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Software · head to head

Okta vs PostgreSQL

Okta logo

Okta

Software

The identity platform for builders

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: Okta requires $1,500 annual minimum contract; PostgreSQL requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments
  • They diverge on capability: Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Okta and PostgreSQL actually diverge.

Attributes where Okta and PostgreSQL differ
AttributeOktaPostgreSQL
PlatformsWeb, SaaSLinux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix
Founded20091996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 Okta

  • Single sign-on (SSO)
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Lifecycle management
  • Universal directory
  • API access management
  • B2B integration
  • Passwordless authentication
  • Adaptive MFA

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.

Okta

  • Employee SSOnot PostgreSQL
  • Customer identitynot PostgreSQL
  • B2B integrationnot PostgreSQL
  • Zero Trust securitynot PostgreSQL
  • Compliancenot PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL

  • Transaction processingnot Okta
  • Data storagenot Okta
  • Application backendnot Okta
  • Reportingnot Okta
  • Data analyticsnot Okta

Where each one falls short

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

Okta

  • Requires $1,500 annual minimum contract
  • Admin-only MFA can be vulnerable to push notification fatigue attacks
  • Implementation requires significant services and integration fees in year one

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

Okta

Free
  • Starter Suite$6/user/month
    • SSO
    • MFA
    • Universal Directory
  • Core Essentials Suite$14/user/month
    • Adaptive MFA
    • Privileged Access
    • Lifecycle Management
  • Essentials Suite$17/user/month
    • Same as Core Essentials
    • Most popular
  • Professional Suite$null/custom
    • Device Access
    • Identity Security Posture
    • Threat Protection

PostgreSQL

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PostgreSQL review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Okta if

  • You need single sign-on (sso).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, SaaS.
  • You also want multi-factor authentication.
Okta 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 Okta or PostgreSQL better?
Neither clearly leads. Okta 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, Okta or PostgreSQL?
Okta starts at Free and PostgreSQL at Free.
Does Okta or PostgreSQL run on more platforms?
Okta runs on Web, SaaS. PostgreSQL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix.
Can I use Okta for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Okta best used for?
Okta is most often used for employee sso, customer identity, b2b integration, zero trust security. Of those, employee sso and customer identity are not what PostgreSQL is typically brought in for.
What can Okta do that PostgreSQL cannot?
Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Multi-factor authentication, Lifecycle management, Universal directory. PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, JSON/JSONB Support, Full-text Search, Extensibility.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Okta: What is the minimum contract for Okta Workforce Identity?

Okta requires a $1,500 annual minimum contract for Workforce Identity plans. Pricing starts at $6 per user per month (Starter) and ranges to $17 per user per month (Essentials), billed annually.

Source
PostgreSQL: Is PostgreSQL completely free?

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

Source
Okta: Does Okta offer a free trial?

Yes, Okta provides a 30-day free trial so customers can explore all product capabilities before committing to a paid plan.

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
Okta: How many pre-built integrations does Okta support?

Okta offers over 7,000 pre-built integrations with popular enterprise applications including Salesforce, Slack, Workday, Box, Confluence, and Zendesk.

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
Okta: What security features does Okta provide for admins?

Okta provides multi-factor authentication, adaptive MFA, single logout, and identity threat detection and response. However, only 94% of Okta customers have MFA enabled for administrators.

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
Okta: Can Okta integrate with on-premises directories?

Yes, Okta's Universal Directory and lifecycle management support cloud and on-premises identity sources, including Active Directory and LDAP.

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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