whichdb
vs

Apache Druid vs AsterixDB

Apache Druid: Real-time analytics database for sub-second slice-and-dice over streaming event data. AsterixDB: Apache parallel database for semi-structured JSON data with SQL++, LSM storage and spatial/text indexes.

key differences

  • Apache Druid is primarily a columnar / OLAP database; AsterixDB is document.
  • Apache Druid is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than AsterixDB (≤ 1 PB).
  • Only Apache Druid has ttl / expiry, columnar storage, role-based access.
  • Only AsterixDB has full-text search.

choose apache-druid for

  • +User-facing analytics dashboards
  • +Clickstream and ad-tech analytics
  • +Network and application telemetry
  • +Real-time operational monitoring

best at · Real-time analytics, OLAP, Time-series

choose asterixdb for

  • +Analytics over large semi-structured JSON datasets
  • +Spatial and text queries over social media or sensor feeds
  • +Database systems research and teaching (SQL++, LSM, parallel execution)
  • +Querying data lakes on HDFS or object storage alongside managed data

best at · OLAP, Search, Geo

Apache DruidReal-time analytics database for sub-second slice-and-dice over streaming event data.
AsterixDBApache parallel database for semi-structured JSON data with SQL++, LSM storage and spatial/text indexes.
overview
Primary model
Columnar / OLAP
Document
Also supports
Time-Series, Relational
Spatial
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Apache Software Foundation
Apache Software Foundation (originally UC Irvine and UC Riverside)
First release
2012
2013
Latest version
38.0.0 (Oct 1, 2026)
0.9.9 (Mar 2024)
License
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
35.0
1.7
Rank
#58
#519
GitHub stars
14.1K
318
Stack Overflow questions
620
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Massive (Multi-PB)
Large (≤ 1 PB)
Horizontal scaling
Native
Native
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Limited
Limited
Consistency
Eventual
Strong
Schema
Flexible
Flexible
Architecture
Distributed, Shared storage
Distributed, Client server
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
—
—
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
—
—
Edge
—
—
Clouds
–
–
capabilities
Transactions
—
—
Joins
✓
✓
Secondary indexes
✓
✓
Full-text search
—
✓
Vector search
—
—
Geospatial
✓
✓
JSON
✓
✓
Change data capture
—
—
Triggers
—
—
Stored procedures
—
—
Materialized views
—
—
TTL / expiry
✓
—
Pub/Sub
—
—
Columnar storage
✓
—
In-memory
—
—
Durable persistence
✓
✓
Compression
✓
✓
Encryption at rest
—
—
Role-based access
✓
—
Time travel
—
—
Branching
—
—
Online schema changes
—
—
Streaming ingest
✓
✓
Offline sync
—
—
Runs in WebAssembly
—
—
interfaces
Query languages
Druid SQL, Druid native JSON queries
SQL++, AQL (legacy)
Client languages
Java, Python, Go, JavaScript
Java
Best for
Real-time analytics, OLAP, Time-series, Observability
OLAP, Search, Geo, Streaming
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Apache Druid vs AsterixDB: FAQ

What is the difference between Apache Druid and AsterixDB?

Apache Druid: Real-time analytics database for sub-second slice-and-dice over streaming event data. AsterixDB: Apache parallel database for semi-structured JSON data with SQL++, LSM storage and spatial/text indexes. Apache Druid is primarily a columnar / OLAP database; AsterixDB is document. Apache Druid is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than AsterixDB (≤ 1 PB). Only Apache Druid has ttl / expiry, columnar storage, role-based access.

When should I choose Apache Druid over AsterixDB?

Choose Apache Druid for user-facing analytics dashboards; clickstream and ad-tech analytics; and network and application telemetry. Choose AsterixDB for analytics over large semi-structured JSON datasets; spatial and text queries over social media or sensor feeds; and database systems research and teaching (SQL++, LSM, parallel execution).

Is Apache Druid or AsterixDB more popular?

Apache Druid ranks #58 on the WhichDB Score (35.0/100) and AsterixDB ranks #519 (1.7/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Apache Druid and AsterixDB open source?

Yes. Apache Druid is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Yes. AsterixDB is open source. License: Apache License 2.0.