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It's a split decision.
InfluxDB is a time-series database for continuous, high-resolution operational data, with options for on-premises, edge, and cloud deployments. PostgreSQL is an open-source object-relational database with more than 35 years of active development. Choose InfluxDB when high-speed ingest, real-time analytics, and cold-data streaming to lakes or warehouses fit your stack. Choose PostgreSQL when a free database system, its OSI-approved license, and official documentation and community resources fit your requirements. Hosting and operating either database remain part of your deployment decisions.
01Side by side
| InfluxDB | PostgreSQL | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Metered cloud, custom enterprise, or free Core | Free open-source database software |
| Free tier | $250 Cloud Serverless credit; Core free forever | Free of charge; no published seat or usage limits |
| Open source and license | Core is open source; license name unspecified | OSI-approved PostgreSQL License |
| Self-hosting | Self-hostable, including on-premises and edge | Open-source, self-hostable database |
| Client libraries | Python, JavaScript, Go, C#, and Java | Homepage does not list specific client libraries |
| Documentation | Developer resources and language client libraries | Official documentation and community resources |
| Integrations | Grafana, lakes, warehouses, and AI/ML pipelines | Homepage lists no specific integrations |
| Deployment model | On-premises, edge, cloud, and AWS option | Self-hostable object-relational database |
InfluxDB Choose InfluxDB if
- Choose InfluxDB if you ingest continuous, high-resolution time-series data.
- Choose InfluxDB if edge-to-cloud deployment fits your system.
- Choose InfluxDB if you need cold-data streaming to lakes or warehouses.
PostgreSQL Choose PostgreSQL if
- Choose PostgreSQL if you need a free object-relational database.
- Choose PostgreSQL if its OSI-approved license fits your requirements.
- Choose PostgreSQL if official documentation and community resources suit your team.
02Pricing at real usage
PostgreSQL is free of charge, with no paid plans or published seat or usage limits. That covers the database software, not the hosting or operational work a team supplies. InfluxDB 3 Core is free forever for local development and prototyping, but has no high availability or enterprise security. InfluxDB Cloud Serverless is usage-based: the pricing page lists $250 in free credit, then $0.0025 per MB written, $0.012 per 100 query executions, $0.002 per GB-hour stored, and $0.09 per GB transferred out. Those meters make writes, queries, storage time, and egress the cost drivers. InfluxDB 3 Enterprise and Cloud Dedicated use custom pricing; Amazon Timestream for InfluxDB follows AWS consumption pricing. The pricing page lists no standard monthly subscription price. Ask sales about annual usage-commitment discounts.
03API, SDKs and integration
InfluxDB’s homepage names client libraries for Python, JavaScript, Go, C#, and Java. It also lists integrations with Grafana, data lakes, warehouses, and AI/ML pipelines. Its API protocol and CLI details are not specified on the homepage, so confirm the interface and tooling your application needs in the product documentation. PostgreSQL’s homepage points developers to official documentation for installing and using the database, plus community resources for learning and support. It does not list specific integrations or client libraries. Neither homepage specifies an API protocol, so check the documentation for the driver and connection approach supported by your application stack. Architecturally, InfluxDB’s stated focus is ingesting and analyzing continuous time-series data; PostgreSQL is an object-relational database system. That distinction matters when choosing which data model and surrounding libraries should sit at the center of a codebase.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Both databases are open source and self-hostable. InfluxDB 3 Core is described as open source, but its license name is not specified in the product details. PostgreSQL uses the OSI-approved PostgreSQL License. InfluxDB can run on-premises, at the edge, or in the cloud; its self-managed Enterprise offering has custom pricing. Core has no high availability or enterprise security. PostgreSQL’s homepage describes the database software and its community but does not specify a hosted service. InfluxDB’s cold-data eviction can stream data to lakes, warehouses, and AI/ML pipelines, providing a stated path for cold data to leave the database. Neither homepage describes a general migration process or export format. Before committing, check how your schema, queries, retention needs, and stored data would move to another system.
Questions people ask
Is InfluxDB better than PostgreSQL for time-series data?
InfluxDB is purpose-built for continuous, high-resolution operational data, with features for high-speed ingest, real-time analytics, compression, downsampling, and cold-data eviction. PostgreSQL is an object-relational database. The better fit depends on your data model, query patterns, and deployment requirements.
Can I use InfluxDB for free?
Yes. InfluxDB 3 Core is free forever for local development and prototyping, and the Cloud Serverless plan lists $250 in free credit. Core does not include high availability or enterprise security. Cloud Serverless charges by writes, queries, storage, and data transfer.
Does PostgreSQL cost anything to use?
The PostgreSQL software is free of charge and has no paid plans. Its license is the OSI-approved PostgreSQL License. Teams that self-host still supply hosting and operational work; PostgreSQL does not publish a software seat or usage charge.
Can InfluxDB and PostgreSQL be self-hosted?
Yes. Both are self-hostable. InfluxDB’s homepage describes deployments on-premises and at the edge, as well as in the cloud. PostgreSQL is open-source software. For InfluxDB, Core is free but lacks high availability and enterprise security; Enterprise pricing is custom.