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pg_ivm vs Readyset

pg_ivm: A Postgres extension that keeps materialized views updated incrementally inside the same transaction. Readyset: A wire-compatible SQL cache for Postgres and MySQL that keeps cached queries fresh from replication.

key differences

  • Licensing: pg_ivm is open source (permissive) (PostgreSQL License); Readyset is source-available (Business Source License 1.1).
  • Readyset is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than pg_ivm (≤ 100 GB).
  • Horizontal scaling is none in pg_ivm and manual in Readyset.
  • Transactions: pg_ivm offers full ACID; Readyset offers none.
  • Only pg_ivm has transactions, triggers.
  • Only Readyset has change data capture, in-memory.

choose pg-ivm for

  • +Always-fresh summary tables for dashboards
  • +Replacing periodic REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW jobs

best at · Real-time analytics, OLTP

choose readyset for

  • +Offloading repetitive read queries from Postgres or MySQL
  • +Replacing Redis-based query caches with automatic invalidation
  • +Scaling read-heavy SaaS dashboards

best at · Cache, OLTP

pg_ivmA Postgres extension that keeps materialized views updated incrementally inside the same transaction.
ReadysetA wire-compatible SQL cache for Postgres and MySQL that keeps cached queries fresh from replication.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Relational
Also supports
–
–
Type
Extension
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
SRA OSS (IVM Development Group)
ReadySet, Inc.
First release
2022
2022
Latest version
1.17 (Oct 18, 2026)
stable-261022 (Oct 22, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)PostgreSQL License
Source-availableBusiness Source License 1.1
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
6.4
12.7
Rank
#363
#264
GitHub stars
1.5K
5.3K
Stack Overflow questions
–
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
None
Manual
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Full
None
Consistency
Strong
Eventual
Schema
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Single node, Primary replica, Client server
Single node, Client server
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
—
✓
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
—
—
Edge
—
—
Clouds
–
AWS
capabilities
Transactions
✓
—
Joins
✓
✓
Secondary indexes
—
—
Full-text search
—
—
Vector search
—
—
Geospatial
—
—
JSON
—
—
Change data capture
—
✓
Triggers
✓
—
Stored procedures
—
—
Materialized views
✓
✓
TTL / expiry
—
—
Pub/Sub
—
—
Columnar storage
—
—
In-memory
—
✓
Durable persistence
✓
✓
Compression
—
—
Encryption at rest
—
—
Role-based access
—
—
Time travel
—
—
Branching
—
—
Online schema changes
—
—
Streaming ingest
—
—
Offline sync
—
—
Runs in WebAssembly
—
—
interfaces
Query languages
SQL
SQL
Client languages
Any Postgres driver
Any Postgres/MySQL driver
Best for
Real-time analytics, OLTP
Cache, OLTP
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

pg_ivm vs Readyset: FAQ

What is the difference between pg_ivm and Readyset?

pg_ivm: A Postgres extension that keeps materialized views updated incrementally inside the same transaction. Readyset: A wire-compatible SQL cache for Postgres and MySQL that keeps cached queries fresh from replication. Licensing: pg_ivm is open source (permissive) (PostgreSQL License); Readyset is source-available (Business Source License 1.1). Readyset is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than pg_ivm (≤ 100 GB). Horizontal scaling is none in pg_ivm and manual in Readyset.

When should I choose pg_ivm over Readyset?

Choose pg_ivm for always-fresh summary tables for dashboards and replacing periodic REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW jobs. Choose Readyset for offloading repetitive read queries from Postgres or MySQL, replacing Redis-based query caches with automatic invalidation and scaling read-heavy SaaS dashboards.

Is pg_ivm or Readyset more popular?

Readyset ranks #264 on the WhichDB Score (12.7/100) and pg_ivm ranks #363 (6.4/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are pg_ivm and Readyset open source?

Yes. pg_ivm is open source. License: PostgreSQL License. Not in the OSI sense. Readyset is source-available: you can read the code, but the license restricts some uses, typically offering it as a competing managed service. License: Business Source License 1.1.