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Timescale vs SurrealDB

Timescale logo

Timescale

Software

PostgreSQL platform for time-series and analytical workloads

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SurrealDB logo

SurrealDB

Software

Multi-model database combining documents, graphs, vectors and time-series

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SurrealDB has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Timescale it is built on Postgres, so it inherits Postgres's vertical-scaling limits compared to purpose-built distributed time-series systems.; SurrealDB the listed $0.192/node/hr Scale pricing lacks transparent higher-tier rates, requiring a sales conversation for full production sizing.
  • They diverge on capability: Timescale covers Hypertables, SurrealDB covers Multi-model engine.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Timescale and SurrealDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Timescale and SurrealDB differ
AttributeTimescaleSurrealDB
Starting price$30/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
Platformsweb, apiweb, api, windows, mac, linux
FoundedUnknown2022

Identical on both: 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 Timescale

  • Hypertables
  • Native compression
  • Continuous aggregates
  • Point-in-time recovery
  • Read replicas
  • Private networking

Only in SurrealDB

  • Multi-model engine
  • ACID transactions
  • Hybrid retrieval
  • Horizontal scaling
  • Multi-region disaster recovery
  • FIPS-compliant cryptography

What people use each for

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

Timescale

  • IoT and sensor data storagenot SurrealDB
  • Operational and infrastructure metricsnot SurrealDB
  • Time-series analytics dashboardsnot SurrealDB
  • Financial and market tick datanot SurrealDB

SurrealDB

  • AI agent memory and retrieval-augmented generationnot Timescale
  • Applications needing documents, graphs and vectors in one databasenot Timescale
  • Knowledge graph construction from unstructured datanot Timescale
  • Regulated workloads requiring SOC2/ISO27001/HIPAA-eligible hostingnot Timescale

Where each one falls short

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

Timescale

  • It is built on Postgres, so it inherits Postgres's vertical-scaling limits compared to purpose-built distributed time-series systems.
  • The free trial is time-limited (30 days) rather than a permanent free tier.
  • Enterprise features like HIPAA compliance and cross-region backups require custom-priced Enterprise plans, not available on entry tiers.
  • Multi-node horizontal scaling and read replicas are gated behind the higher-priced Scale plan.

SurrealDB

  • The listed $0.192/node/hr Scale pricing lacks transparent higher-tier rates, requiring a sales conversation for full production sizing.
  • As a newer multi-model database, it has a smaller ecosystem of drivers, ORMs and community tooling than established single-model databases.
  • HIPAA compliance is only available as an Enterprise add-on rather than included in standard paid tiers.
  • Combining multiple data models in one engine can add query-planning complexity compared to purpose-built single-model databases.

Pricing, plan by plan

Timescale

$30/month
  • Performance$30/month
    • 4 database services
    • Up to 8 CPU / 32GB memory per service
    • Up to 16TB disk per service
  • Scale$36/month
    • Unlimited database services
    • Up to 32 CPU / 128GB memory per service
    • Up to 64TB disk per service
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Up to 64 CPU / 256GB memory per service
    • Cross-region backups
    • SAML SSO, HIPAA compliance

SurrealDB

Free
  • StartFree
    • 1 free instance, then from $0.021/hr
    • 1GB storage free forever
    • Vertical scaling to terabytes
  • Scale$0.192/month
    • $0.192/node/hr
    • Production-grade fault tolerance
    • Horizontal scaling to petabytes
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Self-hosted, custom pricing
    • Clustered fault-tolerant deployments
    • FIPS-compliant cryptography

Which should you pick?

Choose Timescale if

  • You need hypertables.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want native compression.
Timescale review

Choose SurrealDB if

  • You need multi-model engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api, windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want acid transactions.
SurrealDB review

Questions people ask

Is Timescale or SurrealDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Timescale starts at $30/month and SurrealDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Timescale or SurrealDB?
SurrealDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $30/month for Timescale and Free for SurrealDB.
Does Timescale or SurrealDB run on more platforms?
Timescale runs on web, api. SurrealDB runs on web, api, windows, mac, linux.
Can I use SurrealDB for free?
Yes. SurrealDB has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Timescale starts at $30/month.
What is Timescale best used for?
Timescale is most often used for iot and sensor data storage, operational and infrastructure metrics, time-series analytics dashboards, financial and market tick data. Of those, iot and sensor data storage and operational and infrastructure metrics are not what SurrealDB is typically brought in for.
What can Timescale do that SurrealDB cannot?
Timescale covers Hypertables, Native compression, Continuous aggregates, Point-in-time recovery. SurrealDB covers Multi-model engine, ACID transactions, Hybrid retrieval, Horizontal scaling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Timescale: What does Timescale (Tiger Data) cost?

Tiger Cloud starts at $30/month for the Performance plan (4 database services, up to 8 CPU/32GB RAM), $36/month for Scale (unlimited services, multi-node HA), and custom Enterprise pricing for larger deployments.

Source
SurrealDB: What does SurrealDB cost?

SurrealDB Cloud's Start plan is free with one free instance (then from $0.021/hr), the Scale plan runs $0.192/node/hr for production workloads, and Enterprise self-hosted deployments use custom pricing.

Source
Timescale: Is there a free trial and what does it include?

New users get a 30-day trial of the Performance plan with no credit card required, letting them test hypertables, compression and continuous aggregates before paying.

Source
SurrealDB: Is there a free plan and what are its limits?

Yes, the Start plan includes one free instance with 1GB of storage free forever and 1GB of outbound data transfer per month, aimed at prototypes and development.

Source
Timescale: How is usage billed?

Billing is monthly in arrears with hourly-metered compute and storage based on average GB consumed per hour; mid-month plan changes are pro-rated and customers can cancel anytime.

Source
SurrealDB: How is billing handled?

Customers are invoiced monthly based on actual usage in a pay-as-you-go model with no long-term commitments, though commitment-based discounts are available.

Source
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