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Most buyers should pick Apache Cassandra.
Choose Apache Cassandra if you can run the cluster and want free open-source software with multi-data-center replication. The $0 price covers the software, not infrastructure or operations. Choose ScyllaDB when managed cloud deployment, low-latency AI workloads, feature stores or vector search matter more. It offers a 30-day Developer trial, but monthly and annual prices are not published. Cassandra shifts cluster operations to your team; ScyllaDB’s cloud and contract costs need checking before you commit.
01Side by side
| Apache Cassandra | ScyllaDB | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0 for self-hosted software | Not published |
| Free plan | Free open-source self-hosting | No free plan; 30-day Developer trial |
| Best for | Teams running their own distributed database | Teams needing managed cloud or AI workloads |
| Core strength | Masterless clusters and multi-data-center replication | AI latency, feature stores, and vector search |
| Learning curve | Review ease-of-use score: 4/10 | Review ease-of-use score: 5/10 |
| Data capabilities | Multi-data-center replication | Vector search; Cassandra and DynamoDB replacement |
| Team / seat costs | Seat price not published; self-host infrastructure | No per-request fees; resource-based cloud billing |
| Support | Review support score: 5/10 | Review support score: 8/10 |
Apache Cassandra Choose Apache Cassandra if
- Choose Apache Cassandra if free, self-hosted software matters most.
- Choose Apache Cassandra if your team can operate the cluster.
- Choose Apache Cassandra if multi-data-center replication fits your needs.
ScyllaDB Choose ScyllaDB if
- Choose ScyllaDB if you want managed cloud deployment.
- Choose ScyllaDB if low-latency AI workloads are central.
- Choose ScyllaDB if vector search or feature stores are priorities.
02Pricing compared
Apache Cassandra costs $0 to download and self-host under the Apache License 2.0, according to the published pricing information. That covers the software, not the infrastructure or staff needed to run it; no monthly or annual service price is published.
ScyllaDB Cloud has Standard, Professional and Premium plans, but monthly and annual prices are not published. Its pricing is resource-based, with no per-request charge listed. The offer includes a 30-day Developer Free Trial and a 48-hour Production Evaluation. ScyllaDB says one- and three-year contracts can save up to 70% or more versus on-demand rates.
Budget for possible extras: ScyllaDB lists cloud data-transfer charges and backup storage beyond one included daily backup. Get a quote and confirm the SLA: the plan details list 99.99% uptime, while the FAQ lists 99.9%.
03Features and depth
Cassandra’s strengths are distributed-cluster fundamentals. Its feature list includes masterless architecture, replication across data centers, synchronous or asynchronous replication choices, and online scaling by streaming data to new nodes or data centers. It also lists audit logging for DML, DDL and DCL activity. Cassandra says throughput scales linearly as machines are added; that is a product claim, not a guarantee for every workload.
ScyllaDB emphasizes low-latency, high-throughput workloads, including AI use cases. Its homepage claims predictable single-digit-millisecond inference latency, support for feature stores with millions of operations or features, vector search across billions of embeddings, and scaling to petabytes. It also positions ScyllaDB as a Cassandra and DynamoDB replacement. Those are vendor claims; the published materials do not provide independent benchmarks or migration details.
The practical distinction is emphasis: Cassandra’s published features focus on availability, replication and cluster control; ScyllaDB’s focus on managed deployment and performance-oriented AI workloads.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Cassandra is free to self-host, but your team manages its infrastructure and cluster. The product lists online scaling and audit logging, yet the published materials do not describe a managed service or quantify the operational work. Its review gives ease of use 4/10, while noting that teams able to run and maintain the cluster can get feature-rich storage at no software charge.
ScyllaDB Cloud offers a managed option, with Professional adding multi-region active-active deployment and Premium adding higher-tier support and controls. Self-managed Enterprise requires a custom quote, and usage limits are not published. ScyllaDB’s review rates ease of use 5/10. Managed cloud may shift some infrastructure work, but the plan details do not establish how much configuration or database administration remains with your team.
Questions people ask
Is Apache Cassandra free?
The published pricing information lists Apache Cassandra’s self-hosted open-source software at $0 under the Apache License 2.0. That does not include infrastructure or the work of operating the cluster. No monthly or annual managed-service price is published in the published material.
Does ScyllaDB have a free trial?
Yes. The published pricing details list a 30-day Developer Free Trial and a 48-hour Production Evaluation. They do not publish monthly or annual plan prices. Confirm the trial’s resource limits and any terms directly with ScyllaDB, since those details are not included here.
Is ScyllaDB a replacement for Cassandra?
ScyllaDB’s homepage positions it as a Cassandra replacement, but the published material does not specify compatibility, migration tooling or conversion effort. Treat replacement as a positioning claim, not proof that an existing Cassandra workload will move without changes. Check workload and migration requirements with the vendor.
Which database is better for AI workloads?
ScyllaDB specifically promotes AI use cases, including feature stores, inference and vector search, and claims single-digit-millisecond inference latency and vector search across billions of embeddings. Cassandra’s published feature list focuses on distributed storage, replication and availability. Validate ScyllaDB’s performance claims against your workload before choosing.