MongoDB vs MongoDB Atlas

by Gralio Mar 10, 2025

MongoDB and MongoDB Atlas offer similar core database functionality. MongoDB suits businesses wanting control over their database infrastructure, while MongoDB Atlas simplifies management through a fully managed cloud service.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 865 reviews and 60 websites, saving 5 hours, 18 minutes of reading.

MongoDB

Website LinkedIn Twitter

MongoDB Atlas

Website LinkedIn Twitter

About

MongoDB is a popular database that stores information in flexible documents instead of rigid tables. This makes it easy for developers to work with and allows for changes as your needs evolve. It's designed for modern applications and scales easily to handle large amounts of data. MongoDB is used by companies of all sizes and industries, particularly for managing customer data, online content, and real-time analytics.

MongoDB Atlas is a cloud-based database service that's easy for developers to use. It allows you to store information in flexible formats that are like digital filing cabinets. It's designed for businesses of all sizes and can handle various data needs. MongoDB Atlas is reliable, adapts to changes easily, and can grow with your company's needs by spreading information across multiple servers.

Summary

Main difference

MongoDB is a flexible, scalable database ideal for on-premise or cloud deployments, offering control over infrastructure. MongoDB Atlas is a fully managed cloud service simplifying deployment and management, but at a higher cost and with less control.

Relative strengths of MongoDB (compared to MongoDB Atlas)

Greater control over infrastructure and customization.
Potential cost savings for large deployments or those with existing infrastructure.
Direct access to the database for advanced tuning.

Relative weaknesses of MongoDB (compared to MongoDB Atlas)

Requires more technical expertise for setup and maintenance.
Responsibility for infrastructure management and scaling.
No built-in cloud features like automated backups and monitoring.

Who should use MongoDB VS. MongoDB Atlas

MongoDB is a versatile database solution for organizations of all sizes seeking a flexible and scalable platform for modern applications. It excels at handling large data volumes and high throughput, enabling real-time analytics and efficient data manipulation. However, some users find it challenging to maintain data consistency and manage high memory usage.

MongoDB Atlas is a user-friendly cloud database perfect for developers and businesses of all sizes. It offers flexible data storage, easy setup, and scalability. Users praise its intuitive interface and comprehensive documentation, while some note the cost and occasional performance issues with complex queries. It's ideal for those needing a scalable, cloud-based solution.

Ideal for small businesses, medium businesses, and large enterprises.
Suitable for businesses across all industries.

Ideal for businesses of all sizes seeking a scalable and user-friendly database.
Best fit for Software, IT & Telecommunications; less suitable for Finance, E-commerce, and Retail.

MongoDB and MongoDB Atlas features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Self-describing data structures

Supported

MongoDB supports self-describing data structures through its flexible document model.

Supported

MongoDB Atlas supports self-describing data structures using a flexible document model.
Data collections

Supported

MongoDB supports grouping documents within collections for data organization.

Supported

Atlas supports collections for grouping documents and organizing database data.
Multi-region, multi-cloud deployments

Partially supported

MongoDB Atlas supports multi-region deployments within a single cloud provider, but not across multiple cloud providers.

Supported

Atlas supports multi-region and multi-cloud deployments for enhanced availability and performance.
NoSQL support

Supported

MongoDB fully supports NoSQL database querying capabilities, as evidenced by its document-oriented data model, versatile query operations, aggregation and MapReduce support, scalability features, and ACID transaction support.

Supported

MongoDB Atlas is a fully managed cloud database for MongoDB, a NoSQL database.
SQL support

Supported

MongoDB supports SQL-like queries through various tools and interfaces like Studio 3T, Atlas SQL Interface, MongoDB Connector for BI, and IntelliJ IDEA. These tools offer varying levels of SQL support, including common clauses, join operations, and aggregate functions. However, some have limitations, like read-only access or restricted aggregate function usage.

Supported

MongoDB Atlas supports SQL queries for reading data via the Atlas SQL Interface.
Cloud-based deployment

Supported

MongoDB fully supports cloud-based deployments, specifically through its MongoDB Atlas service, which is compatible with multiple cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure. It offers various features like auto-scaling, monitoring, and automated data tiering to manage and scale databases in the cloud.

Supported

MongoDB Atlas is designed for cloud deployments, supporting AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

+0

Neutral sentiment

-0.33

Rather negative sentiment
Customer Service

+1

Strongly positive sentiment

No data
Ease of Use

+0.86

Strongly positive sentiment

+1

Strongly positive sentiment
Reliability and Performance

+0.75

Strongly positive sentiment

+0.2

Neutral sentiment
Ease of Implementation

+0.4

Rather positive sentiment

+0.5

Rather positive sentiment
Scalability

+0.6

Rather positive sentiment

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment

MongoDB and MongoDB Atlas Pricing

No data

See full Pricing page

No data

User sentiment

Rather negative

-0.33

See full Pricing page

MongoDB and MongoDB Atlas review insights

865 reviews analysed from

Users love

Flexible, schema-less design for agile development
Scalable architecture for handling large data volumes and high throughput
Document-oriented data model for easy data manipulation
Fast read and write performance with proper indexing

Easy setup and deployment, especially for cloud-based instances.
User-friendly interface and intuitive dashboards.
Flexible data model and schema-less design.
Scalability and ability to handle large datasets.
Comprehensive documentation and helpful online resources.

