ActorDB
ActorDB: A self-hosted SQL cluster for teams needing sharding, failover, and multi-actor ACID transactions. Ranked #20 of 25 in Distributed SQL Databases by our editors (7.0/10); pricing: Open source; best for self-hosted open-source SQL clusters.
At a glance
- Editor score7.0 / 10
- PricingOpen source
- Best forSelf-hosted open-source SQL clusters
- Paid fromFree
- Deployment modelSelf_hosted
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Horizontal scaling through actor-based sharding across nodes
- Raft replication and failover for distributed writes
- ACID transactions across multiple actor databases
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployment requires teams to manage the database environment
- Connectivity centers on MySQL protocol and Thrift
- Latest stable release listed is dated 1 October 2019
Our verdict on ActorDB
ActorDB is an open-source distributed relational SQL database for applications that need strong consistency and horizontal scaling. It organizes data into independent actor databases, distributes those actors across shards and clusters, and replicates writes with Raft. Teams can run it on Linux, macOS, or Windows, making it a fit for organizations that want to operate their own distributed SQL infrastructure rather than adopt a hosted database service.
Its architecture combines several capabilities relevant to distributed workloads. Actor-based sharding spreads databases across servers and nodes, while Raft-based replication provides failover for writes. ACID transactions can span multiple actors, and the SQLite-based SQL engine supports relational queries. Applications can connect through the MySQL protocol or Thrift, while key/value store mode provides a second data-access model. Backup tooling for LMDB data is also included. These features make ActorDB especially relevant where horizontal distribution and transactional consistency matter more than a broad integration catalog.
ActorDB is distributed as self-hosted open-source software, so the main operational consideration is deployment and maintenance responsibility. The listed stable release is version 0.10.29, dated 1 October 2019, which may matter to teams prioritizing a more recent release cadence. It is a focused choice for engineers comfortable managing clusters, shards, replication, and backups directly. Teams seeking managed deployment or connectivity beyond the MySQL protocol and Thrift should consider an alternative distributed SQL database.
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ActorDB pricing
ActorDB fact sheet
| Free plan | Not verified |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Deployment model | Self_hosted |
| PostgreSQL compatibility | Not verified |
| MySQL compatibility | Yes |
| Horizontal scaling | Yes |
| Multi-region deployment | Not verified |
| Geo-partitioning | Not verified |
| HTAP workloads | Not verified |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 2 integrations: MySQL protocol, Thrift |
| Pricing | Open source |
| Website | actordb.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
ActorDB integrations
ActorDB lists 2 integrations on its own site.
- MySQL protocol
- Thrift
Alternatives to ActorDB
- Google Cloud SpannerA strong fit for mission-critical, multi-region workloads needing consistency and scale.9.4
- TiDB CloudA MySQL-compatible cloud database with free usage, autoscaling, and native HTAP.9.2
- CockroachDB CloudA managed PostgreSQL-compatible database for multi-region and enterprise workloads.9.0
See all ActorDB alternatives →
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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