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Apache HugeGraph vs Neo4j

Apache HugeGraph: Apache graph database from Baidu with Gremlin and Cypher, pluggable backends and a distributed store. Neo4j: The default property-graph database, with Cypher, a big ecosystem and a managed cloud.

key differences

  • Licensing: Apache HugeGraph is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); Neo4j is open source (copyleft) (GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise)).
  • Apache HugeGraph is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than Neo4j (≤ 10 TB).
  • Horizontal scaling is native in Apache HugeGraph and addon in Neo4j.
  • Transactions: Apache HugeGraph offers limited ACID; Neo4j offers full.
  • Only Apache HugeGraph has ttl / expiry, compression.
  • Only Neo4j has transactions, vector search, geospatial, change data capture, stored procedures.

choose apache-hugegraph for

  • +Large knowledge graphs
  • +Risk control and anti-fraud
  • +Social relationship analysis
  • +GraphRAG pipelines

best at · Traversal, Graph analytics, Knowledge graph

choose neo4j for

  • +Fraud rings and entity resolution
  • +Real-time recommendations
  • +Knowledge graphs for GraphRAG
  • +Network and IT dependency mapping

best at · Traversal, Graph analytics, Knowledge graph

Apache HugeGraphApache graph database from Baidu with Gremlin and Cypher, pluggable backends and a distributed store.
Neo4jThe default property-graph database, with Cypher, a big ecosystem and a managed cloud.
overview
Primary model
Graph
Graph
Also supports
–
Vector
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Apache Software Foundation
Neo4j, Inc.
First release
2018
2007
Latest version
1.7.0 (Nov 16, 2025)
2026.10.1 (Oct 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0
Open source (copyleft)GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise)
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
9.3
61.2
Rank
#314
#15
GitHub stars
3.2K
17.4K
Stack Overflow questions
–
23K
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Large (≤ 1 PB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
Native
Addon
Multi-region
None
Read replicas
ACID
Limited
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong, Causal
Schema
Strict
Flexible
Architecture
Single node, Distributed, Client server
Single node, Primary replica, Client server
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
—
✓
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
—
—
Edge
—
—
Clouds
–
AWS, Google Cloud, Azure
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
Gremlin, openCypher
Cypher, GQL
Client languages
Java, Python, Go
Java, JavaScript, Python, Go, .NET, Rust (community)
Best for
Traversal, Graph analytics, Knowledge graph, RAG
Traversal, Graph analytics, Knowledge graph, RAG
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Apache HugeGraph vs Neo4j: FAQ

What is the difference between Apache HugeGraph and Neo4j?

Apache HugeGraph: Apache graph database from Baidu with Gremlin and Cypher, pluggable backends and a distributed store. Neo4j: The default property-graph database, with Cypher, a big ecosystem and a managed cloud. Licensing: Apache HugeGraph is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); Neo4j is open source (copyleft) (GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise)). Apache HugeGraph is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than Neo4j (≤ 10 TB). Horizontal scaling is native in Apache HugeGraph and addon in Neo4j.

When should I choose Apache HugeGraph over Neo4j?

Choose Apache HugeGraph for large knowledge graphs; risk control and anti-fraud; and social relationship analysis. Choose Neo4j for fraud rings and entity resolution; real-time recommendations; and knowledge graphs for GraphRAG.

Is Apache HugeGraph or Neo4j more popular?

Neo4j ranks #15 on the WhichDB Score (61.2/100) and Apache HugeGraph ranks #314 (9.3/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Apache HugeGraph and Neo4j open source?

Yes. Apache HugeGraph is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Yes. Neo4j is open source. License: GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise).