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Apache Pinot vs PostgreSQL

Apache Pinot logo

Apache Pinot

Software

Real-time distributed OLAP datastore for analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PostgreSQL logo

PostgreSQL

Software

The world's most advanced open source relational database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apache Pinot self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service; PostgreSQL requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Pinot and PostgreSQL actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Pinot and PostgreSQL differ
AttributeApache PinotPostgreSQL
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesLinux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix
Founded19991996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Apache Pinot

  • Real-time Analytics
  • Column-oriented
  • Distributed Processing
  • SQL Support
  • Pluggable Indexing
  • Star-tree Index
  • Upsert Support
  • Kafka

Only in PostgreSQL

  • ACID Compliance
  • JSON/JSONB Support
  • Full-text Search
  • Extensibility
  • Advanced Indexing
  • Partitioning
  • Replication
  • pgAdmin

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Docker support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apache Pinot

  • Sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested datanot PostgreSQL
  • User-facing dashboards inside a productnot PostgreSQL
  • Real-time metrics at high ingest ratesnot PostgreSQL
  • Petabyte-scale analytics as run at LinkedIn and Ubernot PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL

  • Transaction processingnot Apache Pinot
  • Data storagenot Apache Pinot
  • Application backendnot Apache Pinot
  • Reportingnot Apache Pinot
  • Data analyticsnot Apache Pinot

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apache Pinot

  • Self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service
  • Managed hosting comes from third parties such as StarTree rather than from the project
  • Built for user-facing real-time OLAP, so it is not a general purpose database

PostgreSQL

  • Requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments
  • Performance tuning requires deep knowledge of database internals
  • No built-in graphical admin interface; command-line tools are primary method

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Pinot

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Real-time analytics
    • SQL queries
    • Horizontal scaling

PostgreSQL

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PostgreSQL review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Pinot if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want column-oriented.
Apache Pinot review

Choose PostgreSQL if

  • You need acid compliance.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix.
  • You also want json/jsonb support.
PostgreSQL review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Pinot or PostgreSQL better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Pinot starts at Free and PostgreSQL at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Pinot or PostgreSQL?
Apache Pinot starts at Free and PostgreSQL at Free.
Does Apache Pinot or PostgreSQL run on more platforms?
Apache Pinot runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. PostgreSQL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix.
Can I use Apache Pinot for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Pinot best used for?
Apache Pinot is most often used for sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested data, user-facing dashboards inside a product, real-time metrics at high ingest rates, petabyte-scale analytics as run at linkedin and uber. Of those, sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested data and user-facing dashboards inside a product are not what PostgreSQL is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Pinot do that PostgreSQL cannot?
Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, Column-oriented, Distributed Processing, SQL Support. PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, JSON/JSONB Support, Full-text Search, Extensibility. Both handle Linux support, Docker support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PostgreSQL: Is PostgreSQL completely free?

Yes. PostgreSQL is completely free and open source with no licensing fees or restrictions on use.

Source
PostgreSQL: What platforms does PostgreSQL run on?

PostgreSQL runs on all major operating systems including Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, and commercial Unix variants, and has been proven highly scalable managing terabytes to petabytes of data.

Source
PostgreSQL: What procedural languages are supported?

PostgreSQL supports stored functions and procedures in multiple languages including PL/pgSQL, Perl, Python, Tcl, Java, JavaScript, R, and Rust.

Source
PostgreSQL: What is ACID compliance in PostgreSQL?

PostgreSQL has been ACID-compliant since 2001, ensuring data integrity through atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability guarantees for all transactions.

Source
PostgreSQL: Does PostgreSQL support JSON data?

Yes. PostgreSQL supports JSON and JSONB data types for storing and querying JSON documents, along with XML and other document formats.

Source

Related pages

More on Apache Pinot

More on PostgreSQL

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