TimescaleDBvs
InfluxDB
InfluxDB: Purpose-built time-series database with built-in compression and high-throughput data ingestion
TimescaleDB
Time-series database built on PostgreSQL for real-time analytics
As of 30 August 2026, TimescaleDB is free to use. TimescaleDB is an open-source time-series database optimized for fast ingest and complex queries. Softwr lists it under Databases. TimescaleDB is made by Timescale Inc., launched in 2015, available on Linux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted.
Overview
What TimescaleDB does
TimescaleDB is an open-source time-series database optimized for fast ingest and complex queries. It is packaged as a PostgreSQL extension, providing automatic partitioning across time and space, while retaining full SQL support. TimescaleDB is ideal for IoT, monitoring, and analytics applications.
What people use it for
- Monitoring
- IoT data
- Financial data
- Log analytics
- Observability
Related searches
The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about TimescaleDB.
- Inherits PostgreSQL write path limitations, creating a ceiling on ingestion throughput
- Operational complexity increases significantly at scale, requiring expertise in chunk tuning and autovacuum management
- Bloom filter indexes on compressed columns can return incorrect query results before upgrade
- PostgreSQL 15 support ending June 2026, forcing mandatory upgrades to PostgreSQL 16 or later
Cross-shopped
What people choose instead of TimescaleDB
Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.
- TimescaleDBvsClickHouse
ClickHouse: Columnar database optimized for analytical queries on large time-series datasets
- TimescaleDBvsQuestDB
QuestDB: High-performance time-series database with fast ingestion rates and minimal latency
Pricing
What TimescaleDB costs
Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.
Open Source
Free
- Self-hosted TimescaleDB
- MIT-licensed core
- Full PostgreSQL compatibility
Scale Plan (Cloud)
$36 /mo
- Compute and storage charges
- Multi-node HA
- Unlimited VPCs
- SOC 2 report
Capabilities
Features
Time-series Optimization
PostgreSQL Extension
Automatic Partitioning
Continuous Aggregates
Native Compression
Full SQL Support
Real-time Analytics
PostgreSQL
Integration with PostgreSQL
Grafana
Integration with Grafana
Prometheus
Integration with Prometheus
Kafka
Integration with Kafka
Telegraf
Integration with Telegraf
Answered, with sources
Questions people ask
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
Is TimescaleDB free?
Yes. TimescaleDB is free and open source under the Timescale License. The managed cloud service offers a free trial with $1,000 in credits expiring in 30 days.
SourceWhat database does TimescaleDB run on top of?
TimescaleDB is a PostgreSQL extension that runs on top of PostgreSQL. You retain full PostgreSQL compatibility including SQL queries, transactions, and ecosystem tools.
SourceHow much can TimescaleDB compress data?
TimescaleDB offers transparent columnar compression that can reduce storage by up to 95%. Newer data remains in row-oriented format for fast writes, while older data is automatically compressed to the column store.
SourceDoes TimescaleDB require manual partitioning?
No. TimescaleDB handles automatic time-based partitioning through hypertables. Data is automatically chunked based on time intervals, requiring no manual partition management.
SourceWhat PostgreSQL versions does TimescaleDB support?
As of October 2025, TimescaleDB requires PostgreSQL 16 or greater. PostgreSQL 15 support will end with the June 2026 release, after which all instances must upgrade to PostgreSQL 16.
SourceBehind it
Who makes TimescaleDB
- Company
- Timescale Inc.
- Based in
- New York, New York
- Founders
- Ajay Kulkarni, Mike Freedman
Keep looking
Where to go from TimescaleDB
- TimescaleDB alternativesEvery product people weigh against it
- TimescaleDB pricingPlans, floors and what the tiers exclude
- TimescaleDB badgesWhich rules it meets, and the figure behind each
- All Databases softwareThe full category
- Best Databases softwareThe shortlist, and how it was cut
Best Databases software for
Compare TimescaleDB with
- QuestDB
- ClickHouse
- MotherDuck
- YugabyteDB
- Apache Druid
- SingleStore
- DuckDB
- Cockroach Labs
- Amazon Aurora
- Elasticsearch
- Dgraph
- Dragonfly
- Dremio
- Fivetran HVR
- Grist
- IBM Db2
- Apache Pinot
- Apache Flink
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Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for TimescaleDB, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
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