whichdb
vs

DuckDB vs MonetDB

DuckDB: In-process columnar SQL database: the SQLite of analytics, running inside your app or notebook. MonetDB: Pioneering open-source column-store from CWI, still a lean research-grade analytical SQL database.

key differences

  • Licensing: DuckDB is open source (permissive) (MIT License); MonetDB is open source (copyleft) (Mozilla Public License 2.0).
  • Horizontal scaling is none in DuckDB and manual in MonetDB.
  • Only DuckDB has full-text search, vector search, in-memory, compression, encryption at rest.
  • Only MonetDB has triggers, stored procedures, role-based access.
  • DuckDB can run embedded in your application process.

choose duckdb for

  • +Local data analysis in notebooks
  • +ETL and data-engineering pipelines on files
  • +Embedded analytics inside applications
  • +Querying data lakes on S3 without a cluster

best at · OLAP, Embedded, Lakehouse

choose monetdb for

  • +Single-server analytical database
  • +Scientific and research data analysis
  • +Teaching and database research

best at · OLAP, Warehouse, Scientific

DuckDBIn-process columnar SQL database: the SQLite of analytics, running inside your app or notebook.
MonetDBPioneering open-source column-store from CWI, still a lean research-grade analytical SQL database.
overview
Primary model
Columnar / OLAP
Columnar / OLAP
Also supports
Relational, Document, Spatial, Vector
Relational, Spatial
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
DuckDB Foundation / DuckDB Labs
MonetDB Foundation (CWI spin-off)
First release
2019
2004
Latest version
2.0.0 (Oct 21, 2026)
11.55.3 (2026)
License
Open source (permissive)MIT License
Open source (copyleft)Mozilla Public License 2.0
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
63.7
24.2
Rank
#13
#125
GitHub stars
42.6K
485
Stack Overflow questions
501
447
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
None
Manual
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Embedded, Single node, In memory
Single node, 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
SQL (PostgreSQL-like dialect)
SQL, Python UDFs, R UDFs
Client languages
Python, R, Java, JavaScript, Go, Rust, C, Swift
Python, Java, C, R, JavaScript
Best for
OLAP, Embedded, Lakehouse, Warehouse
OLAP, Warehouse, Scientific
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

DuckDB vs MonetDB: FAQ

What is the difference between DuckDB and MonetDB?

DuckDB: In-process columnar SQL database: the SQLite of analytics, running inside your app or notebook. MonetDB: Pioneering open-source column-store from CWI, still a lean research-grade analytical SQL database. Licensing: DuckDB is open source (permissive) (MIT License); MonetDB is open source (copyleft) (Mozilla Public License 2.0). Horizontal scaling is none in DuckDB and manual in MonetDB. Only DuckDB has full-text search, vector search, in-memory, compression, encryption at rest.

When should I choose DuckDB over MonetDB?

Choose DuckDB for local data analysis in notebooks; ETL and data-engineering pipelines on files; and embedded analytics inside applications. Choose MonetDB for single-server analytical database; scientific and research data analysis; and teaching and database research.

Is DuckDB or MonetDB more popular?

DuckDB ranks #13 on the WhichDB Score (63.7/100) and MonetDB ranks #125 (24.2/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are DuckDB and MonetDB open source?

Yes. DuckDB is open source. License: MIT License. Yes. MonetDB is open source. License: Mozilla Public License 2.0.