CockroachDB vs Xata Pricing (2026)

Which one is cheaper?

One or both use custom pricing, so it depends on your specific needs.

Can I use either one for free?

Both offer free plans, so you can try each without paying. Start with whichever fits your workflow better and upgrade when you hit the limits.

How do they charge?

Both use a usage-based model, so the comparison is straightforward — it comes down to features and limits at each price point.

Which one is a better deal?

Depends on what you need. CockroachDB: At $0.18/hr for 2 vCPUs, they're positioning competitively against managed Postgres alternatives like AlloyDB or Aurora, but the distributed SQL angle means they're really gunning for teams that have outgrown single-region databases — not the cheapest option, but cheaper than building multi-region resilience yourself. Xata: At $0.012/hr for a micro instance, they're positioning as an accessible entry point compared to managed Postgres alternatives like Neon or PlanetScale — but the storage cost at $0.28/GB/mo can add up fast for data-heavy workloads. They're going after developer teams who want serverless-style database pricing without locking into a big-name cloud provider's ecosystem.

Still deciding? See the best CockroachDB alternatives or the best Xata alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.