Best Wide-Column Databases in 2026
Updated
In short: Apache Cassandra is ranked #1 of 15 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Google Cloud Bigtable and Apache HBase. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Apache HBase. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Google Cloud Bigtable at $0.03/mo.
For applications that store data in wide-column form, database choices can differ in scaling, access, and operational controls. Compare consistency controls, horizontal scaling, and multi-region support, alongside transaction support and maximum row size. Query interface and deployment model help frame how a database fits your application and infrastructure; the comparison also includes free-plan availability and paid-from pricing. Apache Cassandra, Google Cloud Bigtable, and Apache HBase are among the entries to consider. Amazon Keyspaces, Apache Accumulo, and Alibaba Cloud Lindorm provide further points of comparison as you assess the listed capabilities against your data-access and workload needs.
15 wide-column databases ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 Apache Cassandra No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.1Free Deployment model: self_hostedQuery interface: cqlConsistency controls: tunable
- 2 Google Cloud Bigtable No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.1$0.03/mo
- 3 Apache HBase No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.5Free Deployment model: self_hostedQuery interface: multipleConsistency controls: configurable
- 4 Amazon Keyspaces No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.5Free Deployment model: managedQuery interface: cqlConsistency controls: tunable
- 5 Apache Accumulo No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.1Free Deployment model: self_hosted
- 6 Alibaba Cloud Lindorm No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.9 Deployment model: managedQuery interface: multipleConsistency controls: configurable
- 7 Alibaba Cloud Tablestore No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.8 Deployment model: managedQuery interface: multipleConsistency controls: configurable
- 8 HPE Ezmeral Data Fabric No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.5 Deployment model: bothQuery interface: multipleConsistency controls: strong
- 9 SWC-DB No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.5Free Deployment model: self_hostedQuery interface: multiple
- 10 Baidu Tera No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4 Deployment model: self_hostedQuery interface: multipleConsistency controls: strong
- 11 Elassandra No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3 Deployment model: self_hostedQuery interface: multipleConsistency controls: tunable
- 12 Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.9Free
- 13 Transwarp Hyperbase No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6 Deployment model: self_hostedQuery interface: multiple
- 14 ScyllaDB Manager No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3
- 15 Azure Table Storage No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.0
Compare all 15 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment model | Query interface |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apache Cassandra | 8.1 | Free plan | Free | — | — | self_hosted | cql |
| 2 | Google Cloud Bigtable | 8.1 | No | $0.03/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 3 | Apache HBase | 7.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | self_hosted | multiple |
| 4 | Amazon Keyspaces | 7.5 | Free plan | Free | No | — | managed | cql |
| 5 | Apache Accumulo | 7.1 | Free plan | Free | — | — | self_hosted | — |
| 6 | Alibaba Cloud Lindorm | 6.9 | No | — | — | — | managed | multiple |
| 7 | Alibaba Cloud Tablestore | 6.8 | No | — | — | — | managed | multiple |
| 8 | HPE Ezmeral Data Fabric | 6.5 | No | — | — | — | both | multiple |
| 9 | SWC-DB | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | self_hosted | multiple |
| 10 | Baidu Tera | 6.4 | No | — | Yes | — | self_hosted | multiple |
| 11 | Elassandra | 6.3 | No | — | — | — | self_hosted | multiple |
| 12 | Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL | 5.9 | Free plan | Free | — | — | — | — |
| 13 | Transwarp Hyperbase | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | self_hosted | multiple |
| 14 | ScyllaDB Manager | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | Azure Table Storage | 5.0 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which wide-column database is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?
Apache Cassandra is ranked #1 of 15 with a score of 8.1. Google Cloud Bigtable is second and Apache HBase third.
How many of these have a free plan?
6 of the 15 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Google Cloud Bigtable has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.03/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.