Databases · head to head
Dgraph vs Postgres
Dgraph
Databases
Apache 2.0 distributed graph database written in Go, maintained by Hypermode, queried through GraphQL or its own DQL language.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Dgraph sharding is by predicate, so a single very hot predicate lives entirely in one Raft group and cannot be split further; adding nodes does not relieve it and the fix is a data model change.; 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: Dgraph covers Apache 2.0 licence, Postgres covers ACID compliance.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Dgraph and Postgres actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Dgraph
- Apache 2.0 licence
- Generated GraphQL API
- DQL query language
- Predicate sharding
- Raft replication
- Distributed ACID transactions
- Written in Go
- Full-text and geo indexing
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.
Dgraph
- An application whose core data is a graph, such as permissions, social connections or product relationships, where the frontend already consumes GraphQLnot Postgres
- A knowledge graph that outgrew a single machine and needs storage distributed across nodes without a per-core licence negotiationnot Postgres
- Recommendation or fraud-detection features that traverse several hops at request time, where a relational join chain has become the bottlenecknot Postgres
- Teams that want a graph database they can read, fork and self-host under a permissive licence rather than a source-available onenot Postgres
Postgres
- Running a general purpose relational database for applicationsnot Dgraph
- Self-hosting an open source SQL database with no licence feenot Dgraph
- Workloads needing extensions, JSON and full text search in one enginenot Dgraph
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Dgraph
- Sharding is by predicate, so a single very hot predicate lives entirely in one Raft group and cannot be split further; adding nodes does not relieve it and the fix is a data model change.
- Stewardship passed from Dgraph Labs to Hypermode after the original company stopped operating independently, so anyone building on it is betting on a second custodian rather than on the original team's roadmap.
- The GraphQL layer is generated and opinionated, so anything it does not express drops you into DQL, which is a second language your team must learn and which no other database speaks.
- The community is a fraction of Neo4j's, so operational answers, tuning experience, hiring and third-party tooling are all thinner, and unusual failure modes in a Zero and Alpha cluster leave you reading source rather than a forum.
- There is no portable graph standard to migrate to; Cypher, Gremlin and SPARQL are all different query models, so the schema and every query is a rewrite if you later leave, and that cost grows with the application.
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
Dgraph
Free- CommunityFree
- Native GraphQL
- Graph queries
- Full-text search
- Cloud$39/month
- Managed service
- Auto-scaling
- Enterprise support
Postgres
Free- Community EditionFree
- Full database features
- No limitations
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Dgraph if
- You need apache 2.0 licence.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Mac, Docker, Web.
- You also want generated graphql api.
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 Dgraph or Postgres better?
- Neither clearly leads. Dgraph starts at Free and Postgres at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Dgraph or Postgres?
- Dgraph starts at Free and Postgres at Free.
- Does Dgraph or Postgres run on more platforms?
- Dgraph runs on Linux, Mac, Docker, Web. Postgres runs on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
- Can I use Dgraph for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Dgraph best used for?
- Dgraph is most often used for an application whose core data is a graph, such as permissions, social connections or product relationships, where the frontend already consumes graphql, a knowledge graph that outgrew a single machine and needs storage distributed across nodes without a per-core licence negotiation, recommendation or fraud-detection features that traverse several hops at request time, where a relational join chain has become the bottleneck, teams that want a graph database they can read, fork and self-host under a permissive licence rather than a source-available one. Of those, an application whose core data is a graph, such as permissions, social connections or product relationships, where the frontend already consumes graphql and a knowledge graph that outgrew a single machine and needs storage distributed across nodes without a per-core licence negotiation are not what Postgres is typically brought in for.
- What can Dgraph do that Postgres cannot?
- Dgraph covers Apache 2.0 licence, Generated GraphQL API, DQL query language, Predicate sharding. Postgres covers ACID compliance, Complex queries, Foreign keys, Triggers.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Dgraph: Is Dgraph open source?
Yes. The current repository is Apache 2.0, which is a permissive OSI licence, and the project is at v25 under Hypermode's maintenance.
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
SourceDgraph: Is it really GraphQL?
It serves a generated GraphQL API, which is real GraphQL for clients. Its native language, DQL, resembles GraphQL syntactically but is Dgraph's own language and is not the GraphQL specification.
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
SourceDgraph: How does it compare to Neo4j?
Neo4j has the larger ecosystem, Cypher, and far more operational precedent. Dgraph distributes storage across nodes by default and gives you a GraphQL endpoint without writing resolvers. The choice usually turns on whether you need horizontal scale and a GraphQL surface more than you need ecosystem depth.
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
SourceDgraph: What does a production cluster look like?
At minimum a set of Zero nodes for coordination and a replicated set of Alpha nodes for data, typically three of each for fault tolerance, which is a meaningfully larger operational footprint than a single graph server.
Dgraph: Who maintains it now?
Hypermode. Dgraph Labs, the original company, no longer operates it, and that change of custodian is the main non-technical risk to weigh.
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