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It's a split decision.
Choose ClickHouse for analytical SQL over large datasets, real-time dashboards, observability or data warehousing. Its columnar design and SQL interface target fast analysis; ClickHouse Local can query CSV, TSV and Parquet files without a server. Choose CockroachDB for transactional applications that need PostgreSQL compatibility, horizontal scaling and resilience across regions. It uses the PostgreSQL wire protocol and automatically rebalances data. Both offer managed and self-hosted deployment paths, but their architectures target different workloads.
01Side by side
| ClickHouse | CockroachDB | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Compute unit-hours plus storage, egress and add-ons | vCPU-hours plus usage-based storage, backups and transfer |
| Free tier | No free plan; 30-day cloud trial | No free plan; 30-day trial with $400 credit |
| Open source and licence | Open source; licence details not specified | Open-source status and licence not specified |
| Self-hosting | Self-managed ClickHouse is available | Self-hosted, Kubernetes, on-premises or hybrid |
| API and SDKs | SQL analysis; language clients listed | PostgreSQL wire protocol, drivers and ORMs |
| Integrations | Homepage lists 100+ integrations | PostgreSQL drivers and ORMs; ChatGPT and Codex plugin |
| Deployment model | ClickHouse Cloud, self-managed or Local | Managed, customer cloud account or self-hosted |
| Limits and scaling | Analytical queries across large datasets | Add nodes; automatic rebalancing and hotspot detection |
ClickHouse Choose ClickHouse if
- Choose ClickHouse if analytical SQL is your primary workload.
- Choose ClickHouse if you need real-time analysis of large datasets.
- Choose ClickHouse if querying CSV, TSV or Parquet locally helps.
CockroachDB Choose CockroachDB if
- Choose CockroachDB if PostgreSQL compatibility matters to your application.
- Choose CockroachDB if you need automatic scaling across nodes.
- Choose CockroachDB if regional resilience is a core requirement.
02Pricing at real usage
Neither product has a free plan. ClickHouse offers a 30-day cloud trial; CockroachDB offers a 30-day trial with $400 credit. ClickHouse Cloud bills by compute unit-hour and storage. Basic lists compute at $0.2181 per unit-hour and storage at $25.30 per TB-month, with up to 1 TB of storage. Scale lists $0.2985 per unit-hour and unlimited storage; Enterprise lists $0.3903 per unit-hour. Public internet egress starts at $0.1152/GB. CockroachDB’s Standard example is $203/month for 2 vCPU and 100 GB; its pricing card lists $0.092 per vCPU-hour, while a feature table says from $0.057. Mission Critical’s example is $1,528/month for 12 vCPU and 100 GB, with $0.162 per vCPU-hour. Storage, backups and data transfer are billed separately. Ask CockroachDB to confirm which Standard rate applies to your configuration.
03API, SDKs and integration
ClickHouse is an SQL database for analytical queries. Its homepage lists more than 100 integrations across ingestion, visualization and language clients, but does not name specific SDKs or programming languages. ClickHouse Local offers a server-free path for querying CSV, TSV and Parquet files. That can suit batch analysis or local inspection without first connecting an application to a server.
CockroachDB accepts PostgreSQL wire protocol connections and supports most PostgreSQL syntax, data types, drivers and ORMs. The homepage says PostgreSQL-compatible applications can connect with little or no code change. It also describes a plugin for ChatGPT and Codex. These compatibility claims provide a concrete starting point for integrating existing PostgreSQL client stacks; confirm application-specific behavior before switching. The product pages do not identify a separate CockroachDB SDK list or CLI commands, so choose clients through its PostgreSQL compatibility rather than assuming a vendor-specific SDK.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
ClickHouse is identified as open source and can run self-managed, in ClickHouse Cloud or as ClickHouse Local. Its specific licence is not stated. CockroachDB can be self-hosted, including on Kubernetes, on-premises or in a hybrid setup; its open-source status and licence are not stated. Check the applicable licence and support terms before standardizing on either product.
CockroachDB’s PostgreSQL wire protocol and support for PostgreSQL drivers and ORMs may reduce application changes for compatible workloads, but they do not establish that every feature or query transfers unchanged. ClickHouse targets columnar analytics, a different workload shape from PostgreSQL-compatible applications. Neither vendor publishes data-export formats in the product pages. Before committing, ask about export tooling, schemas, backups and the steps required to move data out of the managed service.
Questions people ask
What is a ClickHouse database?
ClickHouse is an open-source, column-oriented database built for analytical queries on large datasets. It supports SQL analysis and targets real-time analytics, observability and data warehousing. ClickHouse is available as a cloud service, self-managed software or ClickHouse Local, which can query CSV, TSV and Parquet files without a server.
Is ClickHouse a replacement for CockroachDB?
Not as a direct, workload-for-workload replacement. ClickHouse is designed for analytical queries over large datasets. CockroachDB is a distributed SQL database for applications that need PostgreSQL compatibility and resilience across regions. Choose based on whether the main job is analysis or serving an application’s database workload.
Which is better for PostgreSQL applications?
CockroachDB is the closer fit when PostgreSQL compatibility is a requirement: it supports the PostgreSQL wire protocol and most syntax, data types, drivers and ORMs. The vendor says compatible applications can connect with little or no code change. Validate your specific queries and features before migrating.
Can I self-host ClickHouse or CockroachDB?
Yes. ClickHouse offers self-managed deployment, alongside ClickHouse Cloud and ClickHouse Local. CockroachDB supports self-hosting on Kubernetes, on-premises or in hybrid environments, as well as managed deployment and deployment in your cloud account. Compare operational ownership and support requirements for the deployment you plan to run.