{"slug":"mysql-vs-postgresql)","title":"MySQL vs PostgreSQL","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-postgresql)","faqCount":5,"faqs":[{"question":"Which should I choose for a new project in 2026?","answer":"Choose PostgreSQL if your project involves analytics, complex queries, JSON handling, or strict data integrity needs. Choose MySQL if you're building a simple web application, prioritize hosting availability, need maximum read speed, or are migrating existing MySQL code. PostgreSQL's feature gap advantage now outweighs MySQL's historical speed advantage for most new projects."},{"question":"Which database is faster—MySQL or PostgreSQL?","answer":"MySQL is 15-20% faster on simple SELECT queries due to optimized read paths. However, PostgreSQL is 60-65% faster on complex analytical queries with JOINs, aggregations, and window functions. For read-heavy workloads with simple schemas, MySQL wins; for data warehousing and analytics, PostgreSQL dominates."},{"question":"Is MySQL ACID-compliant by default?","answer":"No. MySQL's default storage engine (as of 5.7+) is InnoDB, which is ACID-compliant, but the older MyISAM engine is not. PostgreSQL guarantees ACID compliance on all transactions by default without requiring engine selection, making it safer for critical financial and banking applications."},{"question":"Can I use JSON with both databases?","answer":"Both support JSON, but PostgreSQL's JSONB (binary JSON) is vastly superior. JSONB allows indexing, query operators (->), and sub-millisecond performance on large documents. MySQL's JSON support is basic—storing JSON as text without native indexing capability, resulting in slower queries on large datasets."},{"question":"Why does MySQL appear on more hosting providers?","answer":"MySQL has been the default database for web hosting since the 1990s due to its simplicity and lower resource requirements. PostgreSQL requires more configuration expertise and memory (2-3x more baseline RAM). Many legacy shared hosting providers still don't support PostgreSQL, though adoption is growing (currently 85% of providers offer it)."}],"faqPageSchema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-postgresql)#faq","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-postgresql)","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"MySQL vs PostgreSQL — FAQ","description":"Frequently asked questions about MySQL vs PostgreSQL","dateModified":"2026-07-08T03:34:30.073Z","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"},"isPartOf":{"@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-postgresql)#article"},"license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":["#faq",".faq-item"]},"mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Which should I choose for a new project in 2026?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Choose PostgreSQL if your project involves analytics, complex queries, JSON handling, or strict data integrity needs. Choose MySQL if you're building a simple web application, prioritize hosting availability, need maximum read speed, or are migrating existing MySQL code. PostgreSQL's feature gap advantage now outweighs MySQL's historical speed advantage for most new projects.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-postgresql)"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Which database is faster—MySQL or PostgreSQL?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"MySQL is 15-20% faster on simple SELECT queries due to optimized read paths. However, PostgreSQL is 60-65% faster on complex analytical queries with JOINs, aggregations, and window functions. For read-heavy workloads with simple schemas, MySQL wins; for data warehousing and analytics, PostgreSQL dominates.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-postgresql)"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is MySQL ACID-compliant by default?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. MySQL's default storage engine (as of 5.7+) is InnoDB, which is ACID-compliant, but the older MyISAM engine is not. PostgreSQL guarantees ACID compliance on all transactions by default without requiring engine selection, making it safer for critical financial and banking applications.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-postgresql)"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I use JSON with both databases?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Both support JSON, but PostgreSQL's JSONB (binary JSON) is vastly superior. JSONB allows indexing, query operators (->), and sub-millisecond performance on large documents. MySQL's JSON support is basic—storing JSON as text without native indexing capability, resulting in slower queries on large datasets.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-postgresql)"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Why does MySQL appear on more hosting providers?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"MySQL has been the default database for web hosting since the 1990s due to its simplicity and lower resource requirements. PostgreSQL requires more configuration expertise and memory (2-3x more baseline RAM). Many legacy shared hosting providers still don't support PostgreSQL, though adoption is growing (currently 85% of providers offer it).","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-postgresql)"}}]}}