The Best Columnar Databases in 2026
We researched columnar databases through their official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings focus on each product’s core analytical database job, value for money, and verified features, so teams can compare suitable options for large-scale scans, aggregation, reporting, and real-time analytics.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
Google BigQuery#1 of 269.4/10A flexible serverless warehouse for teams combining lakehouse analytics, streaming, and ML.
Free plan
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Runner-up
Amazon Redshift#2 of 269.2/10A flexible AWS warehouse for analytics, data lakes, streaming, and SQL-based ML.
-
Top-ranked free plan
Apache Doris#4 of 268.9/10A broad SQL engine for real-time analytics, lakehouse queries, BI, and embedded data products.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 26 tools, best first
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Best forServerless analytics and lakehouse teams
A flexible serverless warehouse for teams combining lakehouse analytics, streaming, and ML.
9.4/10★★★★★Try Google BigQuery -
Best forAWS-centered enterprise analytics
A flexible AWS warehouse for analytics, data lakes, streaming, and SQL-based ML.
9.2/10★★★★★Try Amazon Redshift -
Best forManaged high-performance columnar analytics
A managed ClickHouse service for elastic, high-performance analytical workloads.
From $50/mo · 30-day trial Our ClickHouse Cloud verdict → Try ClickHouse CloudFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #3 · $79/mo →9.0/10★★★★☆Try ClickHouse Cloud -
Best forOpen-source real-time analytics
A broad SQL engine for real-time analytics, lakehouse queries, BI, and embedded data products.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Apache Doris -
Best forOpen-source lakehouse SQL analytics
A strong fit for teams building self-hosted, open-source lakehouse analytics.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit StarRocks -
Best forManaged and self-hosted enterprise warehousing
A flexible columnar warehouse for demanding analytics, lakehouse, and machine-learning workloads.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Exasol -
Best forMicrosoft-centric enterprise data platforms
A broad Microsoft cloud analytics platform for warehousing, lakes, streaming, and machine learning.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Azure Synapse -
Best forLakehouse analytics with streaming and AI
A flexible columnar database for teams combining lakehouse analytics, streaming, and AI.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Firebolt -
Best forLow-cost open-source lake analytics
A flexible lake analytics warehouse with open-source deployment and usage-based cloud pricing.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Databend -
Best forReal-time OLAP on high-cardinality data
A self-hosted columnar database for fast OLAP across streaming and batch data.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Apache Druid -
Best forOpen-source real-time user-facing analytics
A self-hosted columnar database for real-time, user-facing analytics.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Apache Pinot -
Best forHybrid warehouse with elastic compute
A hybrid warehouse for elastic analytics, streaming ingestion, and PostgreSQL-compatible SQL.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Yellowbrick -
Best forOpen-source time-series columnar workloads
A focused open-source columnar database for time-series ingestion, SQL, and retention.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit QuestDB -
Best forObservability metrics, logs, and traces
A flexible columnar database for teams consolidating observability data with SQL and PromQL.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit GreptimeDB -
Best forSelf-hosted transactional OLAP storage
A self-hosted Kudu engine for fast OLAP scans, inserts, updates, and horizontal scaling.
- Streaming ingestion
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Apache Kudu -
Best forFree self-hosted column-oriented SQL
A free, self-hosted SQL database for column-oriented analytical processing.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit MonetDB -
Best forFlexible real-time distributed SQL
A flexible distributed SQL database for real-time analytics, search, and AI-oriented workloads.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit CrateDB -
Best forCollaborative cloud DuckDB analytics
A collaborative cloud layer for DuckDB SQL, sharing, BI, pipelines, and AI-assisted analytics.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit MotherDuck -
Best forOpen-source time-series data platforms
A flexible open-source time-series database with self-managed and managed deployment options.
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit InfluxDB -
Best forAWS-managed time-series analytics
A managed AWS choice for time-series analytics, with usage-based pricing.
7.2/10★★★★☆Explore Timestream -
Best forEnterprise columnar MPP analytics
A SQL-first columnar database for distributed enterprise analytics.
- Object storage support
- Streaming ingestion
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit MariaDB -
Best forEnterprise hybrid transactional and analytical workloads
A hybrid Db2 option for enterprises balancing transactions, analytics and availability.
- Managed service
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit IBM Db2 -
Best forLocal DuckDB exploration and notebooks
A free, open-source UI for local DuckDB notebooks, profiling, transformations, and exports.
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit DuckDB UI -
Best forJSON, vector, and document workloads
A flexible managed database for JSON, vector, search, and transactional workloads.
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Couchbase -
Best forNotebook-based Snowflake development
A governed notebook environment for Python and SQL work on Snowflake data.
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Snowflake -
Best forCustomer profile and audience data operations
Unified profiles, identity resolution, segmentation, consent, APIs, and audience activation.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit SAP
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google BigQuery | Yes | Free | 9.4 |
| 2 | Amazon Redshift | No | $0.54/unit usage-based | 9.2 |
| 3 | ClickHouse Cloud | No | $50/mo | 9.0 |
| 4 | Apache Doris | Yes | Free | 8.9 |
| 5 | StarRocks | Yes | Free | 8.8 |
| 6 | Exasol | Yes | $25/GB/mo | 8.6 |
| 7 | Azure Synapse Analytics | No | 8.5 | |
| 8 | Firebolt | Yes | $0.92/unit usage-based | 8.4 |
| 9 | Databend | Yes | $23/GB/mo | 8.3 |
| 10 | Apache Druid | Free | 8.2 | |
| 11 | Apache Pinot | Free | 8.1 | |
| 12 | Yellowbrick Data Warehouse | No | $482/unit/yr | 8.0 |
| 13 | QuestDB | Yes | Free | 7.9 |
| 14 | GreptimeDB | Yes | $290/mo | 7.8 |
| 15 | Apache Kudu | Free | 7.7 | |
| 16 | MonetDB | Yes | Free | 7.6 |
| 17 | CrateDB | Yes | 7.5 | |
| 18 | MotherDuck | Yes | $250/mo | 7.4 |
| 19 | InfluxDB | Yes | $0.002/GB usage-based | 7.3 |
| 20 | Amazon Timestream | No | 7.2 | |
| 21 | MariaDB Enterprise Analytics | 7.1 | ||
| 22 | IBM Db2 | Yes | $630/mo | 7.0 |
| 23 | DuckDB UI | Yes | Free | 6.9 |
| 24 | Couchbase Capella | Yes | $0.15/unit usage-based | 6.8 |
| 25 | Snowflake Notebooks | 6.7 | ||
| 26 | SAP Customer Data Platform | No | 6.0 |
Head-to-head All 21 comparisons →
- Google BigQuery vs ClickHouse Cloud
- Google BigQuery vs StarRocks
- Google BigQuery vs Exasol
- Google BigQuery vs Firebolt
- Amazon Redshift vs ClickHouse Cloud
- Amazon Redshift vs Apache Doris
- Amazon Redshift vs StarRocks
- Amazon Redshift vs Exasol
- Amazon Redshift vs Firebolt
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How we rank columnar databases
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update