At a glance
| Data model | Relational tables (YSQL) and wide-column/document tables (YCQL) |
| Query language | YSQL (PostgreSQL-compatible SQL) and YCQL (Cassandra QL-based) |
| Consistency model | Strong consistency through Raft; CP in CAP terms per the FAQ |
| Replication | Raft replication of each tablet to a quorum (RF/2 + 1); read replicas available |
| Partitioning or sharding | Automatic sharding into tablets (hash or range) |
| Transactions | Distributed ACID transactions spanning multiple nodes |
| Deployment and cloud availability | Self-managed (Linux, Kubernetes), YugabyteDB Anywhere, or YugabyteDB Aeon on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud |
| Licensing | Apache 2.0 database; commercial Anywhere and Aeon |
| Aeon pricing units | Per vCPU per month by plan, plus storage, backups and data transfer |
YugabyteDB fits teams that want PostgreSQL-style SQL with horizontal scale and zone or region resilience, under a genuine open source licence. Compatibility is high because it reuses PostgreSQL's query layer, but it is still a distributed system with different performance trade-offs; Aeon pricing is published per vCPU, while Anywhere is by quote.
Overview
YugabyteDB splits tables into tablets that are replicated with Raft consensus across nodes, zones or regions; a write is acknowledged once a majority of a tablet's replicas have it. On top sit two APIs: YSQL, which reuses the PostgreSQL query layer and is designed to be PostgreSQL-compatible, and YCQL, a semi-relational API rooted in the Cassandra Query Language with document and indexing support. Both share the same storage layer and support distributed ACID transactions.
The core database (src and java directories) is Apache 2.0 and is what a default build produces; the YugabyteDB Anywhere management code in the same repository is under the PolyForm Free Trial licence, and Anywhere is sold commercially for running a private database-as-a-service. Yugabyte also runs YugabyteDB Aeon, a managed service on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud, with fault tolerance options from a single node (the free Sandbox) up to surviving three region outages, and read replicas and partition-by-region topologies.
Key features
- YSQL API built on the PostgreSQL query layer, usable with PostgreSQL drivers, tools and ORMs
- YCQL API rooted in Cassandra Query Language for wide-column and document-style workloads
- Raft-based replication per tablet with automatic sharding and rebalancing
- Distributed ACID transactions across nodes
- Multi-region topologies: replicate across regions, partition by region (geo-placement) and read replicas
- YugabyteDB Aeon managed service, including BYOC, on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud
- Change data capture to Kafka through the PostgreSQL replication protocol or a Debezium-based gRPC connector (both Early Access)
Integrations and ecosystem
Pros and cons
Pros
- Apache 2.0 licence for the database with no revenue or feature caps
- High PostgreSQL compatibility because the query layer is reused
- Two APIs (SQL and Cassandra-style) on one storage engine
- Published Aeon per-vCPU prices and a free Sandbox cluster
Cons
- Distributed transactions add latency compared with single-node PostgreSQL
- YugabyteDB Anywhere and Aeon Enterprise prices are by quote
- The free Sandbox is single-node, resource-limited and not offered on Azure
- STS releases have only one year of maintenance, so production teams should track LTS
Pricing
The YugabyteDB database is free under Apache 2.0 with no usage limits. YugabyteDB Anywhere, the commercial self-managed control plane, has no published price. The managed YugabyteDB Aeon service lists Standard from USD 125 per vCPU per month and Professional from USD 167 per vCPU per month, with Enterprise by quote; Professional customers can add Enterprise Security or Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery at USD 25 per vCPU per month each (both included in Enterprise). Disk storage is USD 0.10 per GB-month, backup storage USD 0.025 per GB-month, and data transfer is billed from USD 0.01 per GB (same region) to USD 0.10 per GB (internet). Aeon BYOC costs the same as Aeon. A free, resource-limited single-node Sandbox cluster (AWS or Google Cloud, no credit card) is available for learning, and the pricing page mentions a full-feature free trial.
Pricing checked on the vendor's official page on 7 November 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.
Who it is best for
Teams that need PostgreSQL-compatible SQL with horizontal scale and multi-zone or multi-region resilience, and want an Apache 2.0 licensed core.
Typical use cases
- Scaling PostgreSQL applications beyond one primary without application-level sharding
- Multi-region applications that keep user data in its home region
- Modernising Cassandra workloads that need transactions, through YCQL
- Always-on transactional systems such as payments, identity and retail inventory
Who should look elsewhere
- Applications that fit comfortably on one PostgreSQL server with replicas, where plain PostgreSQL is simpler: see distributed SQL vs PostgreSQL.
- MySQL-based applications, which are closer to TiDB.
Verdict
YugabyteDB is a strong open source option for distributed SQL with PostgreSQL compatibility, and its YCQL API gives Cassandra users a path too. Choose it over CockroachDB when an Apache 2.0 licence matters; test your own queries for latency, and budget for Aeon per-vCPU fees or an Anywhere quote if you want vendor operations and support.
Frequently asked questions
Is YugabyteDB open source?
Yes. The YugabyteDB database is licensed under Apache 2.0, and the default build produces only Apache 2.0 binaries. The YugabyteDB Anywhere management code is under the PolyForm Free Trial licence and is sold commercially.
How much does YugabyteDB Aeon cost?
Yugabyte lists Standard from USD 125 and Professional from USD 167 per vCPU per month, with Enterprise by quote, plus USD 0.10 per GB-month of disk, backup storage and data transfer. A free single-node Sandbox is available on AWS and Google Cloud.
Is YugabyteDB compatible with PostgreSQL?
YSQL reuses the PostgreSQL query layer and is designed to be PostgreSQL-compatible, so most drivers, tools and ORMs work. Distributed storage changes some behaviour and performance, so test your workload.
How does YugabyteDB differ from CockroachDB?
Both are Raft-based distributed SQL databases with PostgreSQL-style SQL. YugabyteDB reuses PostgreSQL's query layer, adds the Cassandra-style YCQL API and keeps its database under Apache 2.0; CockroachDB has its own SQL layer and, since v24.3, the proprietary CockroachDB Software License.
Sources
- yugabyte/yugabyte-db repository (licences)
- YugabyteDB general FAQ
- YugabyteDB release series
- YugabyteDB Aeon documentation
- YugabyteDB Aeon cluster planning (fault tolerance, Sandbox)
- Yugabyte pricing
Checked November 2026.
Listed in: NoSQL & Distributed Databases.
How we research reviews and what star ratings mean: our editorial method.