Alternatives
Best PostgreSQL alternatives in 2026
Data compiled by Toolradar Updated How we rate
Cite this list: Toolradar, best PostgreSQL alternatives 2026, toolradar.com/alternatives/postgresql
3 direct alternatives to PostgreSQL and 5 more tools in the same category, compared on pricing, features, and best-for use cases. Pick the right replacement without the marketing fluff.
Quick answer
- MySQL is the top alternative to PostgreSQL on our list, followed by MariaDB and CockroachDB.
- 3 of the 8 alternatives have a free plan, starting with MySQL.
- Highest rated: Google Cloud Storage, 4.7 out of 5 from 2,892 ratings, Sep 2026.
- 8 alternatives
- 3 direct
- 3 with a free plan
Top 3 alternatives to PostgreSQL
MySQL
#1 Top pickPopular open-source relational database
Starting price
From $178.33 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.5 /5 across SourceForge and G2 · 1,688 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Best overall
MariaDB
#2Open-source relational database from MySQL creators
Starting price
From $65 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.4 /5 on G2 · 226 ratings, Aug 2026
Our take
Most affordable
CockroachDB
#3Distributed SQL database built for cloud
Pricing
Not published
4.3 /5 on G2 · 29 ratings, Aug 2026
PostgreSQL vs 8 alternatives
| Tool | Starting price (Nov 2026) | Free plan | Rating | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Price: Free | Free plan: Yes | 4.5 out of 5, from 1,094 ratings across G2 and Capterra (1,094) | |
| Price: $178.33/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.5 out of 5, from 1,688 ratings across SourceForge and G2 (1,688) | Direct alternative |
| Price: $65/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.4 out of 5, from 226 ratings on G2 (226) | Direct alternative |
| Price: Not published | Free plan: No | 4.3 out of 5, from 29 ratings on G2 (29) | Direct alternative |
 | Price: Usage-based | Free plan: No | 4.4 out of 5, from 17,730 ratings on G2 (17,730) | Same category as PostgreSQL |
 | Price: Contact sales | Free plan: No | 4.6 out of 5, from 556 ratings on Capterra (556) | Same category as PostgreSQL |
 | Price: Free + paid | Free plan: Yes | 3.5 out of 5, from 19,234 ratings across SourceForge, G2, Trustpilot and more (19,234) | Same category as PostgreSQL |
 | Price: Usage-based | Free plan: No | 4.7 out of 5, from 2,892 ratings across G2 and Capterra (2,892) | Same category as PostgreSQL |
 | Price: Usage-based | Free plan: No | 4.7 out of 5, from 2,062 ratings across G2 and Capterra (2,062) | Same category as PostgreSQL |
Why people consider alternatives to PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL is the advanced open-source database. Relational database with remarkable features-the database serious applications choose. The features are comprehensive. The reliability is proven.
Teams most often switch away when one of these starts to bite:
- A feature or quota ceiling that a paid specialist covers and this free tool does not.
- Missing integrations with the rest of your stack.
- Performance or scale limits as your needs grow.
- A specific feature gap you have hit in data & databases.
The 3 direct alternatives below cover the same core job (data & databases) with different trade-offs. The 5 tools marked "Same category as PostgreSQL" fit the category but replace PostgreSQL less directly.
PostgreSQL by the numbers
Toolradar data: Its head-to-head comparison pages had 97 visits in the last 30 days, ranking #13 of 177 tools with 20+ compare-page visits in Data & Databases. As of Nov 2026.
- #31 (joint) most-listed alternative in Data & Databases, out of 569 tools in Data & Databases. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
- #13 most compared in Data & Databases, out of 177 tools with 20+ compare-page visits in Data & Databases. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
| Metric | PostgreSQL | Peer median | Position (1 is best) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | 64% have one | n/a |
| Listed as an alternative to | 21 tools | 2 | #31 of 569 (joint) |
| User rating | 4.5/5 (across the web, 1,094 ratings) | 4.5/5 | #86 of 202 (joint) tools with 20+ reviews |
| Media mentions, last 30 days | 3 articles | 2 | #5 of 16 (joint) tools mentioned in the last 30 days |
| Compare-page visits, last 30 days | 97 visits | 33 | #13 of 177 tools with 20+ compare-page visits |
Visitors most often compare PostgreSQL with MySQL and MongoDB (last 30 days, Nov 2026).
Listed as an alternative to: #30 on 2026-10-16 to #31 on 2026-11-03 (rank among 569 tools, 1 is best).
Each position is counted among the tools that have data for that row, as noted under it. All Data & Databases data · How we compute this. Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source.
