# M3DB vs QuestDB

**Leader by Vioscale score:** QuestDB

| Attribute | M3DB | QuestDB |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 36.3 (51% (medium)) | 50.3 (65% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 0 | 64 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 10 | 106 |
| adoption.github_stars | 4,895 | 17,279 |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | M3 is a metrics platform consisting of a distributed time-series database, query engine, and ingestion system designed to handle massive metric volumes efficiently. It provides Prometheus and Graphite compatibility while optimizing for performance and cost efficiency through purpose-built storage and querying components. | QuestDB is an open-source time-series database engineered for low latency, delivering ultra-low latency ingestion, high throughput, and multi-tier storage for demanding time-series workloads. |
| features.capabilities | `{"clustering":"distributed","data_model":"metrics","deployment":"self_hosted","compression":"columnar","downsampling":"retention_policies","ingest_model":"push","licence_class":"permissive_oss","retention_ttl":"automatic","query_language":"PromQL, Graphite","replication_ha":true,"high_cardinality":"strong","sql_compatibility":"non_sql","prometheus_remote_write":true}` | `{"clustering":"distributed","data_model":"events","deployment":"self_hosted","compression":"columnar with frame compression","downsampling":"continuous_aggregates","ingest_model":"push","licence_class":"permissive_oss","query_language":"SQL with time-series extensions (SAMPLE BY, ASOF, HORIZON JOIN, N-dimensional ar","replication_ha":true,"high_cardinality":"strong","sql_compatibility":"full_sql"}` |
| integrations.count | 4 | 10 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Prometheus"},{"name":"Graphite"},{"name":"Kubernetes"},{"name":"Docker"}]` | `[{"name":"PostgreSQL"},{"name":"Parquet"},{"name":"Arrow"},{"name":"Polars"},{"name":"Pandas"},{"name":"Debezium"},{"name":"Iceberg"},{"name":"MySQL"},{"name":"MongoDB"},{"name":"Cassandra"}]` |
| language.primary | Go | Java |
| license.spdx | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"hqCountry":"GB","primaryMarkets":["GB","US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true}` | `{"cli":true,"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://m3db.io","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T08:30:20.373Z"}` | `{"type":"hybrid","summary":"Open-source Apache 2.0 free tier; QuestDB Cloud and Enterprise plans available via contact/quote","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://questdb.com/glossary/black-scholes-model-for-option-pricing/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T16:37:07.614Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | low |
| pricing.transparent | - | no |
| release.cadence_days | 11 | 16 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.5.0","date":"2022-04-07T21:38:08Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.4.2","date":"2022-01-19T19:13:33Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.4.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.4.1","date":"2021-11-20T18:35:50Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.4.0","date":"2021-11-19T23:14:19Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.3.0","date":"2021-10-10T12:38:36Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.2.0","date":"2021-09-18T16:49:39Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.1.0","date":"2021-02-03T16:58:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.0.0-rc.2","date":"2020-11-19T10:32:24Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.0.0-rc.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.0.0","date":"2020-11-16T16:36:58Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.0.0-rc.1","date":"2020-11-19T10:29:05Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.0.0-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v1.0.0-rc.0","date":"2020-11-09T22:23:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.0.0-rc.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v0.15.17-hotfix.5","date":"2020-12-11T20:04:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.15.17-hotfix.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v0.15.17-hotfix.4","date":"2020-12-07T08:08:20Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.15.17-hotfix.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v0.15.17-hotfix.2","date":"2020-10-28T19:59:03Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.15.17-hotfix.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v0.15.17-hotfix.1","date":"2020-10-28T19:40:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.15.17-hotfix.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v0.15.17-hotfix.3","date":"2020-11-17T23:03:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.15.17-hotfix.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v0.15.17-hotfix.0","date":"2020-10-23T19:02:15Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.15.17-hotfix.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v0.15.17","date":"2020-10-08T14:27:35Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.15.17"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v0.15.16","date":"2020-10-02T06:41:52Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.15.16"},{"url":"https://github.com/m3db/m3/releases/tag/v0.15.15","date":"2020-09-21T02:01:35Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.15.15"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/10.0.1","date":"2026-08-24T13:55:02Z","type":"stable","version":"10.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/10.0.0","date":"2026-08-06T15:36:51Z","type":"stable","version":"10.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.4.3","date":"2026-06-15T17:01:58Z","type":"stable","version":"9.4.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.4.2","date":"2026-06-09T13:30:03Z","type":"stable","version":"9.4.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.4.1","date":"2026-06-03T08:03:25Z","type":"stable","version":"9.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.4.0","date":"2026-05-18T12:56:56Z","type":"stable","version":"9.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.3.5","date":"2026-04-13T17:21:09Z","type":"stable","version":"9.3.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.3.4","date":"2026-03-26T16:16:42Z","type":"stable","version":"9.3.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.3.3","date":"2026-02-25T14:23:44Z","type":"stable","version":"9.3.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.3.2","date":"2026-01-28T15:23:29Z","type":"stable","version":"9.3.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.3.1","date":"2026-01-14T16:41:31Z","type":"stable","version":"9.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.3.0","date":"2026-01-09T13:08:40Z","type":"stable","version":"9.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.2.3","date":"2025-12-18T12:13:27Z","type":"stable","version":"9.2.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.2.2","date":"2025-12-01T12:48:30Z","type":"stable","version":"9.2.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.2.1","date":"2025-11-25T14:38:23Z","type":"stable","version":"9.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.2.0","date":"2025-11-13T16:13:27Z","type":"stable","version":"9.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.1.1","date":"2025-11-03T15:25:09Z","type":"stable","version":"9.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.1.0","date":"2025-10-03T13:54:02Z","type":"stable","version":"9.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.0.3","date":"2025-08-29T18:32:12Z","type":"stable","version":"9.0.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/questdb/questdb/releases/tag/9.0.2","date":"2025-08-15T16:34:55Z","type":"stable","version":"9.0.2"}]` |
| reliability.sla_pct | - | 99.9 |
| security.gdpr | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| security.soc2 | - | yes |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fm3db%2Fm3&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=maven&package_name=org.questdb%3Aquestdb&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Time-Series Databases)

| Capability | M3DB | QuestDB |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Query** |  |  |
| Query language (SQL / PromQL / InfluxQL-Flux / Graphite) | PromQL, Graphite | SQL with time-series extensions (SAMPLE BY, ASOF, HORIZON JOIN, N-dimensional ar |
| SQL compatibility | Non-SQL | Full SQL |
| **Ingest** |  |  |
| Ingest model | Push | Push |
| **Model** |  |  |
| Data model | Metrics (labels/tags) | Wide events |
| **Lifecycle** |  |  |
| Downsampling / rollups | Retention policies | Continuous aggregates |
| Retention / TTL | Automatic | - |
| **Storage** |  |  |
| Compression (columnar / delta / Gorilla) | columnar | columnar with frame compression |
| **Performance** |  |  |
| High-cardinality handling | Strong | Strong |
| **Scale** |  |  |
| Clustering / horizontal scale | Distributed / sharded | Distributed / sharded |
| Replication / HA | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Deployment | Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| **Interop** |  |  |
| Prometheus remote-write compatible | ✓ | - |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Licence class | Permissive OSS | Permissive OSS |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T14:39:56.170Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*