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VerneMQ vs VictoriaMetrics

VerneMQ logo

VerneMQ

Databases

Erlang MQTT broker whose source is Apache 2.0 but whose official binaries need a paid subscription

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VictoriaMetrics logo

VictoriaMetrics

Cloud

Fast, cost-effective time series database for metrics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: VerneMQ the official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit.; VictoriaMetrics promQL compatibility is very close but not identical, and MetricsQL extensions do not port back
  • They diverge on capability: VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering, VictoriaMetrics covers PromQL compatible.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which VerneMQ and VictoriaMetrics actually diverge.

Attributes where VerneMQ and VictoriaMetrics differ
AttributeVerneMQVictoriaMetrics
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsLinux, Docker, macOS, KubernetesLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
CategoryDatabasesCloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 VerneMQ

  • Erlang/OTP clustering
  • MQTT 5.0 support
  • Plugin system
  • Backpressure handling
  • Bridge support
  • Metrics export
  • MQTT over WebSockets
  • Pluggable auth backends

Only in VictoriaMetrics

  • PromQL compatible
  • Low resource use
  • Single binary or cluster
  • Remote write target

What people use each for

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

VerneMQ

  • An industrial operator that wants an MQTT broker with predictable memory behaviour and no data integration features it will not usenot VictoriaMetrics
  • A team building from source to stay strictly under Apache 2.0 terms with no vendor licence entanglementnot VictoriaMetrics
  • A deployment needing custom authentication logic implemented as a plugin in Lua or over a webhooknot VictoriaMetrics
  • An organisation that wants a broker maintained by a small European company rather than by a vendor that keeps changing licencesnot VictoriaMetrics

VictoriaMetrics

  • Keeping months or years of Prometheus metrics without the memory costnot VerneMQ
  • High-cardinality metrics where Prometheus strugglesnot VerneMQ
  • Consolidating metrics from many Prometheus instances into one queryable storenot VerneMQ

Where each one falls short

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

VerneMQ

  • The official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit.
  • Octavo Labs is a very small company, so support depth, response times and the bus factor on the codebase are materially thinner than at HiveMQ or EMQ.
  • There is no data integration or rule engine layer, so routing messages into a database means writing and operating your own consumer service.
  • Operating an Erlang cluster requires runtime knowledge that most teams do not have and will use for nothing else in their stack.
  • There is no vendor-managed cloud offering, so every deployment is self-operated with the infrastructure and on-call cost that implies.

VictoriaMetrics

  • PromQL compatibility is very close but not identical, and MetricsQL extensions do not port back
  • Smaller community than Prometheus, so fewer guides and third-party integrations
  • The clustered version has meaningfully more moving parts than the single binary suggests
  • Some enterprise features sit outside the open-source offering

Pricing, plan by plan

VerneMQ

Free
  • Source buildFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed source from GitHub
    • Full clustering and plugin capability
    • You compile and package it yourself
  • Binary packages and Docker images$undefined/year
    • Covered by the VerneMQ EULA, not Apache 2.0
    • Yearly usage subscription expected for commercial use
    • Official builds and Docker images
  • Commercial support$undefined/year
    • Evaluation, customisation and operations assistance
    • Custom development
    • Long-term maintenance agreements

VictoriaMetrics

Free
  • VictoriaMetricsFree
    • Full functionality
    • No data limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose VerneMQ if

  • You need erlang/otp clustering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes.
  • You also want mqtt 5.0 support.
VerneMQ review

Choose VictoriaMetrics if

  • You need promql compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want low resource use.
VictoriaMetrics review

Questions people ask

Is VerneMQ or VictoriaMetrics better?
Neither clearly leads. VerneMQ starts at Free and VictoriaMetrics at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, VerneMQ or VictoriaMetrics?
VerneMQ starts at Free and VictoriaMetrics at Free.
Does VerneMQ or VictoriaMetrics run on more platforms?
VerneMQ runs on Linux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes. VictoriaMetrics runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
Can I use VerneMQ for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is VerneMQ best used for?
VerneMQ is most often used for an industrial operator that wants an mqtt broker with predictable memory behaviour and no data integration features it will not use, a team building from source to stay strictly under apache 2.0 terms with no vendor licence entanglement, a deployment needing custom authentication logic implemented as a plugin in lua or over a webhook, an organisation that wants a broker maintained by a small european company rather than by a vendor that keeps changing licences. Of those, an industrial operator that wants an mqtt broker with predictable memory behaviour and no data integration features it will not use and a team building from source to stay strictly under apache 2.0 terms with no vendor licence entanglement are not what VictoriaMetrics is typically brought in for.
What can VerneMQ do that VictoriaMetrics cannot?
VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering, MQTT 5.0 support, Plugin system, Backpressure handling. VictoriaMetrics covers PromQL compatible, Low resource use, Single binary or cluster, Remote write target.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

VerneMQ: Is VerneMQ free?

The source is Apache 2.0 and free. The official binary packages and Docker images are covered by a separate EULA that expects a yearly fee for commercial use.

VictoriaMetrics: Is VictoriaMetrics free?

The open-source version is free with no data limits. An enterprise edition and cloud service are paid.

VerneMQ: Is the project still maintained?

Yes. Octavo Labs AG in Zurich continues to publish 2.x releases, most recently in 2026.

VictoriaMetrics: Does it replace Prometheus?

It can, but most teams keep Prometheus for scraping and use VictoriaMetrics as the long-term store behind it.

VerneMQ: Does it have a managed cloud?

No. Every deployment is self-hosted, with commercial support available from Octavo Labs.

VictoriaMetrics: Is PromQL fully supported?

Very nearly. It implements PromQL and extends it with MetricsQL, though a small number of edge-case behaviours differ.

VerneMQ: How does it compare to EMQX?

Narrower in features and without a rule engine, but with a simpler licence story for source builds after EMQX moved to BSL.

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