Technology · head to head
Postgres vs Asana
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Postgres each major version is supported for only 5 years after its initial release, after which it is end-of-life; Asana the free Personal tier is capped at 2 users, so it does not cover a small team
- They diverge on capability: Postgres covers ACID compliance, Asana covers Multiple project views.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Postgres and Asana actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).
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 Postgres
- ACID compliance
- Complex queries
- Foreign keys
- Triggers
- Views
- Stored procedures
- JSON/JSONB support
- Full-text search
Only in Asana
- Multiple project views
- Task dependencies
- Milestones
- Portfolios
- Goals & OKRs
- Workflow automation
- Resource management
- Reporting dashboards
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Postgres
- Running a general purpose relational database for applicationsnot Asana
- Self-hosting an open source SQL database with no licence feenot Asana
- Workloads needing extensions, JSON and full text search in one enginenot Asana
Asana
- Project planning & trackingnot Postgres
- Campaign managementnot Postgres
- Product launchesnot Postgres
- Event planningnot Postgres
- Agile & Scrum managementnot Postgres
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Asana
- The free Personal tier is capped at 2 users, so it does not cover a small team
- Timeline and Gantt views, reporting dashboards and time tracking all require Starter at $10.99 per user per month
- Portfolios, goals, workload management and approvals need Advanced at $24.99 per user per month
- Salesforce, Tableau and Power BI integrations are Advanced or above
- Monthly billing costs more, at $13.49 and $30.49 against the annual rates
Pricing, plan by plan
Postgres
Free- Community EditionFree
- Full database features
- No limitations
- Community support
Asana
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Asana review.
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Asana if
- You need multiple project views.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want task dependencies.
Questions people ask
- Is Postgres or Asana better?
- Neither clearly leads. Postgres starts at Free and Asana at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Postgres or Asana?
- Postgres starts at Free and Asana at Free.
- Does Postgres or Asana run on more platforms?
- Postgres runs on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker. Asana runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Postgres for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Postgres best used for?
- Postgres is most often used for running a general purpose relational database for applications, self-hosting an open source sql database with no licence fee, workloads needing extensions, json and full text search in one engine. Of those, running a general purpose relational database for applications and self-hosting an open source sql database with no licence fee are not what Asana is typically brought in for.
- What can Postgres do that Asana cannot?
- Postgres covers ACID compliance, Complex queries, Foreign keys, Triggers. Asana covers Multiple project views, Task dependencies, Milestones, Portfolios.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Asana: Does Asana have a free tier?
Yes. Asana offers a free Personal plan for up to 2 users, plus free trial access to paid plans.
SourceAsana: What is the starting price for Asana paid plans?
Asana Starter plan begins at $10.99 per user per month when billed annually, or $13.49 per user when billed monthly.
SourceAsana: Does Asana integrate with other work tools?
Yes. Asana offers 200+ integrations including Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Jira, and Zoom.
Source