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PostgreSQL alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 1, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave PostgreSQL: running replication, failover and major upgrades yourself takes expertise, and connection handling often needs a pooler under heavy load. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces PostgreSQL, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. MySQL currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1MySQL logoMySQLOpen sourceYesLinux, Windows, macOS +14 of 466.5
2MariaDB logoMariaDBOpen sourceYesLinux, Windows, macOS +14 of 462.6
  1. MySQL logo

    1. MySQLTop pick

    Best for: Web developers who want the most widely hosted SQL database, especially for PHP and WordPress apps.

    Open sourceSelf-hostableLinux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from PostgreSQL

    The other big open-source relational database, with huge hosting support and a simpler admin story.

    Pros

    • Supported by nearly every host, cloud and framework
    • Free GPL Community Edition with replication and clustering
    • Official GUI in MySQL Workbench

    Cons

    • Some features are reserved for paid Enterprise editions
    • Controlled by Oracle rather than a community foundation
    • Fewer advanced data types and SQL features than PostgreSQL
    Visit MySQL Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is MySQL a good PostgreSQL alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL (Community Edition)
    Checked Oct 30, 2026mysql.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free edition
    Community Edition
    Checked Oct 30, 2026mysql.com(opens source in a new tab)
    High availability
    Group Replication, InnoDB Cluster
    Checked Oct 30, 2026mysql.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    20+ incl. Linux, Windows, Mac
    Checked Oct 30, 2026mysql.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. MariaDB logo

    2. MariaDB

    Best for: Teams running MySQL-style apps who want a community-governed, GPL database server.

    Open sourceSelf-hostableLinux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from PostgreSQL

    Community fork of MySQL under a foundation, for an open SQL server with no single corporate owner.

    Pros

    • Largely MySQL-compatible, so migrations are usually easy
    • Governed by a foundation rather than a single vendor
    • Regular LTS releases and built-in vector search

    Cons

    • Has drifted from recent MySQL versions in some features
    • Several release tracks (LTS, rolling, preview) can confuse
    • Smaller extension ecosystem than PostgreSQL
    Visit MariaDB Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is MariaDB a good PostgreSQL alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-2.0
    Checked Nov 1, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Origin
    Fork of MySQL by original MySQL team members
    Checked Nov 1, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    LTS releases
    Yes
    Checked Nov 1, 2026mariadb.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Vector search
    MariaDB Vector
    Checked Nov 1, 2026mariadb.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best PostgreSQL alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

MySQL logo

Best PostgreSQL alternative for most people

MySQL

The other big open-source relational database, with huge hosting support and a simpler admin story.

MariaDB logo

Best PostgreSQL alternative for a free option

MariaDB

Community fork of MySQL under a foundation, for an open SQL server with no single corporate owner.

Supabase logo

Best PostgreSQL alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Supabase

Managed Postgres with auth, storage and APIs on top, if you'd rather not run the server yourself.

MySQL logo

Best PostgreSQL alternative for open source

MySQL

The other big open-source relational database, with huge hosting support and a simpler admin story.

CockroachDB logo

Best PostgreSQL alternative for self-hosting

CockroachDB

Speaks the Postgres wire protocol but distributes data across nodes for built-in horizontal scale.

MySQL logo

Best PostgreSQL alternative for Mac

MySQL

The other big open-source relational database, with huge hosting support and a simpler admin story.

MySQL logo

Best PostgreSQL alternative for Windows

MySQL

The other big open-source relational database, with huge hosting support and a simpler admin story.

MySQL logo

Best PostgreSQL alternative for Linux

MySQL

The other big open-source relational database, with huge hosting support and a simpler admin story.

Neon logo

Best PostgreSQL alternative for working in the browser

Neon

Serverless hosted Postgres with branching and scale-to-zero, for skipping server admin entirely.

PostgreSQL alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to PostgreSQL?

MySQL ranks first right now. The other big open-source relational database, with huge hosting support and a simpler admin story. MariaDB and CockroachDB follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to PostgreSQL?

Yes. MySQL (open source), MariaDB (open source), Supabase (free plan + paid) and Neon (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to PostgreSQL?

Yes: MySQL, MariaDB and Supabase. MySQL, MariaDB and Supabase can also be self-hosted.

Which PostgreSQL alternatives work on Linux?

MySQL and MariaDB run on Linux.

Why do people switch from PostgreSQL?

The complaints we hear most: running replication, failover and major upgrades yourself takes expertise; connection handling often needs a pooler under heavy load; no official GUI; you pick a separate client.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces PostgreSQL, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.