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Postgres vs RavenDB

Postgres logo

Postgres

Technology

The world's most advanced open source database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RavenDB logo

RavenDB

Databases

The fully transactional NoSQL document database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; RavenDB the free Developer licence bars commercial use and expires every 6 months, requiring renewal
  • They diverge on capability: Postgres covers ACID compliance, RavenDB covers ACID Transactions.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Postgres and RavenDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Postgres and RavenDB differ
AttributePostgresRavenDB
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Macos, DockerLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web
CategoryTechnologyDatabases
Founded19962010

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 Postgres

  • ACID compliance
  • Complex queries
  • Foreign keys
  • Triggers
  • Views
  • Stored procedures
  • JSON/JSONB support
  • Full-text search

Only in RavenDB

  • ACID Transactions
  • Auto-indexing
  • Full-text Search
  • Graph Queries
  • Distributed Counters
  • Time Series
  • Document Compression
  • Linux support

Both cover

  • Python
  • Java
  • Node.js
  • .NET
  • Go

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 RavenDB
  • Self-hosting an open source SQL database with no licence feenot RavenDB
  • Workloads needing extensions, JSON and full text search in one enginenot RavenDB

RavenDB

  • Running a distributed document database with ACID transactionsnot Postgres
  • Self hosting a multi node database cluster on your own hardwarenot Postgres
  • Replicating operational data out to analytics systems through ETLnot 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

RavenDB

  • The free Developer licence bars commercial use and expires every 6 months, requiring renewal
  • The free Community licence caps a customer at 60 cores and forces you to stay on the latest major version
  • The Professional licence is limited to a single database, a 5 node cluster, 40 cores and 240 GB RAM
  • Sharding across nodes, ETL to OLAP, Elasticsearch and Kafka, and data archival are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise and AI licence pricing is contact us only with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Postgres

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Full database features
    • No limitations
    • Community support

RavenDB

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • 3 cores
    • 6GB RAM
    • Community support
  • Professional$499/year
    • Production use
    • Professional support
    • Advanced features

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.
Postgres review

Choose RavenDB if

  • You need acid transactions.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want auto-indexing.
RavenDB review

Questions people ask

Is Postgres or RavenDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Postgres starts at Free and RavenDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Postgres or RavenDB?
Postgres starts at Free and RavenDB at Free.
Does Postgres or RavenDB run on more platforms?
Postgres runs on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker. RavenDB runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
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 RavenDB is typically brought in for.
What can Postgres do that RavenDB cannot?
Postgres covers ACID compliance, Complex queries, Foreign keys, Triggers. RavenDB covers ACID Transactions, Auto-indexing, Full-text Search, Graph Queries. Both handle Python, Java, Node.js, .NET.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Postgres: 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

Source
RavenDB: Is RavenDB free or open source?

RavenDB is open source under the AGPLv3 license and available on GitHub. It also offers a free developer license with enterprise-level features limited to 9 cores, 36GB max RAM, 3 nodes, and non-commercial use.

Source
Postgres: 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

Source
RavenDB: Can I use RavenDB commercially for free?

RavenDB offers a free Community License that permits commercial deployment with unlimited databases and sizes, subject to a 60-core maximum per customer and requirement to run the latest major version.

Source
Postgres: 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

Source
RavenDB: What commercial licensing options does RavenDB offer?

RavenDB offers Professional, Enterprise, and AI tiers for commercial use. Pricing for these tiers requires contacting their sales team at [email protected].

Source
RavenDB: Does RavenDB offer a cloud hosting option?

RavenDB Cloud provides a fully managed cloud database with maintenance, failover, and backups included. Pricing is available at cloud.ravendb.net/pricing.

Source
RavenDB: Is there a refund window if I purchase RavenDB?

RavenDB offers a 30-day refund window for purchased licenses.

Source
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