PostgreSQL Buyer Guide
Ever wondered how PostgreSQL’s users think it performs? Our detailed guide, synthesized from honest user experiences and feedback, can help you figure out what works well and what doesn’t. Discover the strengths and weaknesses of PostgreSQL before making a purchase decision.
Highlight the Right Reviews
Throughout the guide below, there are links directly to reviews. Select the reviewers most relevant to you, and those links will be highlighted in blue.
Table of Contents
Database Core Features
Database Management
Users generally praise PostgreSQL’s database management capabilities. They appreciate its stability, speed of response, and excellent resource management, even in complex database environments with low-resource machines. The vast array of resources and compatibility with various tools contribute to increased productivity. PostgreSQL’s adaptability in different environments, along with a comprehensive set of configuration options, allows for customization based on specific needs. Additionally, its robust handling of referential and transactional integrity, internal security scheme, and ease of creating backups are highlighted as strengths by users. PostgreSQL is considered ideal for managing databases with large volumes of information due to its efficiency, speed, and resource management, making it a reliable choice for stable data and excellent performance. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“The stability it offers, its speed of response and its resource management is excellent even in complex database environments and with low-resource machines.” – Employee in Legal, Government Administration, 5001-10,000 employees
“PostgreSQL is open source, and then, there are several companies that could give you technical support, like EnterpriseDB or Percona.” – Executive in Information Technology, Banking, 51-200 employees
“I simply can’t see any reason to use another object-relational database (other than licensing of compatibility with legacy applications) instead of PostgreSQL.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Computer & Network Security, 1001-5000 employees
Relational Database Features
Users generally believe that PostgreSQL’s relational database capabilities are a strong point, as highlighted in the reviews provided. Reviewers consistently praise PostgreSQL for its robust support of relational data structures, emphasizing its ease of use and efficiency in handling complex relational queries. While some users note limitations in handling extremely large datasets or specific data types, the overall sentiment leans towards PostgreSQL being a reliable choice for organizations seeking a feature-rich and versatile relational database management system. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“PostgreSQL, unlike other databases, is user-friendly and uses an open-source database. Ideal for relational databases, they can be accessed when speed and efficiency are required. It enables high-availability and disaster recovery replication from instance to instance.” – Team Lead in Customer Service, Computer Software, 11-50 employees
“I don’t know anyone who would choose another RDBMS other than PostgreSQL for a new project. Thanks to the wealth of field types, it can even function in situations where you might choose a document-based ‘NoSQL’ db.” – C-Level Executive in Information Technology, Health, Wellness and Fitness, 11-50 employees
“What it’s not suited for, is large document stores. This is where PostgreSQL doesn’t do well, compared to mongo. However, newer releases show that it is getting there.” – Engineer in Engineering, Biotechnology, 11-50 employees
Transactional Processing
Users generally praise PostgreSQL’s transactional processing capabilities. They highlight its robust support for handling transactional data with integrity and efficiency. While some users mention limitations in handling large document stores or raw genomic data, overall, PostgreSQL is recognized for its strength in managing structured and sometimes unstructured data within transactional systems. Users appreciate its adaptability in various environments and its ability to standardize configurations, making it a reliable choice for organizations looking to streamline their transactional processes. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
“PostgreSQL works great for transactional environments where data integrity is a priority. It also offers different types of replication between instances that can be used for high availability and disaster recovery scenarios.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Hospital & Health Care, 10,001+ employees
“PostgreSQL is great as a data warehousing solution in large organizations but it is also problematic when it is improperly used as a transactional database. Postgres is an OLAP, not an OLTP database where you would use something like MySQL instead for storing live data.” – Engineer in Engineering, Information Technology and Services, 10,001+ employees
“PostgreSQL is best for OLTP applications and searches engines/queries. Want to save the budget? PostgreSQL is best. Want database support on On-premises and Cloud? PostgreSQL is best.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Financial Services, 10,001+ employees
Performance and Scalability
Query Optimization
Users generally praise PostgreSQL’s query optimization capabilities. Reviewers highlight that PostgreSQL excels in handling large and complex queries efficiently, providing fast query execution speeds. However, some users have expressed concerns about the complexity of query syntax for certain data types like JSON fields, which can make it challenging to write and optimize complex queries. Despite this, PostgreSQL’s overall performance in query optimization is acknowledged positively by users, contributing to its reputation as a reliable database management system for various analytical and data warehousing tasks. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
“The number of users does not seem to affect performance. Larger queries are able to be obtained quickly.” – Analyst in Information Technology, Insurance, 501-1000 employees
“PostgreSQL is superb in larger queries, where it is solving our day-to-day business problems in complex programs. Its performance and security both are satisfactory.” – C-Level Executive in Engineering, Education Management, 1-10 employees
“Not exactly parallel, means a single query often is run in a sequential manner, no threads. The optimizer is hard to understand and deliver quicker queries faster is not often possible.” – Consultant in Information Technology, Health, Wellness and Fitness, 51-200 employees
Server and Engine Performance
