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PostgreSQL

Open source object-relational database system

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PostgreSQL is a free, open source object-relational database system that uses and extends SQL to store and scale complex data workloads. Originating in 1986 as the POSTGRES project at the University of California, Berkeley, it has been under active development for nearly four decades. It runs on all major operating systems and has been ACID-compliant since 2001.

The system supports a broad range of data types, including primitives, structured types, JSON/JSONB, XML, Hstore, and geometry, along with data integrity features such as unique constraints, primary and foreign keys, exclusion constraints, and row-level security. It includes advanced indexing (B-tree, GiST, GIN, BRIN, Bloom filters), a sophisticated query planner, MVCC, parallel query execution, table partitioning, JIT compilation, and asynchronous I/O. Reliability features include write-ahead logging, asynchronous and synchronous replication, logical replication, and point-in-time recovery. Extensibility is provided through stored functions, procedural languages (PL/pgSQL, Perl, Python, Tcl), foreign data wrappers, and extensions such as PostGIS. Security features include GSSAPI, LDAP, SCRAM-SHA-256, OAuth 2.0, certificate authentication, and multi-factor authentication.

PostgreSQL is intended for developers, administrators, and organizations managing data workloads of varying sizes. It is distributed as free, open source software under a PostgreSQL licence, with no paid editions or seat-based plans described.

12 alternatives to PostgreSQL

Ranked by how well each tool replaces PostgreSQL: shared features, audience, price and popularity.

  1. pgAdmin

    Everything PostgreSQL, in one place.

    Covers 1 of 10 key features.

    Open source
    67 out of 100 match—

  2. Supabase

    The Postgres development platform.

    Covers 2 of 10 key features.

    Free planOpen source
    66 out of 100 match$25/mo

  3. Postgres.app

    Easiest way to get started with PostgreSQL on the Mac

    Covers 1 of 10 key features.

    Free planOpen source
    62 out of 100 matchContact sales

  4. SQLite

    Small. Fast. Reliable. Choose any three.

    Covers 5 of 10 key features.

    Open source
    62 out of 100 match—

  5. Citus Data

    Distributed Postgres. At any scale.

    Covers 1 of 10 key features.

    Free planOpen source
    62 out of 100 matchFree

  6. Firebird

    The true open-source relational database

    Covers 1 of 10 key features.

    Open source
    61 out of 100 match—

  7. MongoDB

    The intelligent data platform for the AI era

    Covers 2 of 10 key features.

    Free plan
    61 out of 100 match$30/mo

  8. MariaDB Server (MariaDB Foundation)

    Open source relational database maintained by the MariaDB Foundation

    Covers 0 of 10 key features.

    Free planOpen source
    61 out of 100 matchFree

  9. TablePlus

    Database management made easy.

    Covers 0 of 10 key features.

    61 out of 100 match—

  10. HeidiSQL

    Free open-source database client for Windows, Linux and macOS

    Covers 1 of 10 key features.

    Free planOpen source
    61 out of 100 matchFree

  11. DBeaver

    Professional database management software for 100+ data sources

    Covers 1 of 10 key features.

    Free planOpen source
    59 out of 100 matchContact sales

  12. Tiger Data

    Time-Series PostgreSQL at Petabyte Scale

    Covers 0 of 10 key features.

    Open source
    59 out of 100 match$30/mo