Users dislike

Limited support for complex queries and transactions
High memory usage can be problematic
Difficult to maintain data consistency across large datasets
Steep learning curve for aggregation framework and sharding

High cost, especially for smaller projects or limited budgets.
Limited customization for specific features.
Occasional slow query performance, especially with complex queries or large datasets.
Steep learning curve for new users unfamiliar with NoSQL databases.
Occasional performance issues or latency, especially with shared clusters.

MongoDB and MongoDB Atlas Ratings

G2

4.5/5

(531)
Glassdoor

4.2/5

(2076)

G2

4.5/5

(334)
Glassdoor

4.2/5

(2076)

Company health

Employee growth

23% increase in the last year

Web traffic

9% decrease in the last quarter

Financing

May 2024 - $311M

How does MongoDB Atlas's cloud-based setup compare to MongoDB's self-hosting option?

MongoDB Atlas is the cloud-based Database-as-a-Service offering of MongoDB, while self-hosting MongoDB means you manage the database installation, maintenance, and scaling on your own infrastructure. Atlas simplifies setup and management by handling these operational aspects, offering features like automated scaling, backups, and security patching. Self-hosting offers more control over the environment but requires dedicated resources and expertise.

Which product offers better control over data security and compliance requirements?

MongoDB Atlas offers better control over data security and compliance requirements. As a cloud-based service, Atlas provides built-in security features like "always-on security" with access controls and encryption, which are essential for meeting various compliance standards. While MongoDB itself is a powerful database, managing security and compliance becomes the responsibility of the user. Atlas simplifies this by handling much of the underlying infrastructure and security management.

What are the advantages of MongoDB?

MongoDB offers a flexible schema, allowing diverse data structures within collections, which contrasts with traditional relational databases. It's designed for modern applications and scales easily to handle large amounts of data and high throughput, making it suitable for various tasks like real-time analytics and managing online catalogs. MongoDB supports cloud-based deployments through MongoDB Atlas, providing flexibility and scalability. It utilizes a document-oriented data model, simplifying data manipulation for developers.

What are the disadvantages of MongoDB?

MongoDB can be expensive, especially for smaller projects or those with limited budgets. It has a steep learning curve, particularly for those unfamiliar with NoSQL databases and concepts like the aggregation framework and sharding. Users sometimes experience slow query performance with complex queries or large datasets, and maintaining data consistency across large datasets can be challenging. Finally, MongoDB can consume significant memory resources, which may be problematic for some deployments.

Alternatives to MongoDB and MongoDB Atlas

PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is a reliable, open-source database system businesses use to store and manage their data. Known for its reliability and performance, it's suitable for a wide range of needs, from single computers to large-scale data storage for multiple users. PostgreSQL is free to use and is backed by a large community of developers.

Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server is a database management system for businesses of all sizes. It helps you analyze various types of data and can be used in multiple environments, including on your servers and in the cloud. SQL Server offers high performance and strong security features. It allows developers to build applications using different programming languages and provides mobile business intelligence tools.

MongoDB

MongoDB is a flexible database management software designed for modern businesses. Unlike traditional systems that rely on rigid tables, MongoDB stores data as documents, similar to how we organize information in files. This makes it easier for developers to build applications and adapt to changing needs. MongoDB excels at handling large volumes of diverse data, making it suitable for various tasks like real-time analytics and managing online catalogs.

PopSQL

PopSQL is a tool designed for data teams to work together more effectively. It provides a user-friendly interface for writing, organizing, and sharing SQL queries. Teams can collaborate in real-time, track changes, and visualize data through charts and dashboards. PopSQL integrates with various databases and tools, enabling seamless workflows and data exploration.

MariaDB

MariaDB is a popular, free alternative to traditional database software. Developed by the creators of MySQL, it's known for its strong performance, reliability, and open-source nature. MariaDB is highly adaptable, working well for both transaction-heavy tasks (like processing orders) and analyzing large datasets. It's commonly used by companies of all sizes and is a key part of many cloud computing services. Notably, MariaDB offers similar features as more expensive database products but without the high cost.

QuestDB

QuestDB is an open-source database designed specifically for handling large volumes of time-stamped data, like financial records or sensor readings. It boasts very fast performance, even with massive datasets, making it suitable for applications requiring real-time analysis. QuestDB supports standard SQL queries and integrates with popular data visualization tools for easy analysis. It’s built to be cost-effective, performing well on both modest and powerful hardware.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

How are we doing?

Is this information helpful to you? Is there anything we are missing?

Did this help you select your product?

Other issues? Vote & Let us know