Cite this: Toolradar, “PostgreSQL by the numbers”, Nov 2026.
Data & Databases leaderboards from Toolradar data
Toolradar ranks Data & Databases tools on one measure at a time, only where at least 8 tools have data. As of Nov 2026.
Lowest entry price, plans with no stated unit
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 145 tools with no stated price unit, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DataForSEO | $1/mo |
| 2 | Drizzle Studio | $1.67/mo, billed yearly |
| 3 | JSON Editor Online | $2/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | CPFHub.io | $4/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | SQLAI.ai | $4/mo, billed monthly |
Lowest entry price, per-user plans
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 25 tools priced per user, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open Wearables | $4/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 1 | agmsg | $4/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | Stackby | $4.20/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | Dolt | $5/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | Dome (YC F25) | $5/user/mo, billed monthly |
Lowest entry price, flat team plans
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 13 tools priced as a flat team plan, verified price.
Most media coverage, last 30 days
Number of distinct articles published in the last 30 days by independent press, blogs and newsletters that mention the tool. A story carried by several outlets counts once; the vendor's own blog, review sites, forums and republishing sites do not count.
Counted among 16 tools mentioned in the last 30 days.
| # | Tool | Articles |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google Cloud | 29 articles |
| 2 | ZoomInfo | 7 articles |
| 3 | SerpAPI | 5 articles |
| 3 | SolarWinds | 5 articles |
| 5 | MongoDB | 3 articles |
A position exists only when at least 8 tools have data for that metric. 183 of 569 Data & Databases tools have a verified price; the others publish none we could read (often "contact sales"). Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source. How we compute this. Cite this: Toolradar, “Data & Databases leaderboards”, Nov 2026. Data licensed CC BY 4.0. All Data & Databases statistics.
8 alternatives to PostgreSQL
Direct alternatives come first, ranked by G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review. Tools marked "Same category as PostgreSQL" follow, ranked the same way.
- 1
MySQL
100% free Battle-tested at scalePopular open-source relational database
4.5 /5 across SourceForge and G2 · 1,688 ratings, Sep 2026
From $2,140/year
- 2
MariaDB
100% freeOpen-source relational database from MySQL creators
4.4 /5 on G2 · 226 ratings, Aug 2026
From $65/mo, billed monthly
- 3
CockroachDB
Free planDistributed SQL database built for cloud
4.3 /5 on G2 · 29 ratings, Aug 2026
Free plan available; paid prices not published
- 4
AWS
Paid Battle-tested at scaleThe cloud infrastructure that powers half the internet
4.4 /5 on G2 · 17,730 ratings, May 2026
Price not published
Same category as PostgreSQL
- 5
Google Cloud
PaidEnterprise cloud with AI/ML strengths and BigQuery
4.6 /5 on Capterra · 556 ratings, Sep 2026
Price not published
Same category as PostgreSQL
- 6
Oracle Cloud
Free plan Battle-tested at scaleEnterprise cloud infrastructure from the database company
3.5 /5 across SourceForge, G2, Trustpilot and more · 19,234 ratings, Sep 2026
Free plan available; paid prices not published
Same category as PostgreSQL
- 7
Google Cloud Storage
Paid Higher rated by usersObject storage by Google Cloud
4.7 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 2,892 ratings, Sep 2026
Price not published
Same category as PostgreSQL
- 8
AWS S3
Paid Higher rated by usersScalable object storage by Amazon
4.7 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 2,062 ratings, Sep 2026
Price not published
Same category as PostgreSQL
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to PostgreSQL?
Based on real-signal scoring (G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editorial review), the top alternatives to PostgreSQL are MySQL, MariaDB, CockroachDB. Each solves the same core job with different trade-offs on pricing, features, and integrations.
Is there a free alternative to PostgreSQL?
PostgreSQL is already 100% free (no paid upgrade path). MySQL is another fully free option listed here (Popular open-source relational database). Freemium tools on this list have a free tier plus paid plans; they are not the same as 100% free.
Why do people look for PostgreSQL alternatives?
Common reasons teams switch away from PostgreSQL even though it is free: missing integrations with the rest of their stack, performance or scale limits, or a specific feature gap in data & databases. The alternatives on this page solve the same core problem with a different feature set.
Side-by-side comparisons
In-depth comparison pages for PostgreSQL versus each alternative.
Review PostgreSQL, get a free AI guide
Share your experience and we will send you Improve Your Thinking Patterns Using ChatGPT, free.
Still considering PostgreSQL?
See the full review, pricing breakdown, and community feedback before you decide.