Software · head to head
PostgreSQL vs BigQuery
PostgreSQL
Software
The world's most advanced open source relational database
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
BigQuery
Software
Serverless, highly scalable enterprise data warehouse
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: PostgreSQL requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments; BigQuery query costs can become substantial for organizations with high query volumes
- They diverge on capability: PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, BigQuery covers Serverless Architecture.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which PostgreSQL and BigQuery actually diverge.
| Attribute | PostgreSQL | BigQuery |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Unknown | usage-based |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix | Web, Cloud API |
| Founded | 1996 | 2008 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 PostgreSQL
- ACID Compliance
- JSON/JSONB Support
- Full-text Search
- Extensibility
- Advanced Indexing
- Partitioning
- Replication
- pgAdmin
Only in BigQuery
- Serverless Architecture
- Petabyte Scale
- Real-time Analytics
- Machine Learning
- Geospatial Analysis
- Streaming Ingestion
- Standard SQL
- Looker
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
PostgreSQL
- Transaction processingnot BigQuery
- Data storagenot BigQuery
- Application backendnot BigQuery
- Reporting
- Data analyticsnot BigQuery
BigQuery
- Business intelligencenot PostgreSQL
- Data warehousingnot PostgreSQL
- Real-time analyticsnot PostgreSQL
- Reporting
- Machine learningnot PostgreSQL
Both are used for reporting, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
BigQuery
- Query costs can become substantial for organizations with high query volumes
- Data egress from Google Cloud incurs additional charges
Pricing, plan by plan
PostgreSQL
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the PostgreSQL review.
BigQuery
Free- Free TierFree
- 1TB queries/month
- 10GB storage/month
- Standard support
- On-demand$6.25/TB
- Pay per query
- Pay per storage
- All features
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose BigQuery if
- You need serverless architecture.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Cloud API.
- You also want petabyte scale.
Questions people ask
- Is PostgreSQL or BigQuery better?
- Neither clearly leads. PostgreSQL starts at Free and BigQuery at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, PostgreSQL or BigQuery?
- PostgreSQL starts at Free and BigQuery at Free.
- Does PostgreSQL or BigQuery run on more platforms?
- PostgreSQL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix. BigQuery runs on Web, Cloud API.
- Can I use PostgreSQL for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is PostgreSQL best used for?
- PostgreSQL is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting. Of those, transaction processing and data storage are not what BigQuery is typically brought in for.
- What can PostgreSQL do that BigQuery cannot?
- PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, JSON/JSONB Support, Full-text Search, Extensibility. BigQuery covers Serverless Architecture, Petabyte Scale, Real-time Analytics, Machine Learning.
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.
SourceBigQuery: How is BigQuery priced?
BigQuery charges $5 per terabyte of data processed in on-demand queries. Storage is billed separately: active storage is charged per GB, and data inactive for 90+ days moves to long-term storage at reduced rates.
SourcePostgreSQL: 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.
SourceBigQuery: What is BigQuery's architecture?
BigQuery separates compute and storage, using Google's Colossus for distributed storage and Borg for computation, allowing independent scaling of each.
SourcePostgreSQL: 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.
SourcePostgreSQL: 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.
SourcePostgreSQL: 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