Neo4j
Graph database queried with Cypher, available as Neo4j Desktop, self-managed server or AuraDB cloud.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, Self-hosted
Is Neo4j free?
Yes, free and open source
- Cloud free tier:
- AuraDB Free, $0
- License:
- GPL-3.0 (Community Edition)
Checked on Neo4j's site Nov 8, 2026
Full Neo4j pricing and plansSwitch from Neo4j to
All 4
SurrealDBStarting price: From $0.021 per hour per extra instance
PostgreSQLOpen source
Amazon NeptunePaid
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 4
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Neo4j
Neo4j is the best-known graph database. It stores data as nodes and relationships instead of tables, and you query it with Cypher, a pattern-matching language that makes questions like 'friends of friends who bought X' short to write. Neo4j Desktop is a free app for Windows, macOS and Linux that runs local database instances, manages projects and plugins, and bundles tools to import CSV data, run queries, visualise graphs with Bloom and build dashboards; it includes a Developer edition licence of the Enterprise server for one person's local use. For production you can self-host the GPL-licensed Community Edition, buy the Enterprise Edition, or use AuraDB, the managed cloud service with a free tier and usage-based paid tiers. Graph Data Science adds algorithms such as PageRank and community detection, and recent releases focus on GraphRAG and AI agents. It suits developers and data teams working with highly connected data such as fraud, recommendations and knowledge graphs.
Best for: Developers modelling highly connected data such as fraud, recommendations or knowledge graphs.
Neo4j pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from Neo4j's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neo4j Desktop price | Free | Nov 8, 2026 | neo4j.com |
| Cloud free tier | AuraDB Free, $0 | Nov 8, 2026 | neo4j.com |
Pros and cons
What works
- Cypher makes graph queries short and readable
- Free Desktop app with import, query and visual tools
- Managed AuraDB cloud with a free tier
- Large community, courses and integrations
Why people leave
- Clustering and advanced security need the paid Enterprise Edition
- Desktop's bundled Enterprise licence is for local single-user use only
- Memory-hungry on large graphs
Neo4j vs SurrealDB, PostgreSQL and Amazon Neptune
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Neo4j | SurrealDB | PostgreSQL | Amazon Neptune |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Open source | Free plan + paid | Open source | Paid |
| Verified price | — | From $0.021 per hour per extra instance | — | — |
| Free plan | AuraDB Free, $0 | Yes, first instance with 1 GB storage | Free app | No |
| Open source | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, Self-hosted | Web, Self-hosted, Linux, macOS, Windows | Linux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted | Web |
Top Neo4j alternatives
See all 4- 1SurrealDB66.2
Multi-model database with graph relations built in, so documents and edges live together in one engine.
- 2PostgreSQL57.5
With the Apache AGE extension you get openCypher graph queries inside the Postgres you may already run.
- 3Amazon Neptune55.9
Managed graph database on AWS that accepts openCypher over Bolt, so many Neo4j apps can move with few query changes.
- 4
Azure Cosmos DB52.6Managed Azure service with a Gremlin graph API if you'd rather not run servers.
Why people left Neo4j
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 Neo4j, review the app you switched to and tell us why.
Reviews
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Neo4j: common questions
What is Neo4j?
Neo4j: Graph database queried with Cypher, available as Neo4j Desktop, self-managed server or AuraDB cloud. Best for developers modelling highly connected data such as fraud, recommendations or knowledge graphs. Available for Windows, macOS, Linux and Web, and you can host it yourself.
Is Neo4j free?
Yes. Neo4j is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.
How much does Neo4j cost?
Neo4j is free and open source. Neo4j Desktop price: Free; Cloud free tier: AuraDB Free, $0. Checked on Neo4j's own site, November 2026.
Is Neo4j open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at neo4j/neo4j. You can also run it on your own server.
What platforms does Neo4j run on?
Neo4j is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Web and Self-hosted.
What are the best alternatives to Neo4j?
The highest-ranked Neo4j alternatives right now are SurrealDB, PostgreSQL and Amazon Neptune. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Neo4j vs SurrealDB: what's the difference?
Neo4j is free and open source; SurrealDB is free with paid plans. Neo4j is open source and SurrealDB is not. Both run on Windows, macOS, Linux and Web.