Comparison: DuckDB vs SQLite

Modified date: Monday, June 30, 2025

Table of Contents

Introduction
General
Data Types
SQL
Storage and System
Benchmarking
Tools
Export Regulations
Internal
Internal - Optimizer
Internal - Runtime
Internal - Storage Engine

General

Feature	DuckDB	SQLite	Definition
intro	DuckDB is an in-process SQL OLAP database management system. Simple, feature-rich, fast & open source.	SQLite is a C-language library that implements a small, fast, self-contained, high-reliability, full-featured, SQL database engine.	in their own words - but I reserved the rights to remove some bold claims like "the best", unless it is widely recognized.
vendor	DuckDB Lab	SQLite Team
initial release	2018	2000
latested version	1.3.0 "Ossivalis"	3.5	We don't put a release date here as the software is patching frequently. So tracking it is not much useful.
supported platforms	all major OS (Linux, macOS, Windows) and CPU (x86, ARM)	Android, *BSD, iOS, Linux, Mac, Solaris, VxWorks, and Windows	supported OS/CPU platforms
db-engines ranking	45	10	ranks from https://db-engines.com/en/ranking (06/25)
relational?	yes	yes	Is it a relational database? (1) Most database are actually with some extensions, for example, nested data types, graph support, etc, which we usually called "multi-model". (2) Some of them are product family, meaning they have more than one database. Here we focus on the main one but explain others when needed.
open source?	yes	yes	mainly the engine code
license	MIT	no license is needed The core SQLite database software is in the public domain. No license is necessary to use SQLite or to build SQLite into your products.
price: box software	0 free download	0 free download
on-premise offering	yes	yes	if no means you can't buy "box" software from them
cloud offering	yes: via MotherDuck MotherDuck is a cloud data warehouse platform that builds on top of DuckDB, an open-source analytical database. It provides a managed, serverless environment for storing, sharing, and collaborating on data while offering features like cloud storage, a web-based SQL IDE, and hybrid query execution (combining local and cloud processing).	None It is mainly in embedded usage.
technical doc	https://duckdb.org/docs/stable/	https://www.sqlite.org/docs.html

SQL

Feature	DuckDB	SQLite	Definition
SQL: standard complaince	high	medium
Extension Mechanism	DuckDB Extensions

Storage and System

Feature	DuckDB	SQLite	Definition
arch: server	Embedded	Embedded	Embedded or traditional C/S?
arch: run in browser?	yes	yes	It also known as a client-side database, is a database that is stored and managed within a user's web browser, rather than on a remote server.
ACID: durability	yes	yes
Materialized View: support?	no	no

Benchmarking

Feature	DuckDB	SQLite	Definition
any official TPC benchmarks?	no	no	The TPC benchmark includes a set of tests simulating real-world scenarios to evaluate database performance.

Tools

Feature	DuckDB	SQLite	Definition
command line client	duckdb	sqlite3	it means "sql client" for database supporting SQL. For embedded atabase, the client includes the server together.

Export Regulations

Both are open source databases, so they are easy with export regulations.

Feature	DuckDB	SQLite	Definition
Jurisdiction	US	US	Which country controls export
ECCN	None	None or EAR99	An Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) is a five-character alphanumeric code used to categorize items on the Commerce Control List (CCL) for export control purposes. Most database may fall into 5D992.c category, "mass market encryption", which means it has some ordinary encryption related code, for example, the SSL connection code.
Eligible License Exception / CCATS	Not required	Not required There is no ECCN for open source software	A License Exception is an authorization that allows you to export or reexport items subject to the EAR without needing to obtain a specific export license, provided certain conditions are met. CCATS stands for Commodity Classification Automated Tracking System. The BIS assigns a CCATS number to products that it has classified under the Commerce Control List (CCL).
Encryption Components	SSL	SQLite Encryption Extension (SEE), SSL	Crypto functionality that triggers control

Internal

Feature	DuckDB	SQLite	Definition
Implementation language	C++ The entire code base is starting from scratch, with emulation C/S layer to PostgreSQL. But implmentation is C++.		A DBMS may use mulitple programming languages, for example, supports its stored procedure. The major programming language used to implement the engine.

Internal - Optimizer

Feature	DuckDB	SQLite	Definition

Internal - Runtime

Feature	DuckDB	SQLite	Definition

Internal - Storage Engine

Feature	DuckDB	SQLite	Definition
ACID: durability mechanism	WAL	WAL	How is it implements durability. Database's classic way is write ahead logging (WAL).