Actian Zen vs Microsoft Access
Actian Zen
actian.comMicrosoft Access
microsoft.comSide by side
| Figure | Actian Zen | Microsoft Access |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $10/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Relational Databases | 8.4 (#7) | 6.4 (#30) |
| Founded | 1980 | 1975 |
| Headquarters | Santa Clara, California, United States | Redmond, Washington, United States |
Plans
Microsoft Access
- Microsoft 365 Apps for business$10 a month
- Microsoft 365 Business StandardPriced on request
In their own words
Actian Zen
Actian Zen is an embedded database for managing data from edge devices through on-premises and cloud applications. Its lightweight engine combines relational storage, native vector search, semantic queries, and connectivity for AI agents. Vector search supports up to 1 million vectors, while hybrid queries combine relational filters with semantic similarity. A native MCP server allows agents such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini to query local data. Zen supports SQL through ODBC and JDBC, and NoSQL through Btrieve and Btrieve 2 APIs. Semantic search, vector queries, and agent workflows can run offline, including in air-gapped environments. Zen Enterprise is designed for embedded, on-premises, and cloud deployments, including branch and remote field settings, and supports Windows, Linux, macOS, Intel, ARM, VMware, Hyper-V, and Docker. Zen Mobile supports Android and iOS with AES 256-bit encryption for stored data. Edge supports over 100 concurrent users; Enterprise is designed for thousands. A 30-day trial is available, with paid pricing from $417/mo (annual).
Microsoft Access
Microsoft Access has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.