CockroachDB
Distributed SQL database designed for global scale, resilience, and strong consistency.
Overview
CockroachDB is a distributed SQL database designed for global scale, resilience, and strong consistency. It handles distributed sql, multi-region, serverless, and postgresql compatible, and it's best suited for teams wanting distributed sql that survives anything. It has been around since 2015, giving it a 11-year head start in building out integrations and refining the product.
The free plan is free 10 gib — enough for most people to evaluate whether it fits. Since it's open-source, you can self-host for free with no user limits. It's built for enterprise teams, so expect robust admin controls and compliance features, but also more complexity than lightweight alternatives.
Strengths
- Open source and transparent
- Includes Distributed SQL as a core feature, purpose-built for database workflows
- Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
- Free 10 GiB — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Weaknesses
- Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
- Enterprise-focused design means the interface can feel heavy for smaller teams
- Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in database
- Community support can be slower than the dedicated support teams at commercial alternatives
Quick info
- Category
- Database
- Starting price
- Free
- Free tier
- Yes — Free 10 GiB
- Open source
- Yes
- Best for
- Enterprise
- Founded
- 2015
Last updated 2026-04-12
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CockroachDB comparisons
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