InfluxDB
Open source time series database for metrics, events, sensor data and real-time analytics.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Linux, macOS, Self-hosted, Web
Is InfluxDB free?
Yes, free and open source
- License:
- Apache-2.0
Checked on InfluxDB's site Nov 2, 2026
Switch from InfluxDB to
All 5
ClickHouseFree trial: 30 days with $300 credits
QuestDBOpen source
PrometheusOpen source
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 5
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About InfluxDB
InfluxDB is a database built for time-stamped data: server and application metrics, IoT sensor readings, network telemetry, financial ticks and similar streams that arrive constantly and are queried by time range. Version 3 is a rewrite on Apache Arrow, DataFusion and Parquet, supports SQL as well as InfluxQL, and stores older data in object storage to keep costs down. It is often paired with Telegraf, InfluxData's open source collection agent with hundreds of input plugins, and with Grafana for dashboards. InfluxDB 3 Core is free and open source for local and smaller self-managed use, InfluxDB 3 Enterprise adds high availability, read replicas and security features under a commercial licence with a 30-day trial, and InfluxData also runs managed cloud versions, including a pay-as-you-go serverless tier and dedicated clusters, plus an AWS-hosted option. It is for developers and ops teams who outgrow putting metrics into a general-purpose database.
Best for: Teams storing high-volume metrics, IoT or telemetry data that they query by time.
InfluxDB pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from InfluxDB's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise trial | 30 days | Nov 8, 2026 | influxdata.com |
| Cloud Serverless credit | $250 free credit | Nov 8, 2026 | influxdata.com |
Pros and cons
What works
- Purpose-built for high write rates of time-stamped data
- SQL support in version 3 lowers the learning curve
- Telegraf agent makes collecting data from common systems easy
- Self-hosted, managed cloud and AWS-native options
Why people leave
- Free Core edition lacks high availability and enterprise security
- Repeated rewrites between versions 1, 2 and 3 have made upgrades disruptive
- Enterprise and dedicated cloud pricing is quote-only
InfluxDB vs ClickHouse, QuestDB and Prometheus
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | InfluxDB | ClickHouse | QuestDB | Prometheus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Open source | Open source | Open source | Open source |
| Verified price | — | 30 days with $300 credits | — | — |
| Free plan | Free app | Free app | Free app | Free app |
| Open source | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Self-hosted, Web | Web, Linux, macOS, Self-hosted | Self-hosted, Linux, macOS, Windows | Self-hosted, Linux, macOS, Windows |
Top InfluxDB alternatives
See all 5- 1ClickHouse66.2
Fast column-oriented analytics database that handles large time series and log workloads with SQL.
- 2QuestDB57.5
Open-source time-series database that accepts InfluxDB line protocol but is queried in standard SQL.
- 3Prometheus56.8
Free, pull-based metrics store that is the default choice for monitoring Kubernetes and cloud-native services.
- 4
VictoriaMetrics54.4Open source, Prometheus-compatible time series store known for low resource use at high scale.
- 5
Tiger Data52.6Time series on PostgreSQL (formerly Timescale), so you keep full SQL, joins and the Postgres ecosystem.
Why people left InfluxDB
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
No switching stories yet. If you moved away from InfluxDB, review the app you switched to and tell us why.
Reviews
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InfluxDB: common questions
What is InfluxDB?
InfluxDB: Open source time series database for metrics, events, sensor data and real-time analytics. Best for teams storing high-volume metrics, IoT or telemetry data that they query by time. Available for Linux, macOS and Web, and you can host it yourself.
Is InfluxDB free?
Yes. InfluxDB is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.
How much does InfluxDB cost?
InfluxDB is free and open source. Enterprise trial: 30 days; Cloud Serverless credit: $250 free credit. Checked on InfluxDB's own site, November 2026.
Does InfluxDB have a free trial or refund?
Enterprise trial: 30 days. Source: InfluxDB's own site.
Is InfluxDB open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at influxdata/influxdb. You can also run it on your own server.
What platforms does InfluxDB run on?
InfluxDB is available for Linux, macOS, Self-hosted and Web.
What are the best alternatives to InfluxDB?
The highest-ranked InfluxDB alternatives right now are ClickHouse, QuestDB and Prometheus. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
InfluxDB vs ClickHouse: what's the difference?
Both InfluxDB and ClickHouse are free and open source. InfluxDB is open source and ClickHouse is not. Both run on Linux, macOS and Web.