CrateDB

CrateDB is a database for real-time analytics on live operational data. It handles time-series, JSON, full-text, vector, geospatial, and structured data in one engine. SQL support includes joins, aggregations, and window functions over billions of rows without pre-aggregation or schema redesign. Replication, automatic failover, and sharding support availability and scaling; capacity can grow horizontally by adding nodes. Applications can connect using the PostgreSQL wire protocol or a native HTTP endpoint. Listed integrations include Tableau, Power BI, Grafana, Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, and dbt. CrateDB can run as a managed service or on infrastructure a customer chooses, and its open-source core is licensed under Apache 2.0. CrateDB Cloud security features include authentication, role-based access controls, TLS/SSL, encrypted storage, and audit logging. Cloud holds ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications. A free Cloud plan lists 2 vCPUs, 2 GB RAM, and 8 GB storage, with no credit card required. Cloud Shared is listed at $0.07 a month and Dedicated at $0.25 a month, both billed hourly as displayed.

CrateDB brings varied data types and SQL analytics together, with managed and self-managed deployment choices. Its free plan has specified compute and storage limits; listed paid Cloud rates are billed hourly as displayed.

CrateDB may suit teams analyzing live operational data across varied data types, including time-series, JSON, and geospatial data. It offers both managed-service and customer-infrastructure deployment options.

CrateDB is a real-time analytics database for querying live operational data across several data types. It suits teams that need SQL analytics alongside flexible deployment and scaling options. Its broad data support is a strong fit for mixed workloads, though the free cloud tier is small and paid capacity is billed hourly.

Overview

CrateDB combines time-series, JSON, full-text, vector, geospatial, and structured data in one engine. Its SQL support includes joins, aggregations, and window functions over billions of rows without pre-aggregation or schema redesign. That breadth can simplify analytics when a workload spans different data shapes; teams needing only a narrower database use case may not need it.

The Apache 2.0-licensed open-source core can run on-premises, at the edge, or in the cloud, while CrateDB Cloud offers managed deployment. Automatic sharding, replication, failover, and horizontal scale-out by adding nodes provide a path to grow, while PostgreSQL wire protocol compatibility and a native HTTP endpoint give applications two connection options. Integrations include Tableau, Power BI, Grafana, Kafka, Spark, and dbt.

CrateDB also fits within Distributed SQL Databases, OLAP Databases, Multimodel Databases, Columnar Databases, Spatial Databases, and broader Database Software.

Key features

Analytics across mixed data

Keeping six named data types in one engine is CrateDB’s clearest differentiator. SQL joins, aggregations, and window functions make it relevant to teams that want to analyze operational data directly, rather than redesigning schemas or pre-aggregating first. The billion-row scale claim is the maker’s description, not a guarantee for every workload.

Deployment, scale, and security

Teams can choose managed Cloud or preferred infrastructure, including Linux and macOS installations and Docker or Kubernetes deployments. Cloud security defaults include encryption at rest, IP allowlists, MFA, and isolated clusters; Cloud also holds ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications. Authentication, role-based access control, TLS/SSL, encrypted storage volumes, and Cloud audit logging provide further controls. These capabilities make the managed option more compelling for organizations with security requirements, while self-management offers infrastructure choice at the cost of operating the deployment.

Pricing

CrateDB has free and paid Cloud choices, with paid Cloud rates displayed as hourly billing. The published monthly amounts below are therefore hourly rates, not flat monthly subscriptions.

The free plan is a sensible starting point for evaluation or a small workload, but its 8 GB storage ceiling and 2 vCPUs constrain growth. Shared raises the compute and storage ceilings, but remains a single-node shared environment with development support. Dedicated is the stronger fit for production needs that call for multiple nodes, SLAs, hourly backups, and Private Link; Custom addresses deployments needing bespoke compute or unlimited capacity.

Separate plan summaries also give Shared Free at no cost with 2 vCPUs, 2 GiB RAM, and 8 GiB storage; Shared has custom pricing for up to 8 shared vCPUs, 12 GB RAM, and 1 TB storage; Dedicated has custom pricing for up to 9 nodes and 72 TB storage; and Custom has custom pricing with unlimited nodes and storage. For self-managed users, the open-source core is Apache 2.0 licensed.

Platforms

CrateDB lists API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows support. The combination of managed and self-hosted deployment suits teams that want to choose where the database runs rather than commit to Cloud alone.

Who it's for

CrateDB is best suited to teams analyzing live operational data with SQL across mixed formats, especially when horizontal scaling, PostgreSQL compatibility, or managed-versus-self-managed choice matters. It is less suited to buyers seeking an inexpensive fixed monthly Cloud bill: its paid Cloud prices are hourly rates, and the free plan has limited compute and storage.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Six data types share one engine, which can suit analytics that span structured and less structured data.
• Pro: SQL joins, aggregations, and window functions plus PostgreSQL protocol support help connect familiar query workflows.
• Pro: Managed Cloud and Apache 2.0 self-managed deployment support different infrastructure preferences.
• Con: The free Cloud plan tops out at 2 vCPUs and 8 GB storage, limiting larger evaluations and workloads.
• Con: Shared Cloud is single-node and provides development support, so it lacks Dedicated’s multi-node scale, SLAs, and hourly backups.
• Con: Paid Cloud rates are hourly, which may be less straightforward to budget than a flat monthly subscription.

Alternatives

Choose TBase if a free database is the priority. MySQL is another freemium option, with a free trial. For a managed database with a free tier and trial, TiDB Cloud offers a free plan with storage and read quotas. CockroachDB Cloud is a paid service that also has a free plan and trial. OceanBase Database offers both a free Community Edition and an Enterprise Edition with custom pricing. SingleStore Helios has a free Shared workspace for evaluation, development, and non-production testing. VoltDB offers a free Developer Edition for individual developers and early exploration. YDB is a free, Apache 2.0 open-source option that can be self-hosted.

Verdict

Choose CrateDB when live-data analytics across varied formats, SQL, and deployment flexibility are central requirements. Its strongest reason to choose is the combination of data breadth and scale-oriented design; its main reason to look elsewhere is the constrained free tier and hourly billed Cloud pricing.