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It's a split decision.
Choose ArangoDB when one deployment needs graph, vector, document, key-value, and search data, plus pre-built MCP integrations and AQL querying. Choose Neo4j when a graph-first database and published Aura hourly rates matter more, or you want managed and self-managed deployment options with published capacity and SLA details. ArangoDB production pricing is quote-based; Neo4j managed costs grow with provisioned GB-hours. Confirm licensing and export options with both vendors before adopting.
01Side by side
| ArangoDB | Neo4j | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Paid plans are quoted or custom priced | Managed tiers bill hourly by provisioned GB |
| Free tier | $0 Community; 100GB, evaluation and non-commercial use | $0 AuraDB Free; no payment method required |
| Self-hosting | Community and Enterprise self-managed deployments | Self-managed graph database, analytics, and data science |
| API and SDKs | AQL, official drivers, and code samples | Graph database products; SDK names not listed |
| Docs and CLI | Official drivers and code samples; CLI not listed | Documentation, Dev Center, GraphAcademy; CLI not listed |
| Integrations | Pre-built MCP integrations and official drivers | AWS, Databricks, Google Cloud, Azure, Snowflake |
| Deployment model | Managed cloud and self-managed options | Fully managed Aura and self-managed products |
| Limits and scaling | 100GB Community limit; horizontal scale across data models | Up to 2TB memory; 5TB storage, cloud-dependent |
ArangoDB Choose ArangoDB if
- Choose ArangoDB if you need graph, vector, document, key-value, and search together.
- Choose ArangoDB if AQL and pre-built MCP integrations fit your application.
- Choose ArangoDB if self-managed options matter and you can request a quote.
Neo4j Choose Neo4j if
- Choose Neo4j if your workload is graph-first.
- Choose Neo4j if hourly managed pricing helps you estimate capacity costs.
- Choose Neo4j if you need managed and self-managed product options.
02Pricing at real usage
ArangoDB Community Edition is $0, with a 100GB dataset limit, for evaluation and non-commercial development. The Arango AI Suite offers early-access evaluation with no data limit, but pricing is upon request. Platform Suite, self-managed Enterprise, Managed Platform, and OEM pricing are quoted or custom, so ask for costs against your deployment, resource, and SLA requirements.
Neo4j AuraDB Free is $0 and requires no payment method. AuraDB Professional is $0.09/GB/hour with a 1GB minimum; Business Critical is $0.20/GB/hour with a 2GB minimum. Managed costs therefore grow with provisioned capacity and runtime, rather than a published flat monthly fee. Professional lists up to 128GB memory and 2TB storage. Business Critical lists up to 2TB memory on AWS and GCP, 512GB on Azure, and up to 5TB storage. Virtual Dedicated Cloud is custom priced.
03API, SDKs and integration
ArangoDB combines graph, vector, document, key-value, and search data in one platform. Its homepage names AQL and describes AQLizer as a way to turn natural-language questions into AQL queries. For application integration, it lists official drivers and code samples for major languages and frameworks, plus pre-built MCP integrations. The homepage does not name individual languages or an API protocol, so verify driver availability and query support for your runtime. It does not identify a CLI; ask whether your deployment workflow needs one.
Neo4j offers managed and self-managed graph products, with documentation, a Dev Center, and GraphAcademy listed on its homepage. The page also lists MCP, GraphRAG, and AI integrations. It names AWS, Databricks, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Snowflake as partners, but does not name SDK languages or a CLI. Check the documentation for the client libraries and integration paths your stack requires.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Neither vendor’s product homepage states an open-source licence. ArangoDB lists Community Edition for evaluation and non-commercial development, and Enterprise Edition for self-managed deployments with configuration-based pricing. Do not treat its $0 Community tier as permission for commercial use. Neo4j lists self-managed Graph Database, Graph Analytics, and Graph Data Science products, alongside fully managed Aura offerings.
Neither homepage describes a specific data-export format or migration tool. Plan a portability check around graph schema, query language, indexes, and any vector or search data your application uses. ArangoDB’s multimodel platform and AQL querying differ from Neo4j’s graph database approach, so switching may require mapping data and updating application queries. Ask both vendors about export formats, backup portability, and supported migration paths before committing.
Questions people ask
Who are the main competitors of Neo4j?
ArangoDB is one alternative for teams choosing a graph data platform. The architectural distinction is that ArangoDB combines graph, vector, document, key-value, and search capabilities, while Neo4j centers its product range on graph databases, graph analytics, and AI applications.
Why use ArangoDB?
Use ArangoDB if your application needs graph, vector, document, key-value, and search capabilities in one platform. It also lists AQL querying, official drivers and code samples, pre-built MCP integrations, and graph-native lineage for tracing decisions to source data.
Is ArangoDB fast?
The homepage claims horizontal scaling across its graph, vector, document, key-value, and search capabilities, but does not publish benchmark results in the cited product details. Performance depends on workload and configuration; evaluate your own query patterns and ask the vendor for relevant production measurements.
What are the top five graph databases?
There is no defensible top-five ranking from product features and pricing alone. ArangoDB and Neo4j are two options with different architectures: ArangoDB is multimodel, while Neo4j is graph-first. Compare workload fit, deployment, pricing, and migration requirements before selecting a shortlist.