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Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head

Hetzner Cloud vs PostgreSQL

Hetzner Cloud logo

Hetzner Cloud

Cloud & Infrastructure

Affordable cloud servers in Europe

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PostgreSQL logo

PostgreSQL

Database & Data Management

The world's most advanced open source relational database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable; PostgreSQL requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments
  • They diverge on capability: Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hetzner Cloud and PostgreSQL actually diverge.

Attributes where Hetzner Cloud and PostgreSQL differ
AttributeHetzner CloudPostgreSQL
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliLinux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix
CategoryCloud & InfrastructureDatabase & Data Management
Founded19971996

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 Hetzner Cloud

  • Cloud servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Networks
  • Firewalls
  • Floating IPs
  • Backups

Only in PostgreSQL

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

What people use each for

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

Hetzner Cloud

  • Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot PostgreSQL
  • European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot PostgreSQL
  • Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot PostgreSQL
  • Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL

  • Transaction processingnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Data storagenot Hetzner Cloud
  • Application backendnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Reportingnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Data analyticsnot Hetzner Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

Hetzner Cloud

  • Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
  • Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
  • The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
  • Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel

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

Hetzner Cloud

Free
  • CX11$3.29/month
    • 1 vCPU
    • 1GB RAM
    • 25GB SSD
  • CX21$6.59/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 4GB RAM
    • 40GB SSD

PostgreSQL

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PostgreSQL review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Hetzner Cloud if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want block storage.
Hetzner Cloud 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 Hetzner Cloud or PostgreSQL better?
Neither clearly leads. Hetzner Cloud 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, Hetzner Cloud or PostgreSQL?
Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and PostgreSQL at Free.
Does Hetzner Cloud or PostgreSQL run on more platforms?
Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli. PostgreSQL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix.
Can I use Hetzner Cloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hetzner Cloud best used for?
Hetzner Cloud is most often used for low-cost virtual servers for development and testing, european hosting with data held in germany or finland, workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic matters, self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalers. Of those, low-cost virtual servers for development and testing and european hosting with data held in germany or finland are not what PostgreSQL is typically brought in for.
What can Hetzner Cloud do that PostgreSQL cannot?
Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, JSON/JSONB Support, Full-text Search, Extensibility.

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
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