At a glance
| Data model | Multi-model: graph and document |
| Query language | SQL dialect; Gremlin |
| Consistency model | Not documented on the pages reviewed |
| Replication | Replication and high availability documented in the 3.2.x manual |
| Partitioning or sharding | Sharding documented in the 3.2.x manual |
| Transactions | Transactions documented (manual chapter) |
| Deployment and cloud availability | Self-hosted on any JVM platform; no managed cloud service |
| Licensing | Apache 2.0, free; optional paid support from EUR 1,000 per month |
| Project status | Community-maintained since SAP maintenance ended on 31 December 2023 |
OrientDB is still alive as a community project, with 3.2.x patches through October 2026, but it no longer has a large vendor behind it: SAP stopped maintaining it at the end of 2023. It suits existing OrientDB users and teams comfortable with a volunteer-led project; new projects that need a graph database with a vendor roadmap should compare Neo4j or ArangoDB first.
Overview
OrientDB is a Java database that stores documents and links them directly as graph edges, so related records are traversed without joins. The 3.2.x manual covers an SQL dialect, Gremlin support, transactions, replication, sharding and high availability, a Java API, an HTTP/REST API and a binary network protocol, drivers for Node.js, PHP, Python and .NET, and Studio, a web administration tool. It can run embedded in a Java application or as a server.
OrientDB was created by OrientDB Ltd and later sold by SAP as SAP Enterprise OrientDB. SAP then concluded the commercialisation of SAP Enterprise OrientDB, released its enterprise agent under Apache 2.0 and ended maintenance on 31 December 2023, leaving the roadmap to the community. Development continues on GitHub: four 3.2.x patch releases shipped in the third quarter of 2026, and the 2026 Q3 update describes work on a simpler configuration format and distributed testing ahead of a possible 4.0 beta.
Key features
- Multi-model storage: documents linked as graph vertices and edges, traversed without joins
- SQL dialect for querying, plus Gremlin support
- Transactions, replication, sharding and high availability options documented in the 3.2.x manual
- Embedded (in-JVM) or client-server deployment
- Java API, HTTP/REST API and binary protocol, with Node.js, PHP, Python and .NET drivers
- OrientDB Studio web administration tool
- Former enterprise agent features now included under Apache 2.0
Integrations and ecosystem
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free Apache 2.0 licence, including the former enterprise features
- Graph and document models in one engine, with SQL familiar to relational developers
- Still receiving 3.2.x patch and security releases in 2026
- Can run embedded inside a Java application
Cons
- No large vendor since SAP ended maintenance at the end of 2023; maintained mostly by small companies and volunteers
- No managed cloud service
- Version 4.0 was still pre-beta in November 2026
- The legacy orientdb.com site returned an expired certificate when checked, so use orientdb.dev and GitHub
Pricing
OrientDB, including the former SAP Enterprise OrientDB agent, is free open source software under Apache 2.0. There is no commercial edition any more. The community site lists optional paid support through support@orientdb.dev: Basic at EUR 1,000 per month (mail and query support), Advanced at EUR 4,000 per month (adds upgrade help, emergency patches and security escalation) and consultancy by quote; it does not name the company that delivers it.
Pricing checked on the vendor's official page on 7 November 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.
Who it is best for
Teams already running OrientDB that want to stay on a free, maintained 3.2.x line, and Java developers who want an embeddable graph and document store.
Typical use cases
- Maintaining existing OrientDB-based applications on the 3.2.x line
- Embedded graph and document storage inside Java applications
- Connected-data models such as social, recommendation or network data at modest scale
Who should look elsewhere
- New graph projects that need a vendor-backed roadmap or a managed service: compare Neo4j or ArangoDB.
- Organisations whose policies require commercial support from an established vendor.
Verdict
OrientDB is no longer a commercial product, but it is not abandoned: the community ships regular 3.2.x patches and works towards 4.0. It is a reasonable choice for existing users and Java teams that value an embeddable, free multi-model engine; for new mission-critical graph work, a vendor-backed graph database carries less project risk.
Frequently asked questions
Is OrientDB still maintained?
Yes, by its open source community. SAP ended its maintenance on 31 December 2023, but patch releases continue: 3.2.57 shipped on 5 October 2026, and work on 4.0 is in progress.
Who owns OrientDB?
The GitHub README states that OrientDB is licensed by OrientDB Ltd under Apache 2.0. SAP, which sold the commercial SAP Enterprise OrientDB, has since handed the roadmap to the open source community, while remaining a community member.
Is there a paid OrientDB edition?
No. The former SAP Enterprise OrientDB agent was released under Apache 2.0. Optional paid support plans are listed on orientdb.dev at EUR 1,000 or EUR 4,000 per month.
Sources
- orientechnologies/orientdb repository
- OrientDB releases (GitHub)
- SAP announcement: Enterprise OrientDB moves to open source
- OrientDB support options
- OrientDB work-in-progress update, 2026 Q3
- OrientDB 3.2.x manual
Checked November 2026.
Listed in: NoSQL & Distributed Databases.
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