Users consistently highlight PostgreSQL’s server and engine performance as a key strength, emphasizing its efficiency, speed, and resource management. The database is commended for its reliability, stability, and ability to handle large volumes of data effectively. Reviewers also appreciate the platform’s versatility and adaptability in various environments, ensuring a high level of performance even in distributed and high-demand settings. Additionally, PostgreSQL’s robustness and security measures instill confidence in users regarding data availability and protection. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Reliability – There is absolutely no issue with uptime or data integrity. Flexibility – The wide range of data types which are supported gives us immense flexibility in terms of what data we can store. Speed – Even at our busiest, we are able to count on the performance of the engine matching our needs.” – C-Level Executive in Information Technology, Health, Wellness and Fitness, 11-50 employees
“PostgreSQL is ideal for handling databases that contain large volumes of information due to its efficiency, speed and above all because of the good management it makes of our resources, it also behaves very well in distributed environments of high demand, if you want a database of stable data and excellent performance PostgreSQL is one of the best.” – Employee in Legal, Government Administration, 5001-10,000 employees
“We migrated most of the oracle databases that were used by the application services to PostgreSQL database. In most of the cases it has improved performance. From my experience, performance is good for medium to large databases but not as much different for small databases.” – Administrator in Information Technology, Entertainment, 1001-5000 employees
Scalability and Horizontal Scaling
User sentiment regarding PostgreSQL’s scalability and horizontal scaling capabilities appears to be mixed. While some users praise its ability to handle large amounts of data and scale for reading purposes, others express concerns about the complexity of horizontal scaling and the challenges it presents. Additionally, there are mentions of PostgreSQL being criticized for being slow and not as straightforward for horizontal scaling compared to other database solutions like MongoDB. Despite these mixed opinions, PostgreSQL’s flexibility in selecting procedural languages for stored procedures and its support for various indexing methods are highlighted as strengths in enhancing scalability. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
“Many see PostgreSQL as slow or old; Horizontal scaling not easy; No column re-ordering.” – C-Level Executive in Information Technology, Market Research, 11-50 employees
“Horizontal scaling can be difficult.; Has support for JSON type, but needs more work if compared to something like MongoDB.” – Employee in Information Technology, Computer Software, 1-10 employees
“Postgres has so many ways you can scale it besides just upping the SSD and CPU and memory speed. You can scale reads horizontally through multiple slaves that handle all the reads. You can add highly optimized indices to your tables.” – Engineer in Engineering, Internet, 201-500 employees
Licensing and Cost Management
Open Source Licensing
Reviewers consistently praise PostgreSQL’s open source nature and its impact on cost management. Users appreciate the freedom and flexibility that come with an open source licensing model, allowing for easy deployment without the burden of license fees. The consensus among users is that PostgreSQL’s open source licensing contributes significantly to its appeal, enabling organizations to leverage a robust database solution without incurring additional costs. The availability of technical support from various companies further enhances the value of PostgreSQL’s open source approach, ensuring reliable and secure database operations. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Being an Open Source solution PostgreSQL is a great choice for solutions that need a database and do not want to rely on customer database solutions.” – General Manager in Research & Development, Computer Software, 1-10 employees
“PostgreSQL is open source, and then, there are several companies that could give you technical support, like EnterpriseDB or Percona.” – Executive in Information Technology, Banking, 51-200 employees
“No license costs; High availability; Scalability.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Computer & Network Security, 1001-5000 employees
Cost Management and License Fees
Users consistently praise PostgreSQL for its cost management and lack of licensing fees. They highlight the significant advantage of not having to worry about licensing costs, allowing for scalability and flexibility in implementing the database across various systems. PostgreSQL’s cost-effective approach is particularly beneficial for organizations looking to reduce overall database costs and streamline deployment processes. Users appreciate the simplicity of PostgreSQL’s pricing structure, which eliminates the need to navigate complex licensing models, resulting in a more straightforward and cost-efficient database management experience. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
“The use of PostgreSQL in our organization has allowed us to scale the number of implementations without worrying about costs associated with licenses.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Hospital & Health Care, 10,001+ employees
“Since it did not create a cost step before the project, it enabled us to act more flexibly on the upper source or software side.” – Professional in Information Technology, Retail, 1001-5000 employees
“It is excellent when full transactional SQL is required and reducing costs is a factor.” – Engineer in Engineering, Telecommunications, 501-1000 employees
Data Management and Integration
Replication and Data Distribution
Users generally praise PostgreSQL’s replication and data distribution capabilities. Reviewers highlight the ease of setting up replication pairs quickly and the reliability of data syncing across instances. However, some users have reported minor issues with replication delays and schema updates not propagating instantaneously. Despite these occasional challenges, PostgreSQL’s replication and data distribution features are seen as valuable assets for ensuring data integrity and availability across multiple instances. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
“PostgreSQL works great for transactional environments where data integrity is a priority. It also offers different types of replication between instances that can be used for high availability and disaster recovery scenarios.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Hospital & Health Care, 10,001+ employees
