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Home/Categories/Databases & Storage/QuestDB
icon of QuestDB

QuestDB

Open source alternative to Amazon Timestream, InfluxDB Cloud and Timescale Cloud

image of QuestDB
Contents
  1. 01Who QuestDB is for
  2. 02The problem it solves

Repository

Stars
16.9K
Forks
1.6K
License
Apache-2.0
Latest
9.3.5
Last commit
18 days ago
Last verified
May 13, 2026
Repo
questdb/questdb ↗

An open-source time-series database engineered for high-performance data ingestion and ultra-low latency SQL queries, ideal for demanding workloads.

16.9K starsJavaApache-2.0Active this month
Visit websiteGitHub repo
03
How it solves it
  • 04Strengths and trade-offs
  • 05QuestDB vs alternatives
  • 06Tech stack
  • 07FAQ
  • 08Similar open-source tools
    • TL;DR

    QuestDB is an Apache-2.0 time series database built for high-ingest analytics on timestamped data. It replaces managed time series databases like Amazon Timestream or InfluxDB Cloud when teams need SQL, fast ingestion, and self-hosted control for market, IoT, or observability data.Apache-2.0 · Java · 16.9K stars · Active this month

    who it's for

    Who QuestDB is for#

    Fintech teams storing market data

    Use QuestDB for tick, quote, trade, and pricing data that needs fast ingestion and time-window analysis.

    Skip if:

    Skip if the workload is mostly transactional account data.

    IoT teams analyzing sensor streams

    QuestDB fits high-volume timestamped readings where SQL access and self-hosting matter.

    Skip if:

    Skip if you need a managed device platform rather than a database.

    the problem

    The problem it solves#

    how QuestDB solves it

    How it solves it#

    High-speed time series ingestion

    Targets append-heavy timestamped data workloads such as market ticks, sensor events, and operational measurements.

    SQL query interface

    Lets analysts and developers query time series data with SQL instead of learning a niche query language first.

    Self-hosted and cloud options

    Teams can run QuestDB themselves or use the managed service, which supports migration from prototype to production operations.

    strengths · trade-offs

    Strengths and trade-offs#

    Strengths

    • Strong fit for financial and IoT dataQuestDB is purpose-built for timestamped datasets where ingestion speed and time-window queries matter.
    • Apache-2.0 open source coreThe license gives teams a self-hosted path without committing all time series data to a managed service.

    Trade-offs

    • -Specialized database choiceQuestDB is not a general application database. Teams still need PostgreSQL, MySQL, or another transactional store for normal app data.
    versus alternatives

    QuestDB vs alternatives#

    tech stack · detected from GitHub

    What it's built on#

    Languages
    C++JavaRust
    Databases
    PostgreSQL
    frequently asked

    FAQ#

    Is QuestDB open source?

    Yes. QuestDB is open source under the Apache-2.0 license.

    What is QuestDB used for?

    QuestDB is used for high-ingest time series data such as financial market data, IoT sensor data, and observability measurements.

    How does QuestDB compare to Amazon Timestream?
    also worth a look

    Similar open-source tools#

    TDengine

    TDengine

    High-performance time-series database for IoT and telemetry

    24.9KCAGPL-3.0
    InfluxDB

    InfluxDB

    High-performance time series database with SQL-based querying

    31.5KRustApache-2.0
    VictoriaMetrics

    VictoriaMetrics

    High-performance self-hosted time series database and metrics

    17.1KGoApache-2.0
    Kronos

    Kronos

    Open source foundation model for financial candlestick data

    27.1KPythonMIT
    DBeaver

    DBeaver

    Free open-source database management tool for SQL databases.

    50.3KJavaApache-2.0
    ClickHouse

    ClickHouse

    Fast open source column-oriented database for analytics

    47.4KC++Apache-2.0

    Additional details

    Language
    Java
    Open issues
    827
    Contributors
    179
    First release
    2014

    Categories

    Databases & StorageData & AnalyticsFinance & Fintech

    Tags

    DatabaseSelf HostedData VisualizationAPI InfrastructureMonitoringDeveloper ToolsCloud Native

    Time series workloads can overwhelm general-purpose databases when ingestion rates are high and queries scan large date ranges. Managed time series products reduce setup work, but they add vendor pricing, retention constraints, and migration concerns.

    Teams working with market data, IoT readings, or infrastructure measurements need a database that ingests quickly, queries with familiar SQL, and can run on infrastructure they control.

    QuestDB vs Amazon Timestream

    QuestDB and Amazon Timestream both target time series workloads. QuestDB is an open source SQL database with self-hosting and cloud options; Timestream is a managed AWS service.

    QuestDB is better when SQL familiarity, self-hosting, or cloud portability matters. Timestream is still better when the workload is already fully on AWS and the team wants AWS to operate the database.

    Amazon Timestream is a managed AWS time series database. QuestDB gives teams an open source SQL database they can self-host or use as a managed service.