SurrealDBvs
MotherDuck
MotherDuck: Both are modern cloud database platforms aimed at analytics and AI workloads, though SurrealDB spans multiple data models rather than pure analytics.
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Multi-model database combining documents, graphs, vectors and time-series
Overview
SurrealDB is a unified, multi-model database platform that manages documents, graphs, vectors and time-series data in a single ACID-compliant engine. Founded in 2022, it positions itself as a data platform for AI applications, offering an agent memory layer with entity extraction, knowledge graph construction and hybrid retrieval. It is available as SurrealDB Cloud or self-hosted Enterprise deployments, and holds SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, GDPR and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.
The honest half
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about SurrealDB.
Cross-shopped
Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.
MotherDuck: Both are modern cloud database platforms aimed at analytics and AI workloads, though SurrealDB spans multiple data models rather than pure analytics.
Pricing
Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.
Start
Free
Scale
$0.192 /mo
Enterprise
On request
Capabilities
Multi-model engine
Stores documents, graphs, vectors and time-series data in one database.
ACID transactions
Full ACID compliance across all supported data models.
Hybrid retrieval
Combines vector and graph search for AI agent memory and retrieval-augmented generation.
Horizontal scaling
Scale plan supports clustered, fault-tolerant deployments to petabyte scale.
Multi-region disaster recovery
Production-grade deployments support cross-region failover.
FIPS-compliant cryptography
Enterprise self-hosted deployments support FIPS-compliant encryption.
Answered, with sources
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
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.
SourceYes, 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.
SourceCustomers 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.
SourceBehind it
Timeline
SurrealDB founded
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