Head-to-head · NoSQL Databases
Amazon DynamoDB vs Amazon DocumentDB
Amazon DynamoDB leads on 1 check, Amazon DocumentDB on 0, and 0 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreAmazon DynamoDB · 9.3/10
- Free planonly Amazon DynamoDB
- Free trialonly Amazon DocumentDB
Amazon DynamoDB scores higher on our rubric for nosql databases: 9.3 against 9.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #5.
Amazon DynamoDB offers free plan; Amazon DocumentDB doesn't.
Amazon DynamoDB is the better fit for AWS teams building scalable key-value applications. Amazon DocumentDB is the better fit for AWS teams running MongoDB-compatible document workloads.
- Amazon DynamoDB fits best
AWS teams building scalable key-value applications
- Amazon DocumentDB fits best
AWS teams running MongoDB-compatible document workloads
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Side by side
| Feature | Amazon DynamoDB 9.3/10 Visit ↗ | Amazon DocumentDB 9.1/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.3 | 9.1 |
| Ranking | #1 in NoSQL Databases | #5 in NoSQL Databases |
| Best for | AWS teams building scalable key-value applications | AWS teams running MongoDB-compatible document workloads |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Starting price | — | — |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | — | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Web |
| Support | Docs | Docs |
| Compliance | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS |
| Integrations | 2 integrations | 7 integrations |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Amazon DynamoDB 0/2 · Amazon DocumentDB 0/2 | ||
| Horizontal scaling | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Replication | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Specs | ||
| Data model | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Deployment options | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Max storage | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Query interface | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed, serverless NoSQL database for applications that need low-latency access at scale. It stores items in tables organized by primary keys, with on-demand and provisioned capacity options. Its feature set… Read the review → |
Amazon DocumentDB is a managed cloud document database for teams running applications built around MongoDB-compatible APIs and drivers. Its JSON-style document storage and support for multi-document ACID transactions suit workloads that… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Amazon DynamoDB — where it wins
- Choose on-demand or provisioned read and write capacity.
- ACID transactions, TTL expiration and multi-Region global tables.
- Streams, PartiQL and vector search indexes support varied workloads.
Where it doesn't
- Cloud deployment ties the database to AWS.
- Usage-based paid pricing varies by Region, capacity mode and optional features.
- Support channels listed are documentation.
Amazon DocumentDB — where it wins
- Supports MongoDB APIs and drivers, plus multi-document ACID transactions
- Offers serverless scaling or provisioned instances with two I/O configurations
- Includes global clusters, vector search, backups, and point-in-time recovery
Where it doesn't
- Paid service with no permanent free plan
- Usage-based costs vary by Region, compute, storage, I/O, and backups
- Focused on AWS cloud deployment rather than a multi-cloud setup
- Amazon DynamoDB9.3/10 · Free plan
A managed AWS database with flexible capacity, transactions and multi-Region tables.
Try Amazon DynamoDBFull verdict → - Amazon DocumentDB9.1/10 · 30-day trial
A managed AWS document database for teams with MongoDB-compatible workloads.
Visit AWSFull verdict →
More comparisons
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- Amazon DynamoDB vs Azure DocumentDB
- Couchbase Server vs Amazon DocumentDB
- Neo4j vs Amazon DocumentDB
- Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL vs Amazon DocumentDB
All NoSQL databases comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update






