vs

GridDB vs Machbase

GridDB: Toshiba's memory-first container database for IoT time series, with per-container ACID and SQL. Machbase: Korean time-series database for sensor data, bundled with MQTT, HTTP and dashboards in one binary.

key differences

  • Licensing: GridDB is open source (copyleft) (GNU AGPL v3.0 (server); Apache-2.0 clients); Machbase is proprietary (Machbase License (free for non-commercial use; UI is open source)).
  • GridDB is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than Machbase (≤ 10 TB).
  • Transactions: GridDB offers limited ACID; Machbase offers none.
  • Only GridDB has transactions, joins, in-memory.
  • Only Machbase has pub/sub, columnar storage, streaming ingest.

choose griddb for

  • +Factory and plant sensor data
  • +Smart grid and energy monitoring
  • +Infrastructure monitoring for social systems
  • +IoT apps needing per-device transactional updates

best at · IoT, Time-series, OLTP

choose machbase for

  • +Factory sensor data collection at the edge
  • +Equipment vibration and condition monitoring
  • +Self-contained IoT gateways with dashboards

best at · IoT, Time-series, Edge

overview
Primary model
Time-Series
Time-Series
Also supports
Key-Value, Relational
Relational
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Toshiba Digital Solutions
Machbase Inc.
First release
2013
2013
Latest version
5.9.0 (Feb 18, 2026)
Neo 8.7.2 (Oct 20, 2026)
License
Open source (copyleft)GNU AGPL v3.0 (server); Apache-2.0 clients
ProprietaryMachbase License (free for non-commercial use; UI is open source)
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
10.7
3.1
Rank
#295
#447
GitHub stars
2.5K
205
Stack Overflow questions
572
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Large (≤ 1 PB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
Native
Native
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Limited
None
Consistency
Tunable
Strong
Schema
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Distributed, In memory, Client server
Single node, 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
SQL, TQL
SQL, TQL
Client languages
Java, C, Python, Go, JavaScript
Go, Python, Java, C
Best for
IoT, Time-series, OLTP
IoT, Time-series, Edge

GridDB vs Machbase: FAQ

What is the difference between GridDB and Machbase?

GridDB: Toshiba's memory-first container database for IoT time series, with per-container ACID and SQL. Machbase: Korean time-series database for sensor data, bundled with MQTT, HTTP and dashboards in one binary. Licensing: GridDB is open source (copyleft) (GNU AGPL v3.0 (server); Apache-2.0 clients); Machbase is proprietary (Machbase License (free for non-commercial use; UI is open source)). GridDB is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than Machbase (≤ 10 TB). Transactions: GridDB offers limited ACID; Machbase offers none.

When should I choose GridDB over Machbase?

Choose GridDB for factory and plant sensor data; smart grid and energy monitoring; and infrastructure monitoring for social systems. Choose Machbase for factory sensor data collection at the edge; equipment vibration and condition monitoring; and self-contained IoT gateways with dashboards.

Is GridDB or Machbase more popular?

GridDB ranks #295 on the WhichDB Score (10.7/100) and Machbase ranks #447 (3.1/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are GridDB and Machbase open source?

Yes. GridDB is open source. License: GNU AGPL v3.0 (server); Apache-2.0 clients. No. Machbase is proprietary, closed-source software. License: Machbase License (free for non-commercial use; UI is open source).