Technology · head to head
Alkami vs Postgres
Alkami
Technology
Digital banking platform for United States banks and credit unions
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Postgres has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Alkami pricing is per registered user with contractual minimums, so institutions with many enrolled but dormant users pay for accounts that never log in.; Postgres each major version is supported for only 5 years after its initial release, after which it is end-of-life
- They diverge on capability: Alkami covers Retail digital banking, Postgres covers ACID compliance.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Alkami and Postgres actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Alkami
- Retail digital banking
- Business banking
- Digital account opening
- Payments and money movement
- Data and marketing
- Extensibility framework
- Card controls
- Multi core integration
Only in Postgres
- ACID compliance
- Complex queries
- Foreign keys
- Triggers
- Views
- Stored procedures
- JSON/JSONB support
- Full-text search
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Alkami
- A credit union replacing the weak digital banking bundled with its core contractnot Postgres
- A community bank that needs commercial entitlements and approvals its core vendor does not providenot Postgres
- An institution wanting digital account opening and digital banking from one vendor after the MANTL acquisitionnot Postgres
- A bank competing for deposits online and needing an onboarding funnel that works on mobilenot Postgres
Postgres
- Running a general purpose relational database for applicationsnot Alkami
- Self-hosting an open source SQL database with no licence feenot Alkami
- Workloads needing extensions, JSON and full text search in one enginenot Alkami
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Alkami
- Pricing is per registered user with contractual minimums, so institutions with many enrolled but dormant users pay for accounts that never log in.
- Alkami is a channel layer, not a core, so functionality is bounded by what the core exposes, and a poor core integration produces a slow product no amount of channel work fixes.
- Implementation typically runs six to twelve months and requires institution staff time, which small credit unions consistently underestimate.
- The MANTL acquisition adds account opening but also another integration programme, and consolidating on one vendor removes leverage to swap a weak module for a best of breed alternative.
- Buying digital banking separately from the core vendor means you own the integration risk between two suppliers who will each blame the other when something breaks.
Postgres
- Each major version is supported for only 5 years after its initial release, after which it is end-of-life
- Major version upgrades break on-disk compatibility and require a full dump and reload or the pg_upgrade tool
- New major versions ship about once a year, so staying supported means a disruptive upgrade cycle
- Minor releases contain only frequently-encountered bug fixes, low-risk fixes, security issues and data corruption fixes, so feature gaps are not addressed within a major version
- There is no vendor SLA; commercial support must be bought separately from third party professional services listed by the project
Pricing, plan by plan
Alkami
On request- Alkami Digital Banking Platform$undefined/year
- Priced per registered user per month with multi year terms
- Minimum user commitments typical, so enrolled inactive users are still billed
- Implementation and core integration charged separately
Postgres
Free- Community EditionFree
- Full database features
- No limitations
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Alkami if
- You need retail digital banking.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want business banking.
Choose Postgres if
- You need acid compliance.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
- You also want complex queries.
Questions people ask
- Is Alkami or Postgres better?
- Neither clearly leads. Alkami starts at On request and Postgres at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Alkami or Postgres?
- Postgres has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Alkami and Free for Postgres.
- Does Alkami or Postgres run on more platforms?
- Alkami runs on Web, iOS, Android. Postgres runs on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
- Can I use Postgres for free?
- Yes. Postgres has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Alkami starts at On request.
- What is Alkami best used for?
- Alkami is most often used for a credit union replacing the weak digital banking bundled with its core contract, a community bank that needs commercial entitlements and approvals its core vendor does not provide, an institution wanting digital account opening and digital banking from one vendor after the mantl acquisition, a bank competing for deposits online and needing an onboarding funnel that works on mobile. Of those, a credit union replacing the weak digital banking bundled with its core contract and a community bank that needs commercial entitlements and approvals its core vendor does not provide are not what Postgres is typically brought in for.
- What can Alkami do that Postgres cannot?
- Alkami covers Retail digital banking, Business banking, Digital account opening, Payments and money movement. Postgres covers ACID compliance, Complex queries, Foreign keys, Triggers.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Alkami: Does Alkami replace our core?
No. It is the digital channel and account opening layer on top of a core such as Fiserv, Jack Henry or FIS.
Postgres: How much does PostgreSQL cost to use?
PostgreSQL is completely free to download, install, and use. No licensing fees, subscription costs, or per-seat charges apply. The database is open source under the PostgreSQL License. Source: https://www.postgresql.org
SourceAlkami: How is it priced?
Per registered user per month on multi year contracts with minimums, so model your enrolled user count rather than your active user count.
Postgres: Are there commercial PostgreSQL support options available?
Official PostgreSQL (the project) is free. Commercial PostgreSQL services such as hosting, professional support, training, and managed database services are offered by third-party vendors, not the PostgreSQL project itself. Source: https://www.postgresql.org
SourceAlkami: What did the MANTL acquisition change?
It brought deposit account opening in house, announced February 2025 at $400 million enterprise value, so account opening and digital banking can come from one vendor.
Postgres: Do I need a license to use PostgreSQL commercially?
No. PostgreSQL is open source under the PostgreSQL License, which permits free commercial use without royalties, licensing fees, or support obligations. Source: https://www.postgresql.org
SourceRelated pages
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