What alternatives to Couchbase are there?

Couchbase offers users numerous advantages. The document-oriented NoSQL database is suitable for a variety of tasks and is particularly useful for interactive applications. It’s a good idea, however, to consider other database options as well. There may be an alternative to Couchbase that is better suited to your project and the tasks you need to carry out. We’ll take a look at five different database solutions.

What is Couchbase and what alternatives are there?

The document-oriented NoSQL database Couchbase has been available since 2010 and is especially well suited for interactive applications. It is non-relational and stores data as JSON documents without a predefined schema. For queries, it uses its own language, SQL++, which is based on Structured Query Language and therefore relatively easy to learn. The cloud-native databases enabled by Couchbase are particularly suitable for web applications, mobile apps, the Internet of Things, and many other use cases. The database management system stands out for its low latency and high horizontal and vertical scalability. Some of the most well-known companies using Couchbase include AT&T, Disney, eBay, and LinkedIn.

Although the database management system is often a highly recommended and cost-effective solution, there may be cases where an alternative to Couchbase is a better fit. For example, while Couchbase is open source, depending on your requirements and support needs, you may need to rely on the Enterprise version, which can be quite expensive. In addition, there are other SQL and NoSQL options that support more programming languages, offer greater flexibility, or provide better solutions for content management systems. That’s why we’re introducing six strong alternatives to Couchbase that may be even better suited to your specific needs.

MongoDB—Unlimited scalability and maximum flexibility

MongoDB is one of the most popular database management systems in the world and for good reason. The NoSQL solution owes its name to the word ‘humongous’. As reflected in its name, MongoDB is designed to handle large amounts of data . One of its most notable strengths is its almost unbeatable scalability. Data is stored in JSON documents and combined into collections. As a result, the database can accommodate very different data types while still ensuring clarity. While you can use MongoDB for free, the platform also offers proprietary solutions as well. Thanks to sharding (the use of several nodes), the database is also highly resilient.

Advantages of MongoDB

• Theoretically limitless scalability
• Very flexible
• High availability and reliability
• Suitable for structured, semi-structured and unstructured data
• User-friendly
• Data replication possible
• Ad hoc queries can be made

If you would like to find out more about how MongoDB and Couchbase compare, we recommend reading the detailed article on the two in our Digital Guide.

MariaDB—The relational database with open-source roots

Another noteworthy alternative to Couchbase is MariaDB. This relational database was launched in 2009 as a fork of MySQL, intended to offer a free and independently developed solution after Oracle’s acquisition of MySQL. Although MariaDB is based on MySQL, it stands out in the direct comparison ‘MariaDB vs MySQL’ thanks to additional features, a steadily growing developer community, and a strong focus on security and performance. Data is organised in classic table structures and managed using SQL. In addition to traditional transactional use cases, MariaDB also supports modern scenarios—for example, through the integration of column-based storage for analytical applications. Major companies like Virgin Media/O2 and Nokia have successfully adopted MariaDB.

Advantages of MariaDB

• Open source and independent from Oracle
• Fully compatible with MySQL
• Reliable performance for transactional applications
• Extendable via numerous storage engines (e.g., InnoDB, Aria, ColumnStore)
• Strong security and data protection features
• Supports both relational and analytical workloads
• Clear licensing (GPLv2) for enterprise use

Apache Cassandra—The column-oriented solution for big data

Similar to MongoDB, Apache Cassandra is a strong alternative to Couchbase and follows a comparable approach. This column-oriented NoSQL platform is specifically designed for big data and is used by major companies and platforms such as Apple, Discord, and Netflix. Cassandra uses its own query language called CQL, which is modelled after traditional SQL and can be learned relatively quickly. If you set up the appropriate infrastructure, Cassandra allows you to implement multiple master nodes, further reducing the risk of failure. The database is highly horizontally scalable and considered relatively fast.

Advantages of Apache Cassandra

• Open source
• Designed for big data
• Horizontally and vertically scalable
• Cassandra Query Language (CQL) is based on SQL
• High reliability and availability
• Data replication possible
• Suitable for structured, semi-structured and unstructured data
• Meets the ACID criteria (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability)
• Fast read and write access
• High fault tolerance

DynamoDB—Amazon’s managed NoSQL database

As a powerful solution for both large and small businesses, DynamoDB has made a name for itself in recent years. This NoSQL database is developed by Amazon and has been offered as a proprietary system since 2012 as part of Amazon Web Services (AWS). It is fully managed and primarily used for (web) applications, e-commerce solutions, and gaming platforms. DynamoDB is a key-value store where data is stored and managed without a fixed schema. The Amazon database stands out for its high speed and exceptional user-friendliness. As part of the AWS ecosystem, many tasks such as updates, security scans, and scaling are handled automatically. The database is serverless and follows a pay-for-use model.

Advantages of DynamoDB

• Serverless
• Very user-friendly due to complete management
• Strongly embedded in the AWS ecosystem
• Good security architecture
• Theoretically limitless scalability
• Impressive speed for read and write operations
• On-demand options
• High availability

MySQL—The relational option for large amounts of data

However, depending on your project, the classic SQL approach may be a better fit. Storing and managing data in tables offers many advantages depending on your requirements and can be combined with NoSQL databases if needed. Perhaps the most well-known, popular, and above all flexible relational database is MySQL. This open-source solution, now distributed by Oracle, is widely used for storing data across various web services. Companies like Google, YouTube, and WordPress rely on this database management system, which uses tables for data organisation and SQL as its query language. Thanks to its large and active community and shallow learning curve, MySQL is also an excellent choice for beginners.

Advantages of MySQL

• Open source
• High stability
• User-friendly and easy to learn
• Strong performance
• Compatible with numerous languages, platforms and operating systems
• Committed community
• High availability
• Many functions
• Well suited for large amounts of data
• Clear user interface

Firebase—The Couchbase alternative from Google

Google also offers a strong alternative to Couchbase. Firebase, which now includes 18 partly paid services, was originally designed as a simple NoSQL solution—particularly effective for working with mobile web applications. Its standout feature is real-time synchronisation, which provides significant value for gaming apps, chat programs, and social networks. Data intake and processing happen even faster than with many other databases. Firebase also uses sharding, resulting in high fault tolerance. The database offers a free trial and multiple pricing plans, and it integrates closely with many other Google services.

Advantages of Firebase

• High speed
• Ideal for mobile applications
• Strongly embedded in the Google ecosystem
• Cross-platform
• Free test phase
• Good support
• Impressive cloud connection
• Numerous testing services for analysis and optimisation
• Machine learning kit