Infra Data Platform

Infrahub vs Obelinf

Git-style infrastructure data platform vs managed source of truth

Infrahub brings Git-style workflows and infrastructure-as-code practices to infrastructure data. Obelinf provides a managed source of truth without schema design, database operations, or platform maintenance.

Deployment & Operations

A managed platform. Zero graph databases.

Infrahub's architecture gives teams a flexible graph-based model, but operating the platform still requires running its supporting services: Neo4j, a task worker, and the Infrahub application itself, typically deployed with Docker Compose or Kubernetes.

For teams with a dedicated platform group, that is manageable. For everyone else, the infrastructure required to run Infrahub becomes another thing to manage, another dependency to watch, and another potential source of problems. Obelinf removes that operational layer entirely.

Sign up and start working
Nothing to deploy, configure, update, back up, or monitor.
No schema design
The data model is purpose-built for infrastructure management, so you never define a schema up front.
No database administration
No Neo4j to tune, cluster, or back up.
Interface & Workflow

Fast, searchable, and ready from day one.

Infrahub is a developer tool at heart, with a schema language, GraphQL queries, branches, and a CLI. That power comes with a learning curve.

Obelinf is ready the moment you sign up. Search works across every entity and attribute, a command palette jumps you to any entity type, and rack elevations and topology diagrams render from the data you enter.

Command palette
Jump to any entity type with a few keystrokes, no menu hunting during an incident.
Full-text search everywhere
Find devices, IPs, subnets, serial numbers, and asset tags instantly, with connected results.
Fast and responsive
A modern interface built for daily use, not for the occasional audit someone forces.
Data Modeling

A purpose-built model, not a blank canvas.

Infrahub's schema system is deeply flexible: you define your own data models and extend them over time. Teams that get the schema right end up with a powerful, customized platform. Teams that get it wrong end up with a data model that is hard to evolve.

Obelinf's model is fixed but comprehensive, covering sites, racks, devices, interfaces, cables, IPs, subnets, VLANs, VRFs, circuits, and contacts. There is no modeling decision to make, and no schema to migrate when your needs change.

Everything connected
Sites contain racks, racks hold devices, devices connect by cable, and IPs live in subnets.
Zero upfront investment
No schema language to learn before you can document anything.
Consistent by construction
The model already reflects how infrastructure actually fits together.
Change Tracking

Zero-effort audit trail.

Infrahub's Git-style version control is genuinely powerful: branches, proposed changes, CI checks, and merges give you a software development workflow applied to infrastructure data.

Obelinf takes a different approach: every create, update, and delete is logged automatically with the user, timestamp, and field-level diffs. There is no branching model, but the audit trail is complete, always available, and covers the vast majority of audit and compliance requirements with zero effort.

Immutable history
Changes cannot be rewritten or deleted, so the audit trail is trustworthy by construction.
Field-level diffs
See exactly what changed, from the old value to the new one, inline on every entity.
Automatic, no workflow to adopt
Change tracking works from day one without branches, reviews, or merges to learn.
API & Automation

Automation without the platform engineering.

Infrahub invests heavily in automation: generators, transformations, Ansible and Nornir integrations, and a Python SDK. If your team's main goal is generating configurations and pushing them through CI, that workflow is its superpower.

Obelinf's REST API covers the entire data model with consistent patterns, and an MCP server exposes the same data to AI agents. For teams whose priority is maintaining an operational source of truth rather than building infrastructure-as-code workflows, Obelinf provides automation capabilities without requiring a platform engineering layer.

REST API across the model
Consistent filtering, sorting, pagination, and search on every endpoint.
MCP for AI agents
Connect any MCP-capable client to query and document your infrastructure.
Automation-ready from day one
The API is a core feature of the platform, not a bolt-on.
Pricing & Total Cost

Predictable pricing. No platform to run.

Infrahub Community is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, but limited to community support and single-instance deployment. Infrahub Enterprise pricing is designed for organizations requiring commercial support and enterprise features. Running the platform also requires the infrastructure and operational resources to maintain it.

On top of the license, running Infrahub means paying for servers, storage, backups, and engineering time. Obelinf scales from a free Personal plan to $299 per month, and the managed model removes the infrastructure costs entirely.

Free Personal plan
1 organization, up to 30 devices, rack elevations, basic IPAM, and a topology diagram.
Teams at $99/mo
Circuits, VMs and clusters, API access, and team management with admin and member roles.
Scale at $299/mo
SSO/OIDC, custom roles, up to 50 members, and 6-month changelog retention.

Who should choose Infrahub?

Choose Infrahub if:

  • You want Git-style workflows for infrastructure data
  • You need schema flexibility
  • You build automation pipelines around infrastructure changes
  • Your team is comfortable operating infrastructure platforms

Choose Obelinf if:

  • You need a ready-to-use source of truth
  • Your priority is documentation accuracy
  • You don't want to design schemas
  • You want SaaS operations handled for you
Migration

Moving from Infrahub to Obelinf

1
Export your data

Infrahub exposes a GraphQL API and the infrahubctl CLI; export your nodes, relationships, and artifacts.

2
Map and import

Map your custom schema onto Obelinf's purpose-built model, then import through the REST API or CSV.

3
Invite your team

Set up roles so everyone lands with the right permissions from day one.

4
Go live

No Neo4j to migrate and no task worker to stand up; the platform is already running.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Obelinf use a graph database like Infrahub?
No. Obelinf uses a relational data model purpose-built for infrastructure management, where sites contain racks, racks hold devices, and everything is connected. Infrahub uses Neo4j. Obelinf's approach means no schema design or graph database administration is required.
Is Obelinf or Infrahub better for infrastructure automation?
It depends on the use case. Infrahub is designed as an automation-first platform with CI workflows, generators, and Ansible and Nornir integrations. Obelinf focuses on infrastructure documentation and management with zero maintenance. Choose Infrahub if automation pipelines are your priority; choose Obelinf if you need a fast, managed source of truth.
Does Obelinf support version control like Infrahub's Git-style branching?
Obelinf tracks every change automatically with user, timestamp, and field-level diffs, providing a complete audit trail. Infrahub offers Git-style branching with proposed changes and CI validation. Obelinf's approach is zero-effort change tracking; Infrahub gives you a software development workflow applied to infrastructure data.
Is Infrahub Community free?
Yes, Infrahub Community is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, but it limits you to community support and single-instance deployment. Enterprise pricing is designed for organizations requiring commercial support and enterprise features. Obelinf offers a free tier for personal use and paid plans for teams.
What are the deployment requirements for Infrahub vs Obelinf?
Infrahub requires Neo4j, a task worker, and the Infrahub application itself, typically via Docker Compose or Kubernetes. Obelinf is a managed web application, so there is nothing to deploy, configure, update, back up, or monitor.

Ready for a managed source of truth without the schema design?