Software · head to head
PostgreSQL vs Cockroach Labs
PostgreSQL
Software
The world's most advanced open source relational database
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: PostgreSQL requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments; Cockroach Labs basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
- They diverge on capability: PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which PostgreSQL and Cockroach Labs actually diverge.
| Attribute | PostgreSQL | Cockroach Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Unknown | freemium |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix | AWS, GCP, Azure |
| Founded | 1996 | 2015 |
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 Cockroach Labs
- Distributed SQL
- Automatic Sharding
- Multi-region Replication
- Geo-partitioning
- ACID Transactions
- Horizontal Scaling
- Survivability
- PostgreSQL Compatibility
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
PostgreSQL
- Transaction processingnot Cockroach Labs
- Data storagenot Cockroach Labs
- Application backendnot Cockroach Labs
- Reportingnot Cockroach Labs
- Data analyticsnot Cockroach Labs
Cockroach Labs
- Distributed SQL database for scalable applicationsnot PostgreSQL
- Multi-region deployment and failovernot PostgreSQL
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
Cockroach Labs
- Basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
- Azure support restricted to Advanced tier only
- Basic tier limited to 50 million RUs and 10 GiB storage per month
- Advanced tier starts at $0.60/hour for 4 vCPUs minimum
- 3 TiB maximum storage on Basic and Standard tiers, 10 TiB per node on Advanced
Pricing, plan by plan
PostgreSQL
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the PostgreSQL review.
Cockroach Labs
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.
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 Cockroach Labs if
- You need distributed sql.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS, GCP, Azure.
- You also want automatic sharding.
Questions people ask
- Is PostgreSQL or Cockroach Labs better?
- Neither clearly leads. PostgreSQL starts at Free and Cockroach Labs at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, PostgreSQL or Cockroach Labs?
- PostgreSQL starts at Free and Cockroach Labs at Free.
- Does PostgreSQL or Cockroach Labs run on more platforms?
- PostgreSQL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix. Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure.
- 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 Cockroach Labs is typically brought in for.
- What can PostgreSQL do that Cockroach Labs cannot?
- PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, JSON/JSONB Support, Full-text Search, Extensibility. Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning.
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.
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.
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