Databases · head to head
Dragonfly vs Postgres
Dragonfly
Databases
High-performance Redis-compatible in-memory datastore with 25x better throughput
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Dragonfly flex tier starting at $36/month may be underpriced, requiring careful usage monitoring; 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: Dragonfly covers Redis API compatibility, Postgres covers ACID compliance.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Dragonfly 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 Dragonfly
- Redis API compatibility
- Thread-per-core architecture
- High-performance caching
- Memory efficiency
- Real-time leaderboards
- Message queue support
- ML feature serving
- Cloud deployment
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.
Dragonfly
- High-throughput caching for web applicationsnot Postgres
- Real-time leaderboards and rankingsnot Postgres
- Message queue and event processingnot Postgres
- ML model feature serving at millisecond latenciesnot Postgres
- Gaming session state and player data storagenot Postgres
Postgres
- Running a general purpose relational database for applicationsnot Dragonfly
- Self-hosting an open source SQL database with no licence feenot Dragonfly
- Workloads needing extensions, JSON and full text search in one enginenot Dragonfly
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Dragonfly
- Flex tier starting at $36/month may be underpriced, requiring careful usage monitoring
- Business tier $2,000/month represents significant jump in cost
- Limited to in-memory storage, not suitable for cold data or archival
- Bring-your-own-cloud requirement on Business tier adds operational complexity
- Cloud availability dependent on AWS/GCP/Azure uptime
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
Dragonfly
Free- Free TierFree
- 100 cloud credits for new signups
- Equivalent to free trial
- Business$2000/month
- Starting price for enterprise offering
- Bring-your-own-cloud deployment
- Auto-scaling with custom SLAs
- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- Custom pricing
- Any-cloud deployment
- Custom instances and sizing
Postgres
Free- Community EditionFree
- Full database features
- No limitations
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Dragonfly if
- You need redis api compatibility.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cloud, AWS, GCP, Azure.
- You also want thread-per-core architecture.
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 Dragonfly or Postgres better?
- Neither clearly leads. Dragonfly 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, Dragonfly or Postgres?
- Dragonfly starts at Free and Postgres at Free.
- Does Dragonfly or Postgres run on more platforms?
- Dragonfly runs on Cloud, AWS, GCP, Azure. Postgres runs on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
- Can I use Dragonfly for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Dragonfly best used for?
- Dragonfly is most often used for high-throughput caching for web applications, real-time leaderboards and rankings, message queue and event processing, ml model feature serving at millisecond latencies. Of those, high-throughput caching for web applications and real-time leaderboards and rankings are not what Postgres is typically brought in for.
- What can Dragonfly do that Postgres cannot?
- Dragonfly covers Redis API compatibility, Thread-per-core architecture, High-performance caching, Memory efficiency. Postgres covers ACID compliance, Complex queries, Foreign keys, Triggers.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Dragonfly: How much faster is Dragonfly than Redis?
Dragonfly achieves 3.97M queries per second compared to Redis's 718K QPS, representing a 25x improvement. Memory efficiency is also 30% better.
SourcePostgres: 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
SourceDragonfly: Can I migrate from Redis to Dragonfly without code changes?
Yes. Dragonfly maintains full API compatibility with Redis and Memcached, allowing drop-in replacement with minimal to no code modifications.
SourcePostgres: 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
SourcePostgres: 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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