Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL database service designed for key-value and document storage. While it offers high scalability and seamless AWS integration, some users find its pricing, vendor lock-in, and limited query flexibility restrictive.
If you’re looking for a cost-effective, open-source, or cloud-agnostic DynamoDB alternatives, this guide explores the best NoSQL databases that offer scalability, performance, and flexibility.
Quick Comparison Table
| Alternative | Open-Source? | Pricing | Key Features | Best For |
| Apache Cassandra | Yes | Free | Highly scalable, distributed architecture | Large-scale applications |
| MongoDB Atlas | No | Paid | Managed NoSQL, flexible JSON schema | Enterprise applications |
| Couchbase | No | Paid | SQL-like queries, strong consistency | Real-time applications |
| Google Firestore | No | Paid | Serverless NoSQL, auto-scaling | Mobile & Web apps |
| ScyllaDB | Yes | Free & Paid | Low-latency, DynamoDB-compatible | High-throughput workloads |
| Aerospike | No | Paid | Hybrid memory architecture, low latency | High-performance analytics |
| FoundationDB | Yes | Free | ACID transactions, multi-model support | Financial & mission-critical systems |
Best DynamoDB Alternatives in 2025
#1 Apache Cassandra
Apache Cassandra is a distributed NoSQL database known for high availability, scalability, and fault tolerance. It is widely used in big data applications that require handling vast amounts of data across multiple servers.
Key Features:
- Peer-to-peer architecture for scalability
- Tunable consistency levels
- Supports high write throughput
Pros & Cons:
- ✅ Fault-tolerant and highly available
- ✅ No single point of failure
- ❌ More complex to set up and manage
- ❌ Requires manual optimization for queries
Pricing: Open-source and free
Why Choose Apache Cassandra Over DynamoDB?
If you need high availability and distributed scalability without vendor lock-in.
#2 MongoDB Atlas
MongoDB Atlas is a fully managed NoSQL database with a flexible JSON document model and broad multi-cloud support.
Key Features:
- Schema-less JSON document storage
- Full-text search and analytics
- Multi-cloud deployment options
Pros & Cons:
- ✅ Developer-friendly with a flexible schema
- ✅ Scalable, managed solution
- ❌ More expensive at scale
- ❌ Performance tuning can be complex
Pricing: Paid, with a free tier available
Why Choose MongoDB Atlas Over DynamoDB?
If you want a managed NoSQL database with rich querying and analytics.
#3 Couchbase
Couchbase provides NoSQL storage with SQL-like querying, making it ideal for applications requiring low-latency and high-speed data access.
Key Features:
- Strong consistency with flexible scalability
- N1QL for SQL-like querying
- Multi-model support (JSON, key-value, graph)
Pros & Cons:
- ✅ Supports SQL-like queries (N1QL)
- ✅ High-performance data access
- ❌ Paid-only for full enterprise features
- ❌ Requires more memory than some competitors
Pricing: Paid enterprise plans
Why Choose Couchbase Over DynamoDB?
If you need fast NoSQL with SQL-like queries.
#4 Google Firestore
Google Firestore is a serverless NoSQL database optimized for mobile and real-time applications.
Key Features:
- Fully managed and serverless
- Real-time data synchronization
- Integration with Firebase and Google Cloud
Pros & Cons:
- ✅ Ideal for mobile and web applications
- ✅ Real-time sync capabilities
- ❌ Limited complex query capabilities
- ❌ Vendor lock-in with Google Cloud
Pricing: Pay-as-you-go model
Why Choose Firestore Over DynamoDB?
If you need a NoSQL database optimized for mobile and real-time applications.
#5 ScyllaDB
ScyllaDB is a high-performance NoSQL database that is designed to be a drop-in replacement for Apache Cassandra. It provides low-latency, high-throughput performance by taking advantage of modern hardware architectures, particularly multi-core processors and SSDs. ScyllaDB excels in real-time data processing and is highly scalable, making it a great choice for big data applications, IoT, and high-performance workloads.
