RavenDB

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • 3 cores
    • 6GB RAM
    • Community support
  • Professional$499/yr
    • Production use
    • Professional support
    • Advanced features

Sublime Text

$99/license
  • Personal License$99 one-off
    • One license for all computers and operating systems
    • 3 years of updates
    • Free evaluation available
  • Business License - 1-10 seats$65/yr
    • Per seat annual subscription
    • Volume discount for 11-25 seats at $60
    • Further discount for 26+ seats

Which should you pick?

Choose RavenDB if

  • You need acid transactions.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted, Web.
  • You also want auto-indexing.
RavenDB review

Choose Sublime Text if

  • You need lightning fast performance.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want multiple selections.
Sublime Text review

Questions people ask

Is RavenDB or Sublime Text better?
Neither clearly leads. RavenDB starts at Free and Sublime Text at $99/license, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RavenDB or Sublime Text?
RavenDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for RavenDB and $99/license for Sublime Text.
Does RavenDB or Sublime Text run on more platforms?
RavenDB runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted, Web. Sublime Text runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use RavenDB for free?
Yes. RavenDB has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sublime Text starts at $99/license.
What is RavenDB best used for?
RavenDB is most often used for running a distributed document database with acid transactions, self hosting a multi node database cluster on your own hardware, replicating operational data out to analytics systems through etl. Of those, running a distributed document database with acid transactions and self hosting a multi node database cluster on your own hardware are not what Sublime Text is typically brought in for.
What can RavenDB do that Sublime Text cannot?
RavenDB covers ACID Transactions, Auto-indexing, Full-text Search, Graph Queries. Sublime Text covers Lightning fast performance, Multiple selections, Command palette, Instant project switch. Both handle Linux support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

RavenDB: Is RavenDB free or open source?

RavenDB is open source under the AGPLv3 license and available on GitHub. It also offers a free developer license with enterprise-level features limited to 9 cores, 36GB max RAM, 3 nodes, and non-commercial use.

Source
Sublime Text: How much does Sublime Text cost?

Sublime Text costs $99 USD as a one-time personal license covering all your computers and operating systems, with 3 years of updates included.

Source
RavenDB: Can I use RavenDB commercially for free?

RavenDB offers a free Community License that permits commercial deployment with unlimited databases and sizes, subject to a 60-core maximum per customer and requirement to run the latest major version.

Source
Sublime Text: What are the business license pricing tiers?

Business licenses use annual subscription pricing: $65 per seat per year for 1-10 seats, $60 per seat for 11-25 seats, $55 per seat for 26-50 seats, and $50 per seat for 51+ seats.

Source
RavenDB: What commercial licensing options does RavenDB offer?

RavenDB offers Professional, Enterprise, and AI tiers for commercial use. Pricing for these tiers requires contacting their sales team at [email protected].

Source
Sublime Text: Can I evaluate Sublime Text for free?

Yes, Sublime Text may be downloaded and evaluated for free, though payment is required to continue using it after evaluation.

Source
RavenDB: Does RavenDB offer a cloud hosting option?

RavenDB Cloud provides a fully managed cloud database with maintenance, failover, and backups included. Pricing is available at cloud.ravendb.net/pricing.

Source
RavenDB: Is there a refund window if I purchase RavenDB?

RavenDB offers a 30-day refund window for purchased licenses.

Source
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