Head-to-head · Time-Series Databases
TimescaleDB vs DolphinDB
TimescaleDB leads on 0 checks, DolphinDB on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreTimescaleDB · 7.9/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresDolphinDB · 3 of 3
TimescaleDB scores higher on our rubric for time-series databases: 7.9 against 7.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #11 and #14.
TimescaleDB is the better fit for postgreSQL teams needing time-series capabilities. DolphinDB is the better fit for complex streaming and time-series analytics.
- TimescaleDB fits best
PostgreSQL teams needing time-series capabilities
- DolphinDB fits best
Complex streaming and time-series analytics
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Side by side
| Feature | TimescaleDB 7.9/10 Visit ↗ | DolphinDB 7.6/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.9 | 7.6 |
| Ranking | #11 in Time-Series Databases | #14 in Time-Series Databases |
| Best for | PostgreSQL teams needing time-series capabilities | Complex streaming and time-series analytics |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Free |
| Starting price | $30/GB/mo | Free |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web, Linux | Web, Windows, Linux |
| Support | Email, Tickets, Community, Docs · 24/7 | Community, Docs |
| Integrations | 10 integrations | 20 integrations |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features TimescaleDB 1/3 · DolphinDB 3/3 | ||
| SQL support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Retention policies | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Horizontal scaling | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Specs | ||
| Deployment | Not checked yet | Both |
| Query languages | Not checked yet | DolphinDB SQL; ANSI SQL/SQL-92; DolphinDB scripting language |
| Ingestion methods | Not checked yet | Text, binary, JSON, HDF5, Parquet, Arrow, ODBC, APIs, Kafka, MQTT, ZeroMQ, MySQL, MongoDB, HBase, kdb+ |
| Our review | ||
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | TimescaleDB extends PostgreSQL for applications that ingest, store and analyze time-series and operational data alongside relational records. It is aimed at teams that want SQL compatibility, existing PostgreSQL clients and drivers, and… Read the review → |
DolphinDB is a distributed time-series database and real-time analytics platform for organizations handling large volumes of structured or streaming data. Its feature set is aimed at financial institutions and operational teams in energy,… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
TimescaleDB — where it wins
- Hypertables add automatic time- or ID-based partitioning
- Combines row, columnar, compression and continuous aggregates
- Supports PostgreSQL tooling, pgvector and broad data integrations
Where it doesn't
- Tiger Cloud billing combines compute with separate storage charges
- Enterprise pricing is custom rather than publicly listed
- Advanced capabilities require PostgreSQL familiarity
DolphinDB — where it wins
- Distributed storage with horizontal scaling and data rebalancing
- Streaming engines, retention policies, and tiered storage
- Broad APIs, languages, and messaging integrations
Where it doesn't
- Community Edition is limited to 2 nodes
- Each Community Edition node allows up to 2 CPU cores and 8 GB RAM
- Paid pricing requires contacting sales
- TimescaleDB7.9/10 · Free plan
A PostgreSQL-compatible time-series extension for teams needing relational and analytical workloads together.
Visit TimescaleDBFull verdict → - DolphinDB7.6/10 · Free plan
A distributed time-series platform for complex streaming, scaling, and analytics workloads.
Visit DolphinDBFull verdict →
All Time-Series databases comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update