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PostgreSQL vs QuestDB

PostgreSQL logo

PostgreSQL

Software

The world's most advanced open source relational database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QuestDB logo

QuestDB

Software

Fast open source time-series database for high throughput ingestion

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PostgreSQL requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments; QuestDB open-source edition lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features
  • They diverge on capability: PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, QuestDB covers High Throughput Ingestion.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PostgreSQL and QuestDB actually diverge.

Attributes where PostgreSQL and QuestDB differ
AttributePostgreSQLQuestDB
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, BSD, UnixDocker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Founded19962014

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 QuestDB

  • High Throughput Ingestion
  • SQL Support
  • Time-series Optimization
  • SIMD Vectorization
  • Column-oriented Storage
  • Built-in Web Console
  • InfluxDB Line Protocol
  • PostgreSQL

Both cover

  • 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 QuestDB
  • Data storagenot QuestDB
  • Application backendnot QuestDB
  • Reportingnot QuestDB
  • Data analyticsnot QuestDB

QuestDB

  • Time-series analytics ingesting up to 20M rows/second from IoT sensors or financial data feedsnot PostgreSQL
  • Real-time dashboarding with 32ms time-to-first-row latency for minute-level analyticsnot PostgreSQL
  • Applications requiring multi-tier storage (hot ingest, real-time SQL, cold Parquet archive)not 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

QuestDB

  • Open-source edition lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features
  • Enterprise edition pricing not published; requires contacting sales for custom quote
  • Ingestion limit of 20M rows/sec platform-dependent; may not scale to extreme throughput requirements

Pricing, plan by plan

PostgreSQL

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PostgreSQL review.

QuestDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the QuestDB 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.
PostgreSQL review

Choose QuestDB if

  • You need high throughput ingestion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • You also want sql support.
QuestDB review

Questions people ask

Is PostgreSQL or QuestDB better?
Neither clearly leads. PostgreSQL starts at Free and QuestDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PostgreSQL or QuestDB?
PostgreSQL starts at Free and QuestDB at Free.
Does PostgreSQL or QuestDB run on more platforms?
PostgreSQL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix. QuestDB runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP).
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 QuestDB is typically brought in for.
What can PostgreSQL do that QuestDB cannot?
PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, JSON/JSONB Support, Full-text Search, Extensibility. QuestDB covers High Throughput Ingestion, SQL Support, Time-series Optimization, SIMD Vectorization. Both handle Linux support, Windows support, Mac support, Docker 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
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