AlloyDB for PostgreSQL vs PostgreSQL
AlloyDB for PostgreSQL: Google's Postgres-compatible service with disaggregated storage, a columnar engine and ScaNN vectors. PostgreSQL: The extensible, standards-first open-source relational database.
key differences
- Licensing: AlloyDB for PostgreSQL is proprietary (Proprietary (Google Cloud service; AlloyDB Omni commercial license)); PostgreSQL is open source (permissive) (PostgreSQL License).
- AlloyDB for PostgreSQL is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than PostgreSQL (≤ 10 TB).
- Horizontal scaling is none in AlloyDB for PostgreSQL and addon in PostgreSQL.
- Only AlloyDB for PostgreSQL has columnar storage, in-memory, encryption at rest.
- Only PostgreSQL has online schema changes.
choose alloydb for
- +Migrating demanding Postgres or Oracle workloads to Google Cloud
- +Operational analytics on live transactional data
- +RAG and semantic search with vectors stored beside business data
- +Hybrid deployments using AlloyDB Omni on-premises
best at · OLTP, HTAP, Vector search
choose postgresql for
- +General-purpose application backend
- +SaaS multi-tenant data
- +Geospatial applications with PostGIS
- +Semantic search alongside relational data with pgvector
best at · OLTP, Geo, Search
AlloyDB for PostgreSQL vs PostgreSQL: FAQ
What is the difference between AlloyDB for PostgreSQL and PostgreSQL?
AlloyDB for PostgreSQL: Google's Postgres-compatible service with disaggregated storage, a columnar engine and ScaNN vectors. PostgreSQL: The extensible, standards-first open-source relational database. Licensing: AlloyDB for PostgreSQL is proprietary (Proprietary (Google Cloud service; AlloyDB Omni commercial license)); PostgreSQL is open source (permissive) (PostgreSQL License). AlloyDB for PostgreSQL is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than PostgreSQL (≤ 10 TB). Horizontal scaling is none in AlloyDB for PostgreSQL and addon in PostgreSQL.
When should I choose AlloyDB for PostgreSQL over PostgreSQL?
Choose AlloyDB for PostgreSQL for migrating demanding Postgres or Oracle workloads to Google Cloud; operational analytics on live transactional data; and RAG and semantic search with vectors stored beside business data. Choose PostgreSQL for general-purpose application backend, SaaS multi-tenant data and geospatial applications with PostGIS.
Is AlloyDB for PostgreSQL or PostgreSQL more popular?
PostgreSQL ranks #1 on the WhichDB Score (93.2/100) and AlloyDB for PostgreSQL ranks #430 (3.6/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are AlloyDB for PostgreSQL and PostgreSQL open source?
No. AlloyDB for PostgreSQL is proprietary, closed-source software. Yes. PostgreSQL is open source. License: PostgreSQL License.