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Neo4j vs SurrealDB

Neo4j: The default property-graph database, with Cypher, a big ecosystem and a managed cloud. SurrealDB: Rust multi-model database (documents, graph, vectors, live queries) that runs embedded, in WASM or clustered.

key differences

  • Neo4j is primarily a graph database; SurrealDB is document.
  • Licensing: Neo4j is open source (copyleft) (GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise)); SurrealDB is source-available (Business Source License 1.1 (converts to Apache 2.0 after 4 years)).
  • Only Neo4j has encryption at rest, streaming ingest.
  • Only SurrealDB has joins, json, triggers, materialized views, pub/sub.
  • SurrealDB can run embedded in your application process.

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

choose surrealdb for

  • +Greenfield apps wanting one backend for documents and relationships
  • +Agent memory and knowledge graphs for AI applications
  • +Local-first or in-browser data with WASM
  • +Realtime collaborative features

best at · OLTP, Traversal, Vector search

Neo4jThe default property-graph database, with Cypher, a big ecosystem and a managed cloud.
SurrealDBRust multi-model database (documents, graph, vectors, live queries) that runs embedded, in WASM or clustered.
overview
Primary model
Graph
Document
Also supports
Vector
Graph, Key-Value, Vector, Search Engine, Time-Series, Spatial
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Neo4j, Inc.
SurrealDB Ltd
First release
2007
2022
Latest version
2026.10.1 (Oct 2026)
3.3.4 (Oct 19, 2026)
License
Open source (copyleft)GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise)
Source-availableBusiness Source License 1.1 (converts to Apache 2.0 after 4 years)
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
61.2
28.8
Rank
#15
#94
GitHub stars
17.4K
33.2K
Stack Overflow questions
23K
111
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
Addon
Addon
Multi-region
Read replicas
None
ACID
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong, Causal
Strong
Schema
Flexible
Flexible
Architecture
Single node, Primary replica, Client server
Single node, Embedded, Distributed, Client server, In memory
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
✓
✓
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
—
✓
Edge
—
✓
Clouds
AWS, Google Cloud, Azure
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
Cypher, GQL
SurrealQL, GraphQL
Client languages
Java, JavaScript, Python, Go, .NET, Rust (community)
Rust, JavaScript, Python, Go, Java, C#, PHP
Best for
Traversal, Graph analytics, Knowledge graph, RAG
OLTP, Traversal, Vector search, RAG
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Neo4j vs SurrealDB: FAQ

What is the difference between Neo4j and SurrealDB?

Neo4j: The default property-graph database, with Cypher, a big ecosystem and a managed cloud. SurrealDB: Rust multi-model database (documents, graph, vectors, live queries) that runs embedded, in WASM or clustered. Neo4j is primarily a graph database; SurrealDB is document. Licensing: Neo4j is open source (copyleft) (GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise)); SurrealDB is source-available (Business Source License 1.1 (converts to Apache 2.0 after 4 years)). Only Neo4j has encryption at rest, streaming ingest.

When should I choose Neo4j over SurrealDB?

Choose Neo4j for fraud rings and entity resolution; real-time recommendations; and knowledge graphs for GraphRAG. Choose SurrealDB for greenfield apps wanting one backend for documents and relationships; agent memory and knowledge graphs for AI applications; and local-first or in-browser data with WASM.

Is Neo4j or SurrealDB more popular?

Neo4j ranks #15 on the WhichDB Score (61.2/100) and SurrealDB ranks #94 (28.8/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Neo4j and SurrealDB open source?

Yes. Neo4j is open source. License: GPL-3.0 (Community) / commercial (Enterprise). Not in the OSI sense. SurrealDB 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 (converts to Apache 2.0 after 4 years).