Presto vs Trino: Which is Better in 2026?
Presto and Trino are both Distributed SQL Query Engines tools, made for different people. Presto is for teams that want an Apache-licensed SQL engine under Linux Foundation governance, with a C++ native worker. Trino is for data platform teams that want free, federated SQL across lakes and databases and can run a cluster.
Quick verdict
There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Presto if you want the C++ native worker for performance. Choose Trino if you want to query several data stores with one SQL engine.
Presto vs Trino: Side by Side
| Presto | Trino | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Distributed SQL Query Engines | Distributed SQL Query Engines |
| What it is | Open-source distributed SQL engine | Open-source distributed SQL engine |
| Licence | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 |
| How you pay | Free; you pay for the servers | Free; you pay for the servers |
| Where it runs | Your infrastructure | Your infrastructure |
| Managed option | Not offered by the project | Starburst Galaxy and Enterprise |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Free tier | ||
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.6 |
| Best for | Distributed SQL Query Engines: open source, C++ workers, Linux Foundation | Distributed SQL Query Engines: federated SQL, open source, data lakes |
Ratings are App Stack Builder’s editorial score out of 5, not an average of user reviews.
Pros & Cons
- Free under Apache 2.0
- C++ native worker on Velox
- Neutral foundation governance
- Smaller community than Trino
- You run it yourself
- Fewer managed hosting options
- Free and vendor-neutral
- Joins across many data sources
- Large connector set
- Active foundation
- You run and size the cluster
- Memory-hungry on big joins
- No storage of its own
Key Features Compared
Presto
- Apache 2.0
- Governed by the Presto Foundation under the Linux Foundation; founding members Facebook, Alibaba, Twitter and Uber
- Presto native: a C++ rewrite of the worker on the Velox engine
- Distributed SQL over large datasets
Trino
- Apache 2.0, run by the non-profit Trino Software Foundation
- Queries Hadoop, S3, Cassandra, MySQL and many other sources in place
- Joins across sources in one query
- Managed versions from Starburst, founded by Trino’s creators
Choose Presto if…
- You want the C++ native worker for performance.
- You prefer Linux Foundation governance.
- You already run Presto and want to stay on it.
Choose Trino if…
- You want to query several data stores with one SQL engine.
- You want no licence fee and a neutral foundation behind the project.
- Your team can operate a coordinator and workers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Presto better than Trino?⌄
There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Presto if you want the C++ native worker for performance. Choose Trino if you want to query several data stores with one SQL engine.
What is the difference between Presto and Trino?⌄
Managed option. Presto: Not offered by the project. Trino: Starburst Galaxy and Enterprise.
Presto vs Trino: which is cheaper?⌄
Presto pricing: Free. Trino pricing: Free. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, Presto or Trino?⌄
On our editorial score, Presto is 4.2 out of 5 and Trino is 4.6 out of 5, so Trino is slightly ahead. This is our own score, not an average of user reviews.
When should I skip both Presto and Trino?⌄
Skip Presto if you want a bigger community and more connectors. Trino has them. Skip Trino if you don’t want to run a cluster. Amazon Athena is serverless, and Starburst manages Trino for you.
Sources · tool facts checked November 2026
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