# M3DB vs TDengine

**Leader by Vioscale score:** TDengine

| Attribute | M3DB | TDengine |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 36.3 (51% (medium)) | 55.6 (69% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 0 | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 10 | 7 |
| adoption.github_stars | 4,895 | 25,090 |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"hybrid":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. | AI-native industrial data platform and high-performance time-series database that unifies data ingestion, storage, analytics, modeling, visualization, and AI applications. |
| 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":"metrics","deployment":"self_hosted","downsampling":"continuous_aggregates","ingest_model":"push","licence_class":"source_available","replication_ha":true,"high_cardinality":"strong"}` |
| integrations.count | 4 | 3 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Prometheus"},{"name":"Graphite"},{"name":"Kubernetes"},{"name":"Docker"}]` | `[{"name":"Java"},{"name":"Python"},{"name":"Go"}]` |
| language.primary | Go | C |
| license.spdx | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | - |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"linux":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://m3db.io","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T08:30:20.373Z"}` | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free Tier","summary":"Free forever for up to 5,000 tags","features":["Up to 5,000 tags","Product usage rights"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"year","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Free for deployments up to 5,000 tags. Includes product usage rights. Standard Support available optionally.","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"tags":"5,000"}},{"free":false,"name":"Annual License","summary":"From $12,500/year for 7,500 tags. Standard Support included.","features":["Pricing scales from 7,500 to 500,000+ tags","Standard Support","Software updates","Security patches"],"commitment":"annual","description":"Annual license for deployments above 5,000 tags. Pricing varies by tag count. Standard Support included.","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Perpetual License","summary":"From $31,250 for 7,500 tags. One-time payment.","features":["Perpetual usage rights"],"description":"One-time perpetual license for deployments above 5,000 tags. Pricing varies by tag count.","contactSales":false}],"addOns":[{"name":"Annual Support (Free Tier)","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":3375,"period":"year","currency":"USD"}]},{"name":"High Availability","components":[{"of":"annual or perpetual plan cost","kind":"percentage","plus":null,"rate":30}]}],"summary":"Free for up to 5,000 tags. Annual licenses from $12,500/year, perpetual from $31,250 (both scale with tag count). Optional support from $3,375/year. High Availability at +30%.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://tdengine.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-01T15:41:16.091Z","billingPeriods":["year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | free | low |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 11 | 28 |
| 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/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.4.1.6","date":"2026-04-30T02:07:04Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.4.1.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.4.1.0","date":"2026-04-01T14:18:08Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.4.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.4.0.9","date":"2026-03-02T12:27:15Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.4.0.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.4.0.2","date":"2026-02-02T09:15:26Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.4.0.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.4.0.0","date":"2026-01-08T02:43:19Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.4.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.8.8","date":"2025-12-02T13:40:22Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.8.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.8.4","date":"2025-11-04T02:12:50Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.8.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.8.1","date":"2025-10-11T08:51:59Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.8.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.8.0","date":"2025-09-30T06:44:35Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.8.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.7.5","date":"2025-08-28T01:51:47Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.7.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.7.0","date":"2025-07-29T08:24:00Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.7.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.6.13","date":"2025-07-01T12:29:08Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.6.13"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.6.9","date":"2025-06-03T11:44:31Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.6.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.6.6","date":"2025-05-15T07:53:55Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.6.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.6.3","date":"2025-04-15T00:58:09Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.6.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.6.0","date":"2025-03-25T11:58:53Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.6.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.5.8","date":"2025-02-28T14:18:53Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.5.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.5.2","date":"2025-01-20T07:07:35Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.5.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.5.0","date":"2025-01-02T08:27:47Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/taosdata/TDengine/releases/tag/ver-3.3.4.8","date":"2024-12-03T03:24:06Z","type":"stable","version":"ver-3.3.4.8"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.iso27001 | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 3.3 | 4 |
| 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=npm&package_name=%40tdengine%2Fclient&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Time-Series Databases)

| Capability | M3DB | TDengine |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Query** |  |  |
| Query language (SQL / PromQL / InfluxQL-Flux / Graphite) | PromQL, Graphite | - |
| SQL compatibility | Non-SQL | - |
| **Ingest** |  |  |
| Ingest model | Push | Push |
| **Model** |  |  |
| Data model | Metrics (labels/tags) | Metrics (labels/tags) |
| **Lifecycle** |  |  |
| Downsampling / rollups | Retention policies | Continuous aggregates |
| Retention / TTL | Automatic | - |
| **Storage** |  |  |
| Compression (columnar / delta / Gorilla) | columnar | - |
| **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 | Source-available |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T16:44:56.005Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*