Apache HugeGraph vs NebulaGraph
Apache HugeGraph
hugegraph.apache.org
NebulaGraph
nebula-graph.ioSide by side
| Figure | Apache HugeGraph | NebulaGraph |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Spec score · Graph Databases | 8.7 (#5) | 8.5 (#7) |
| Deployment | The Server can be deployed with Docker, a binary archive, a source build, or a legacy one-click deployment tool. | The maker supports on-premises, public-cloud and hybrid deployment models. |
| Integrations | The project documents integration with Spark and SeaTunnel and compatibility with Hadoop and Flink. | Official ecosystem tools include Java, Python, C++, and Go clients plus Spark and Flink connectors. |
| License | The HugeGraph-AI documentation identifies Apache License 2.0. | The core NebulaGraph repository is licensed under Apache 2.0, allowing modification, deployment and commercial SaaS use. |
| Security | User authentication is disabled by default; the project advises enabling authentication and authorization, maintaining an IP allowlist, and avoiding direct public exposure of query endpoints in production. | NebulaGraph Cloud provides Private Link for private network access and role-based access control for graph-space permissions. |
| Support | The project directs users to its Apache community, GitHub issues and discussions, developer mailing list, and Slack channel. | NebulaGraph Cloud lets customers create work orders from the dashboard for assistance from a technical support specialist. |
| Visualization | HugeGraph Toolchain includes Hubble, a web UI for graph visualization and management. | NebulaGraph provides Studio, Explorer and Dashboard tools for importing, exploring and operating graph data. |
Plans
NebulaGraph
- Open-source EditionFree
- NebulaGraph Cloud StandardPriced on request
- NebulaGraph Cloud ProfessionalPriced on request
- Enterprise EditionPriced on request
In their own words
Apache HugeGraph
Apache HugeGraph is an open-source graph system combining a graph database, graph computing, and graph AI. It supports Gremlin and Cypher/OpenCypher queries, a REST API, ACID transactions, graph algorithms, and vector search. HugeGraph-AI adds Python clients, graph machine-learning tools, and LLM tools for knowledge-graph construction and GraphRAG applications. Storage options include RocksDB for standalone use, HStore for distributed storage, and HBase. The project documents integrations with Spark and SeaTunnel and compatibility with Hadoop and Flink. Its toolchain provides graph loading, visualization, backup, restore, and migration; Hubble is a web interface for visualization and management. Documentation covers standalone deployments up to 2 TB and distributed deployments up to 1 PB. The project describes high-speed imports and millisecond-level real-time queries for hundreds of billions of graph data. It runs on Linux and macOS and can be self-hosted. The open-source plan costs nothing. Java 11 is recommended and required from version 1.5.0.
NebulaGraph
NebulaGraph is a distributed graph database for storing and querying complex connected data. It is designed for scalability and millisecond responses to complex queries; the project says it can store and process graphs with trillions of edges and vertices. It supports nGQL and openCypher compatibility, while native ISO-GQL is supported in Enterprise v5.0. Native vector search combines graph structures with unstructured data. Deployment options include on-premises, public cloud, and hybrid environments, and NebulaGraph Cloud can deploy clusters on Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud Platform. Developers can use Java, Python, C++, and Go clients, plus Spark and Flink connectors. NebulaGraph Studio is a web-based tool for schema creation, data import, query writing, and graph exploration. Cloud features include Private Link, role-based graph-space permissions, Raft-based redundant backups across server rooms in the same city, and point-in-time snapshots. The open-source edition is free under Apache 2.0; a 14-day Cloud trial includes one instance with 2 vCPUs, 4 GB RAM, and 10 GB storage without payment information.