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ScyllaDB alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 1, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave ScyllaDB: source-available licence, no longer open source, and free self-managed use is capped by storage and vCPUs. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces ScyllaDB, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Apache Cassandra currently ranks first.

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Show all 5 alternatives

The best ScyllaDB alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Apache Cassandra logo

Best ScyllaDB alternative for most people

Apache Cassandra

The fully open-source original under Apache 2.0, with the same CQL model and no usage caps.

Apache Cassandra logo

Best ScyllaDB alternative for a free option

Apache Cassandra

The fully open-source original under Apache 2.0, with the same CQL model and no usage caps.

Amazon DynamoDB logo

Best ScyllaDB alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Amazon DynamoDB

Serverless and fully managed on AWS, with no instances to size, at the cost of per-request pricing.

Apache Cassandra logo

Best ScyllaDB alternative for open source

Apache Cassandra

The fully open-source original under Apache 2.0, with the same CQL model and no usage caps.

Apache Cassandra logo

Best ScyllaDB alternative for self-hosting

Apache Cassandra

The fully open-source original under Apache 2.0, with the same CQL model and no usage caps.

Apache Cassandra logo

Best ScyllaDB alternative for Linux

Apache Cassandra

The fully open-source original under Apache 2.0, with the same CQL model and no usage caps.

Azure Cosmos DB logo

Best ScyllaDB alternative for working in the browser

Azure Cosmos DB

Managed multi-model database on Azure with a Cassandra-compatible API and global distribution.

ScyllaDB alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to ScyllaDB?

Apache Cassandra ranks first right now. The fully open-source original under Apache 2.0, with the same CQL model and no usage caps. Amazon DynamoDB and Azure Cosmos DB follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to ScyllaDB?

Yes. Apache Cassandra (open source), Amazon DynamoDB (free plan + paid), Azure Cosmos DB (free plan + paid) and Aiven (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to ScyllaDB?

Yes: Apache Cassandra. Apache Cassandra can also be self-hosted.

Which ScyllaDB alternatives work on Linux?

Apache Cassandra runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from ScyllaDB?

The complaints we hear most: source-available licence, no longer open source; free self-managed use is capped by storage and vCPUs; same query-first data modelling limits as Cassandra.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces ScyllaDB, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.