Key Features:
- Drop-in replacement for Apache Cassandra
- Real-time data processing with low-latency
- Automatic data sharding for scalability
- Pros & Cons:
- ✅ Superior performance over Cassandra
- ✅ High scalability with low-latency
- ❌ Smaller community compared to Cassandra
- ❌ Requires specialized hardware for optimal performance
Pricing: Open-source (free) with commercial support available
Why Choose ScyllaDB Over DynamoDB?
If you need a high-performance, scalable NoSQL database that is compatible with Cassandra and offers lower latency and higher throughput.
#6 Aerospike
Aerospike is an open-source, high-performance NoSQL database designed for real-time applications that require low-latency and high availability. It is built to handle large-scale workloads with high-speed reads and writes. Aerospike’s hybrid memory model allows it to balance cost and performance efficiently, making it ideal for applications in areas like ad tech, IoT, and financial services.
Key Features:
- Hybrid memory architecture (RAM + Flash)
- Real-time performance with sub-millisecond latencies
- High availability and automatic data sharding
Pros & Cons:
- ✅ Low-latency, real-time performance
- ✅ Strong consistency and scalability
- ❌ More complex setup compared to some other NoSQL options
- ❌ Requires tuning for optimal performance
Pricing: Open-source (free) with enterprise pricing for commercial use
Why Choose Aerospike Over DynamoDB?
If you need a high-performance NoSQL database with real-time capabilities, sub-millisecond latencies, and strong consistency for large-scale, real-time applications.
#7 FoundationDB
FoundationDB is a distributed, multi-model NoSQL database that offers strong consistency and ACID transactions. It is designed to handle a wide variety of data models, including key-value, document, graph, and more. FoundationDB is known for its robustness and scalability, offering fault tolerance and seamless replication for mission-critical applications in industries like finance, healthcare, and telecommunications.
Key Features:
- ACID-compliant transactions
- Multi-model data support (key-value, document, graph)
- High scalability and fault tolerance
Pros & Cons:
- ✅ Strong consistency and ACID transactions
- ✅ Highly scalable and fault-tolerant
- ❌ Relatively steep learning curve
- ❌ Limited native support for some data models
Pricing: Open-source (free)
Why Choose FoundationDB Over DynamoDB?
If you need a distributed, ACID-compliant database with strong consistency and support for multiple data models for mission-critical applications.
How to Choose the Right Alternative?
- For high availability and scalability: Apache Cassandra
- For managed NoSQL with analytics: MongoDB Atlas
- For low-latency applications: ScyllaDB, Aerospike
- For SQL-like NoSQL querying: Couchbase
- For serverless applications: Google Firestore
FAQs
Q1: What is the best open-source alternative to DynamoDB?
A: Apache Cassandra and ScyllaDB are the best open-source alternatives with distributed architecture and high scalability.
Q2: Which DynamoDB alternative offers the lowest latency?
A: Aerospike and ScyllaDB offer the lowest latency for high-performance, real-time applications.
Q3: Can I use MongoDB instead of DynamoDB?
A: Yes, MongoDB Atlas provides a managed NoSQL database with rich querying and multi-cloud support.
Q4: Which alternative is best for mobile and web applications?
A: Google Firestore is best for real-time syncing and cloud-native mobile applications.
Q5: What is the best SQL-like NoSQL alternative?
A: Couchbase offers SQL-like querying (N1QL) with NoSQL flexibility.
Conclusion
Amazon DynamoDB is a highly scalable NoSQL database, but it may not be ideal for users concerned about pricing, vendor lock-in, or query flexibility. Whether you need an open-source alternative like Apache Cassandra, a low-latency option like ScyllaDB, or a managed NoSQL service like MongoDB Atlas, there are many powerful DynamoDB alternatives to consider for your specific workload requirements.