“We were delighted with the ease of use and replication abilities, not to mention the amazing performance. It is excellent when full transactional SQL is required and reducing costs is a factor. It is also excellent where replication is required.” – Engineer in Engineering, Telecommunications, 501-1000 employees
“Anecdotally, the Postgres replication process for keeping slaves up to date with the primary is a bit buggy. I say anecdotally because it just happened to us here at my company. A schema update made to the primary didn’t make it to a replica for almost a minute and caused probably 50% of the traffic to our website to see 500 internal server error pages for the whole time.” – Engineer in Engineering, Internet, 201-500 employees
Data Types and Structures
Reviewers consistently highlight PostgreSQL’s robust data types and structures capabilities. Users appreciate the flexibility offered by PostgreSQL in handling various data types, including JSON and JSONB, which allows for efficient storage and retrieval of structured and unstructured data. The support for custom data types and extensions further enhances the database’s versatility in accommodating diverse data requirements. Despite some limitations in handling large document stores and specific data types like genomic data, PostgreSQL’s data types and structures functionality is generally regarded as a strong asset by users across different business use cases. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
“JSONB data types are great for dealing with various use cases that come up to avoid an EAV pattern.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 201-500 employees
“Using PostgreSQL in all aspects of the company. Using it for our front-end platform to display data. Using PostgreSQL as part of our pipeline looking up reference data. Also using it for reporting purposes as well. The data we have is structured, but with some unstructured data, the jsonb datatype support, also helps us considerably to store dynamic data generation.” – Engineer in Engineering, Biotechnology, 11-50 employees
“PostgreSQL is the best solution out there for data warehousing for relational data if that is what you need in your various analytics and dashboarding projects. It doesn’t work that well as a transactional database, for that you’d probably want to stick with MySQL.” – Consultant in Information Technology, Internet, 51-200 employees
Application Integration
Reviewers generally praise PostgreSQL for its robust application integration capabilities. Users appreciate how PostgreSQL seamlessly integrates with various applications, making it a versatile choice for diverse use cases. The consensus leans towards PostgreSQL being reliable and efficient in handling application integration tasks, contributing to a smooth and streamlined workflow for users across different industries. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
“PostgreSQL is well suited for a variety of applications, especially where relational data is involved. Its low cost and its widespread use makes it an ideal choice when looking for a relational database.” – Manager in Engineering, Marketing and Advertising, 1001-5000 employees
“PostgreSQL is really good at being a data source for many applications. Because each database has the ability to have multiple schemas, a database can be separated logically according to criteria, such as which business unit the underlying data belongs to.” – Engineer in Engineering, Farming, 10,001+ employees
“PostgreSQL is best for OLTP applications and searches engines/queries. Want to save the budget? PostgreSQL is best. Want database support on On-premises and Cloud? PostgreSQL is best.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Financial Services, 10,001+ employees
Support and Documentation
Documentation and Community Support
Users consistently highlight PostgreSQL’s documentation as a standout feature, praising its thoroughness and ease of access. The community support surrounding PostgreSQL is also highly regarded, with users noting the availability of assistance and resources when needed. Despite some minor suggestions for improvement, overall, PostgreSQL’s documentation and community support are seen as valuable assets by its user base. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
“The main thing that makes PostgreSQL so easy to use is its comprehensive and easily referenced documentation. All it usually only takes is a Web search to find the answer I’m looking for, with examples!” – Engineer in Engineering, Farming, 10,001+ employees
“Community support is amazing and purchased support is available if required.” – Engineer in Engineering, Telecommunications, 501-1000 employees
“I wish there was a distinction (a flag) you could set for automated scripts vs working in the psql CLI, which would provide an ‘Are you sure you want to do X?’ type prompt if your query is likely to affect more than a certain number of rows.” – C-Level Executive in Information Technology, Health, Wellness and Fitness, 11-50 employees
Configuration and Setup
Users commonly praise PostgreSQL’s ease of configuration and setup across various reviews. The consensus among reviewers is that PostgreSQL offers a straightforward and efficient setup process, allowing for quick deployment of database-dependent systems. Users appreciate the simplicity and speed of configuring PostgreSQL, which enables them to focus more on development tasks rather than spending excessive time on configuration. Additionally, the cost-effectiveness of PostgreSQL compared to other paid options in the market is highlighted as a significant advantage by users. Despite some minor concerns about the installation process being challenging for first-time users and the upgrade/update process being somewhat complex, PostgreSQL’s configuration and setup capabilities are generally well-regarded by the user community. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
“Ease of automating the database creation.; Simplicity of active passive setup and failover.; simple multi-tenancy setup within the same database cluster.” – Administrator in Information Technology, Entertainment, 1001-5000 employees
“Easy to administer so our DevOps team has only ever used minimal time to setup, tune, and maintain.; Easy to interface with so our Engineering team has only ever used minimal time to query or modify the database. Getting the data is straightforward, what we do with it is the bigger concern.; It’s free. You can’t beat that.” – C-Level Executive in Information Technology, Health, Wellness and Fitness, 11-50 employees
“Installation and configuration can be difficult for first time users.; Somewhat hard to upgrade/update, especially for major releases.; Less online documentation and resources available compared to MySQL or SQL Server.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Professional Training & Coaching, 11-50 employees