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OutSystems vs PostgreSQL

OutSystems logo

OutSystems

No-Code

Enterprise low-code platform priced by application complexity units, not just users

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit OutSystemsFull review
PostgreSQL logo

PostgreSQL

Databases

Open source relational database

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit PostgreSQLFull review

The short version

  • PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational database system.
  • PostgreSQL is free; OutSystems prices on request.
  • Only OutSystems lists visual application modelling; only PostgreSQL lists ACID Compliance.
  • Where PostgreSQL falls short: requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OutSystems and PostgreSQL actually diverge.

Attributes where OutSystems and PostgreSQL differ
AttributeOutSystemsPostgreSQL
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidLinux, Windows, macOS
CategoryNo-CodeDatabases

Not yet recorded: pricing model for PostgreSQL, founded for OutSystems.

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 OutSystems

  • Visual application modelling
  • Generated deployable code
  • One-click deployment
  • AI-assisted development
  • Application Object governance
  • Prebuilt integrations

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.

OutSystems

  • An enterprise replacing custom .NET or Java application development with a governed low-code platform at scalenot PostgreSQL
  • A company building customer-facing portals where the external-user pricing tier (packs of 10,000) is materially cheaper than licensing customers as internal usersnot PostgreSQL
  • An IT department that wants generated, inspectable code rather than a proprietary black-box runtimenot PostgreSQL
  • An organisation with a large existing application portfolio needing centralised governance across many apps built by different teamsnot PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL

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

Where each one falls short

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

OutSystems

  • Application Objects grow with every screen, table and API an app gains, so a successful app that keeps adding features can push the account into AO overage charges that were not modelled at initial budget time
  • Internal users are sold in packs of 100 and external users in packs of 10,000, so a company just over a pack boundary in either category pays for a full additional pack rather than a handful of extra seats
  • Entry-level ODC pricing starts around 36,300 US dollars a year before any AO overage or extra user packs, which puts it out of reach for smaller teams evaluating low-code options
  • Cloud infrastructure and hosting costs are frequently separate from the platform licence, so the all-in bill is higher than the headline subscription figure suggests
  • Migrating a large application portfolio off OutSystems once built is difficult, since the generated code and platform-specific patterns are not designed for a clean export to standard frameworks

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

OutSystems

On request
  • ODC EntryOn request
    • Entry-level Application Object allowance included
    • Internal users sold in packs of 100
    • External users sold in packs of 10,000
  • ODC EnterpriseOn request
    • Custom AO, user pack and environment volumes
    • Negotiated multi-year enterprise agreements
    • Premium support and dedicated infrastructure options

PostgreSQL

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PostgreSQL review.

Which should you pick?

Choose OutSystems if

  • You need visual application modelling.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want generated deployable code.
OutSystems review

Choose PostgreSQL if

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

Questions people ask

Is OutSystems or PostgreSQL better?
Neither clearly leads. OutSystems starts at On request and PostgreSQL at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OutSystems or PostgreSQL?
PostgreSQL has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for OutSystems and Free for PostgreSQL.
Does OutSystems or PostgreSQL run on more platforms?
OutSystems runs on Web, iOS, Android. PostgreSQL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use PostgreSQL for free?
Yes. PostgreSQL has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OutSystems starts at On request.
What is OutSystems best used for?
OutSystems is most often used for an enterprise replacing custom .net or java application development with a governed low-code platform at scale, a company building customer-facing portals where the external-user pricing tier (packs of 10,000) is materially cheaper than licensing customers as internal users, an it department that wants generated, inspectable code rather than a proprietary black-box runtime, an organisation with a large existing application portfolio needing centralised governance across many apps built by different teams. Of those, an enterprise replacing custom .net or java application development with a governed low-code platform at scale and a company building customer-facing portals where the external-user pricing tier (packs of 10,000) is materially cheaper than licensing customers as internal users are not what PostgreSQL is typically brought in for.
What can OutSystems do that PostgreSQL cannot?
OutSystems covers Visual application modelling, Generated deployable code, One-click deployment, AI-assisted development. PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, JSON/JSONB Support, Full-text Search, Extensibility.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OutSystems: What is an Application Object?

A unit OutSystems uses to measure application complexity, counting elements such as screens, database tables and exposed APIs; more AOs mean a bigger licence requirement.

PostgreSQL: Is PostgreSQL completely free?

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

Source
OutSystems: Is there a free tier?

OutSystems has offered free or trial tiers historically for evaluation, but production use at any scale runs on paid ODC plans.

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
OutSystems: How does external user pricing work?

External users, typically customers or partners, are sold in packs of 10,000 at roughly a hundredth of the per-seat cost of internal (employee) user packs.

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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