whichdb
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PGlite vs PostgreSQL

PGlite: Real PostgreSQL compiled to WebAssembly: an embeddable Postgres for browsers, Node, Bun and Deno. PostgreSQL: The extensible, standards-first open-source relational database.

key differences

  • PostgreSQL is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than PGlite (≤ 100 GB).
  • Horizontal scaling is none in PGlite and addon in PostgreSQL.
  • Only PGlite has in-memory, offline sync, runs in webassembly.
  • Only PostgreSQL has change data capture, compression, role-based access, online schema changes.
  • PGlite can run embedded in your application process.

choose pglite for

  • +Local-first web apps with Electric sync
  • +In-browser SQL playgrounds and tutorials
  • +Ephemeral Postgres for unit tests in Node/Bun
  • +Client-side vector search with pgvector

best at · Embedded, Local-first, Mobile/offline

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

PGliteReal PostgreSQL compiled to WebAssembly: an embeddable Postgres for browsers, Node, Bun and Deno.
PostgreSQLThe extensible, standards-first open-source relational database.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Relational
Also supports
Document, Vector, Spatial
Document, Spatial
Type
Embedded library
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
ElectricSQL
PostgreSQL Global Development Group
First release
2024
1996
Latest version
0.5.12 (Oct 26, 2026)
18.6 (Aug 13, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0 / PostgreSQL License
Open source (permissive)PostgreSQL License
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
35.1
93.2
Rank
#57
#1
GitHub stars
16.2K
22.6K
Stack Overflow questions
–
178.8K
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
None
Addon
Multi-region
None
Read replicas
ACID
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Embedded, In memory
Single node, Primary replica, Client server
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
—
—
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
✓
—
Edge
✓
—
Clouds
–
AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Oracle Cloud, IBM Cloud, Alibaba Cloud
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, PL/pgSQL
SQL, PL/pgSQL
Client languages
JavaScript, TypeScript
C, Java, Python, JavaScript, Go, Rust, C#, Ruby
Best for
Embedded, Local-first, Mobile/offline, Edge
OLTP, Geo, Search, Content
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

PGlite vs PostgreSQL: FAQ

What is the difference between PGlite and PostgreSQL?

PGlite: Real PostgreSQL compiled to WebAssembly: an embeddable Postgres for browsers, Node, Bun and Deno. PostgreSQL: The extensible, standards-first open-source relational database. PostgreSQL is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than PGlite (≤ 100 GB). Horizontal scaling is none in PGlite and addon in PostgreSQL. Only PGlite has in-memory, offline sync, runs in webassembly.

When should I choose PGlite over PostgreSQL?

Choose PGlite for local-first web apps with Electric sync; in-browser SQL playgrounds and tutorials; and ephemeral Postgres for unit tests in Node/Bun. Choose PostgreSQL for general-purpose application backend, SaaS multi-tenant data and geospatial applications with PostGIS.

Is PGlite or PostgreSQL more popular?

PostgreSQL ranks #1 on the WhichDB Score (93.2/100) and PGlite ranks #57 (35.1/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are PGlite and PostgreSQL open source?

Yes. PGlite is open source. License: Apache License 2.0 / PostgreSQL License. Yes. PostgreSQL is open source. License: PostgreSQL License.