KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) vs PostgreSQL
KurrentDB (EventStoreDB): A purpose-built event store for event sourcing, with streams, subscriptions and projections. PostgreSQL: The extensible, standards-first open-source relational database.
key differences
- KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) is primarily an event store database; PostgreSQL is relational.
- Licensing: KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) is source-available (Kurrent License v1 (KLv1)); PostgreSQL is open source (permissive) (PostgreSQL License).
- Horizontal scaling is none in KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) and addon in PostgreSQL.
- Transactions: KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) offers limited ACID; PostgreSQL offers full.
- Only KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) has encryption at rest, time travel, streaming ingest.
- Only PostgreSQL has joins, secondary indexes, full-text search, vector search, geospatial.
choose kurrentdb for
- +Event-sourced domain models with CQRS
- +Audit-heavy financial and logistics systems
- +Integrating microservices via durable event streams
best at · Event sourcing, OLTP, Pub/Sub
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
KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) vs PostgreSQL: FAQ
What is the difference between KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) and PostgreSQL?
KurrentDB (EventStoreDB): A purpose-built event store for event sourcing, with streams, subscriptions and projections. PostgreSQL: The extensible, standards-first open-source relational database. KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) is primarily an event store database; PostgreSQL is relational. Licensing: KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) is source-available (Kurrent License v1 (KLv1)); PostgreSQL is open source (permissive) (PostgreSQL License). Horizontal scaling is none in KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) and addon in PostgreSQL.
When should I choose KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) over PostgreSQL?
Choose KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) for event-sourced domain models with CQRS; audit-heavy financial and logistics systems; and integrating microservices via durable event streams. Choose PostgreSQL for general-purpose application backend, SaaS multi-tenant data and geospatial applications with PostGIS.
Is KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) or PostgreSQL more popular?
PostgreSQL ranks #1 on the WhichDB Score (93.2/100) and KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) ranks #177 (18.6/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) and PostgreSQL open source?
Not in the OSI sense. KurrentDB (EventStoreDB) is source-available: you can read the code, but the license restricts some uses, typically offering it as a competing managed service. License: Kurrent License v1 (KLv1). Yes. PostgreSQL is open source. License: PostgreSQL License.