List Your Product Join or Log In

RethinkDB

Unclaimed Editor reviewed

Real-time database for modern apps

Data & Databases WebSocket Tools

3.6(17 across the web)

FreeVisit Website

Reviews onG2Capterra

17 reviews tracked

The Bottom Line

Entry price

Free, no paid tier

Biggest pro

Real-time database

Biggest con

Less popular now

TL;DR - RethinkDB

RethinkDB is a real-time document database with push-based architecture
It pushes changes to applications in real-time for live updates
Completely free and open-source

Pricing: Free forever

Best for: Individuals & startups

3.6/5 across review platforms

What is RethinkDB?

Editorial review

RethinkDB stores data with real-time push. Database that pushes changes to applications-reactive data without polling. The real-time is native. The queries are expressive. The use cases are specific. Applications needing reactive data explore RethinkDB for push-based database.

Available on: Linux, macOS

LCLouis CorneloupUpdated May 26, 2026 · how we evaluateSourcerethinkdb.com ↗

Pros & Cons

Pros

Real-time database
Good for live updates
Open source
Good query language
Push architecture

Cons

Less popular now
Company dissolved
Community smaller
Production concerns
Better alternatives exist

Ratings Across the Web

3.6(17 reviews)

Capterra2 reviews

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Real-time databaseChangefeedsJSON documentsJoinsClusteringOpen source

Pricing Plans

Open Source

Free

Full database features
Realtime push queries
JSON document store
Self-hosted

Calculate your cost View full pricing

Reviews

3.6/5

Across 17 verified user reviews on G2, Capterra

Add your hands-on experience to help the next buyer.

Write a Toolradar review

Best RethinkDB Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

View full list →

Advanced open source SQL database

Firebase FirestoreFreemium

Flexible, scalable NoSQL cloud database

Amazon DynamoDBPaid

Serverless NoSQL database with single-digit millisecond latency

Managed in-memory database for real-time data across clouds

CockroachDBFreemium

Distributed SQL database built for cloud

SupabaseFreemium

Open source Firebase alternative

See all Data & Databases tools →

Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

All RethinkDB alternatives6+ tools ranked, pricing + verdict per pick RethinkDB vs PostgreSQLHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins RethinkDB vs Firebase FirestoreHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins RethinkDB vs Amazon DynamoDBHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

Explore More

Best Data & Databases Tools Best WebSocket Tools Tools Best Free Data & Databases Best Free WebSocket Tools

RethinkDB FAQ

Is RethinkDB free?

Yes, RethinkDB is completely free and open source. Apache 2.0 license. Community maintained.

What is RethinkDB?

RethinkDB is a real-time document database. Push updates to clients automatically. Great for collaborative apps.

Is RethinkDB still maintained?

Community maintains it after company shutdown. Updates are infrequent. Consider alternatives for new projects.

RethinkDB vs MongoDB?

RethinkDB has built-in real-time. MongoDB is more mature. MongoDB generally preferred unless you need real-time push.

Source: rethinkdb.com