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Database & Data Management · head to head

PostgreSQL vs Couchbase

PostgreSQL logo

PostgreSQL

Database & Data Management

The world's most advanced open source relational database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Couchbase logo

Couchbase

Database & Data Management

The modern database for enterprise applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PostgreSQL requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments; Couchbase the free tier is a single node with 8 GB of storage and forum support only
  • They diverge on capability: PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, Couchbase covers JSON Document Model.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PostgreSQL and Couchbase actually diverge.

Attributes where PostgreSQL and Couchbase differ
AttributePostgreSQLCouchbase
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, BSD, UnixLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web
Founded19962011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Database & Data Management).

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
  • Extensibility
  • Advanced Indexing
  • Partitioning
  • Replication
  • pgAdmin
  • DBeaver

Only in Couchbase

  • JSON Document Model
  • SQL++ Query
  • Eventing
  • Analytics
  • Mobile Sync
  • Multi-dimensional Scaling
  • Kafka
  • Spark

Both cover

  • Full-text Search
  • Linux support
  • Windows support
  • Mac support
  • Docker support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

PostgreSQL

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

Couchbase

  • Running a distributed NoSQL document database as a managed servicenot PostgreSQL
  • Mobile sync and offline first applications backed by a cloud databasenot 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

Couchbase

  • The free tier is a single node with 8 GB of storage and forum support only
  • Node rates are hourly and quoted as starting figures, from $0.15 an hour on Basic to $0.49 on Enterprise
  • The Developer Pro and Enterprise plans require 3 nodes, so the hourly rate multiplies before any usage
  • Backup storage is billed separately at $0.07 per GB a month, and analytics backups at $0.14
  • Support response time is a plan feature, at 8 hours on Developer Pro against 30 minutes on Enterprise
  • AI and analytics run as separately priced planes at up to $0.86 an hour per node

Pricing, plan by plan

PostgreSQL

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PostgreSQL review.

Couchbase

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Full features
    • Community support
    • Self-managed
  • Capella FreeFree
    • Managed service
    • Limited resources
    • Cloud hosted

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.
PostgreSQL review

Choose Couchbase if

  • You need json document model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want sql++ query.
Couchbase review

Questions people ask

Is PostgreSQL or Couchbase better?
Neither clearly leads. PostgreSQL starts at Free and Couchbase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PostgreSQL or Couchbase?
PostgreSQL starts at Free and Couchbase at Free.
Does PostgreSQL or Couchbase run on more platforms?
PostgreSQL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix. Couchbase runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
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 Couchbase is typically brought in for.
What can PostgreSQL do that Couchbase cannot?
PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, JSON/JSONB Support, Extensibility, Advanced Indexing. Couchbase covers JSON Document Model, SQL++ Query, Eventing, Analytics. Both handle Full-text Search, Linux support, Windows support, Mac support.

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.

Source
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
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

Related pages

More on PostgreSQL

More on Couchbase

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