ArangoDB vs Neo4j
ArangoDB: Native multi-model database: documents, graphs, search and vectors behind one query language. Neo4j: The default property-graph database, with Cypher, a big ecosystem and a managed cloud.
key differences
- Licensing: ArangoDB is source-available (Business Source License 1.1; ArangoDB Community License for binaries); Neo4j is open source (copyleft) (GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise)).
- ArangoDB is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than Neo4j (≤ 10 TB).
- Horizontal scaling is native in ArangoDB and addon in Neo4j.
- Transactions: ArangoDB offers limited ACID; Neo4j offers full.
- Only ArangoDB has joins, json, ttl / expiry, compression.
- Only Neo4j has change data capture, stored procedures, streaming ingest.
choose arangodb for
- +Knowledge graphs and GraphRAG pipelines
- +Fraud and network analysis mixed with document data
- +Recommendation engines
- +Identity and access graphs
best at · Traversal, Knowledge graph, OLTP
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
ArangoDB vs Neo4j: FAQ
What is the difference between ArangoDB and Neo4j?
ArangoDB: Native multi-model database: documents, graphs, search and vectors behind one query language. Neo4j: The default property-graph database, with Cypher, a big ecosystem and a managed cloud. Licensing: ArangoDB is source-available (Business Source License 1.1; ArangoDB Community License for binaries); Neo4j is open source (copyleft) (GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise)). ArangoDB is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than Neo4j (≤ 10 TB). Horizontal scaling is native in ArangoDB and addon in Neo4j.
When should I choose ArangoDB over Neo4j?
Choose ArangoDB for knowledge graphs and GraphRAG pipelines; fraud and network analysis mixed with document data; and recommendation engines. Choose Neo4j for fraud rings and entity resolution; real-time recommendations; and knowledge graphs for GraphRAG.
Is ArangoDB or Neo4j more popular?
Neo4j ranks #15 on the WhichDB Score (61.2/100) and ArangoDB ranks #43 (40.0/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are ArangoDB and Neo4j open source?
Not in the OSI sense. ArangoDB is source-available: you can read the code, but the license restricts some uses, typically offering it as a competing managed service. License: Business Source License 1.1; ArangoDB Community License for binaries. Yes. Neo4j is open source. License: GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise).