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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.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Apache Cassandra logoApache CassandraOpen sourceYesLinux, Self-hosted4 of 466.5
  1. Apache Cassandra logo

    1. Apache CassandraTop pick

    Best for: Teams that need a self-hosted database for very large, write-heavy data spread across several datacenters

    Open sourceSelf-hostableLinux, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from ScyllaDB

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

    Pros

    • Masterless design with no single point of failure
    • Multi-datacenter replication built in
    • Throughput grows as you add nodes, without downtime
    • Free under the Apache 2.0 licence

    Cons

    • No joins; tables must be designed around specific queries
    • Running and repairing a cluster needs dedicated operations skill
    • Overkill for small apps that fit in one relational database
    Visit Apache Cassandra Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Apache Cassandra a good ScyllaDB alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 29, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Latest major version
    Cassandra 5.0
    Checked Oct 29, 2026cassandra.apache.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Architecture
    Masterless, no single point of failure
    Checked Oct 29, 2026cassandra.apache.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Multi-datacenter replication
    Yes
    Checked Oct 29, 2026cassandra.apache.org(opens source in a new tab)

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.