Top IBM Cloudant Alternatives for Your NoSQL Needs

IBM Cloudant is a robust NoSQL JSON document store, engineered for high-volume concurrent reads and writes, making it ideal for large, fast-growing web and mobile applications. It offers a fully-managed DBaaS on public clouds like IBM SoftLayer or an on-premise version, Cloudant Local. With its RESTful API and unique ability to distribute data across data centers and devices for faster access and fault tolerance, Cloudant is a powerful solution. However, specific project requirements, budget constraints, or a desire for different feature sets often lead developers to seek out an IBM Cloudant alternative. This guide explores some of the best options available.

Top IBM Cloudant Alternatives

If you're looking to move beyond IBM Cloudant or explore other options that offer similar capabilities for data storage, application hosting, or cloud infrastructure, these alternatives provide diverse solutions ranging from platform-as-a-service to full cloud computing platforms.

Heroku

Heroku is a platform as a service (PaaS) that empowers developers to build, run, and operate applications entirely in the cloud. As a Freemium service available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Web, with features like Custom DNS, Automated deployment, and Python support, Heroku serves as a strong IBM Cloudant alternative for those seeking a streamlined deployment and hosting environment for their applications, especially when a managed database solution is part of a broader application deployment.

Google App Engine

Google App Engine is a powerful, free* platform (Freemium, Web) for developing and hosting web applications in Google-managed data centers. It offers fast development and deployment and includes features like API access, Import from MySQL, PHP IDE, and support for NodeJS. For those seeking a scalable, managed platform with integrated database services (like Cloud Datastore or Firestore) that can serve as an IBM Cloudant alternative, App Engine provides a robust ecosystem within the Google Cloud Platform.

PythonAnywhere

PythonAnywhere is a web-based Python development and hosting environment (Freemium, Web) that runs on cloud servers. It comes pre-configured with Python, offers coding, command line/bash access, an IDE, and real-time collaboration. While not a direct NoSQL database like Cloudant, PythonAnywhere can be an IBM Cloudant alternative for developers primarily focused on Python applications who need integrated hosting and can connect to external NoSQL databases or use file-based storage for JSON data.

Amazon Web Services

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a comprehensive commercial cloud platform (Commercial, Web) offering a vast array of in-the-cloud infrastructure services. With features like Dedicated Server Hosting, VPS hosting, Cloud Storage, and various Developer Tools, AWS provides a full suite of services, including NoSQL databases like DynamoDB, which makes it an excellent and versatile IBM Cloudant alternative for organizations looking for scalable, highly available data solutions and a broad cloud ecosystem.

Google Cloud Platform

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a commercial cloud computing service (Commercial, Web) that enables users to build and host web apps on the same infrastructure that powers Google's own applications. Offering VPS hosting and a variety of services including NoSQL databases like Cloud Firestore and Cloud Bigtable, GCP stands as a formidable IBM Cloudant alternative for those seeking robust, scalable, and globally distributed data storage and application hosting solutions.

Last.Backend

Last.Backend is an open-source system (Free, Open Source, Linux) designed for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. It features Continuous Deployment, Continuous Integration, and Support for Docker. While not a database itself, Last.Backend can be an IBM Cloudant alternative for developers who prefer an open-source, self-hosted solution for managing their application infrastructure, allowing them to integrate their preferred NoSQL database (like CouchDB, which Cloudant is based on) within their containerized environment.

Rackspace

Rackspace US, Inc. (Commercial, Web) is an IT hosting company offering a range of services, including Exchange email and Web hosting. While primarily known for managed hosting and cloud infrastructure, Rackspace provides flexible environments where you can deploy and manage your choice of NoSQL databases, making it a viable IBM Cloudant alternative for businesses looking for a managed service provider with customizability and dedicated support for their data and application needs.

Scalingo

Scalingo is a commercial platform (Commercial, Web) that allows for the rapid deployment, updating, and scaling of applications and their data in the cloud. It features support for Php, PhpMyAdmin, Python, and Ruby. As a PaaS, Scalingo simplifies system administration, enabling developers to focus on their app development, much like IBM Cloudant simplifies database management. It can serve as a suitable IBM Cloudant alternative for those prioritizing ease of deployment and scaling for their applications, including their data stores.

Akamai

Akamai (Commercial, iPhone, iPad) is a leading content delivery network (CDN) services provider, also offering media and software delivery, and cloud security solutions. While primarily focused on CDN and edge services, Akamai's offerings include Developer Tools, VPS, and Web hosting. While not a direct NoSQL database, for use cases where distributing data to the network edge for faster access (a key Cloudant feature) is paramount, Akamai's CDN and edge computing capabilities can complement or enhance a different backend database chosen as an IBM Cloudant alternative.

Amazon Web Services Lambda

AWS Lambda (Commercial, Web) is a serverless compute service that runs your code in response to events and automatically manages underlying compute resources. It includes Developer Tools, Java support, Notifications, SMS Messaging, VPS, and Web hosting. While not a database, AWS Lambda is often used in conjunction with serverless NoSQL databases like DynamoDB, making it a powerful component of an IBM Cloudant alternative solution for building highly scalable, event-driven applications without managing servers.

The best IBM Cloudant alternative for you will depend on your specific needs regarding data scalability, deployment flexibility (cloud vs. on-premise), development language preferences, and budget. Explore these options to find the perfect fit for your next project.