ArcadeDB vs NebulaGraph
ArcadeDB
arcadedb.com
NebulaGraph
nebula-graph.ioSide by side
| Figure | ArcadeDB | NebulaGraph |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $19.99/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 4 |
| Spec score · Graph Databases | 9.4 (#1) | 8.5 (#7) |
| Deployment | ArcadeDB can run embedded in Java applications or as a standalone server and can be installed using Docker, a GitHub binary, Maven, or Kubernetes. | The maker supports on-premises, public-cloud and hybrid deployment models. |
| Documentation depth | The documentation includes fundamentals, SQL, graph queries, vector/RAG, migration courses, API references and operations guides. | The documentation covers architecture, deployment, nGQL, clients, ecosystem tools, operations, FAQs and release notes, and the 3.8.0 manual was revised September 24, 2026. |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom | Cupertino, California, United States |
| License | ArcadeDB is distributed under the Apache License 2.0 and the maker states that all features remain under that license. | The core NebulaGraph repository is licensed under Apache 2.0, allowing modification, deployment and commercial SaaS use. |
| Query languages | The product supports SQL, OpenCypher/Cypher 25, Gremlin, GraphQL, MongoDB query language and a native Java API. | NebulaGraph supports nGQL, openCypher compatibility, and native ISO-GQL support in Enterprise v5.0. |
| Rating on G2 | 5.0 out of 5 from 1 review | 5.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews |
| Security | The maker describes a persistent write-ahead journal and automatic rollback of uncommitted transactions after a server crash. | NebulaGraph Cloud provides Private Link for private network access and role-based access control for graph-space permissions. |
| Security controls | Official security documentation describes Basic and token authentication, PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 password hashing, TLS options, database permissions and query limits. | The edition comparison lists transmission encryption, user and role management, graph-space permissions, node-edge permissions, attribute permissions and audit logs. |
| Support | Paid support subscriptions include guaranteed response-time SLAs, with response targets and coverage varying by plan. | NebulaGraph Cloud lets customers create work orders from the dashboard for assistance from a technical support specialist. |
| Use cases | The maker lists knowledge graphs, GraphRAG, fraud detection, recommendation engines, real-time analytics, customer 360, supply-chain analytics, and AI/ML feature stores as use cases. | The maker presents fraud detection, recommendations, knowledge graphs, supply-chain management, master-data management and generative AI as target applications. |
| Vector search | Vector embeddings are indexed with HNSW and can be queried with cosine, Euclidean or dot-product similarity. | The current database product includes native vector search for graph and unstructured-data workflows. |
| What it does | ArcadeDB is a multi-model database that stores graph, document, key-value, vector, full-text and time-series data in one engine. | NebulaGraph is a distributed graph database for highly connected data, targeting millisecond queries at very large scale. |
Plans
ArcadeDB
- CommunityFree
- Silver$299 a month
- Gold$599 a month
- Platinum$1,499 a month
- Studio AI Assistant$19.99 a month
NebulaGraph
- Open-source EditionFree
- NebulaGraph Cloud StandardPriced on request
- NebulaGraph Cloud ProfessionalPriced on request
- Enterprise EditionPriced on request
In their own words
ArcadeDB
ArcadeDB is an open-source database engine that stores graph, document, key-value, full-text search, vector, and time-series data together. The database is free for any use under the Apache 2.0 license, with no usage limits or feature restrictions, and states that it provides full ACID transactions on single-node and distributed deployments. Query options include SQL, OpenCypher 25, Gremlin, GraphQL, MongoDB query language, and a native Java API. ArcadeDB can run inside Java applications or as a standalone server, with installation options including Docker, a GitHub binary, Maven, and Kubernetes. ArcadeDB Server supports HTTP/JSON and compatibility with Postgres wire protocol, Redis, and MongoDB protocols. Built-in importers cover Neo4j and OrientDB, and the maker says Raft consensus maintains consistency across multiple servers. The Community plan is free forever and includes forums, GitHub Issues, documentation, and tutorials. Paid support starts at $299 a month per server, with response targets and coverage varying by plan. A separate Studio AI Assistant license costs $19.99 a month.
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.