PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora
type: Article
description: PostgreSQL is a free, open-source relational database that you manage yourself, while Amazon Aurora is a managed cloud database service built on PostgreSQL-compatible architecture that AWS operates for you. Aurora offers higher availability and automatic scaling at premium costs, whereas PostgreSQL provides full control and zero licensing fees.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-07-09T07:48:10.608Z
date created: 2026-07-09T07:48:10.608Z
date modified: 2026-07-09T07:48:10.673Z
content reference time: 2026-07-09T07:48:10.673Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: PostgreSQL
about: Amazon Aurora
abstract: PostgreSQL is a free, open-source relational database that you manage yourself, while Amazon Aurora is a managed cloud database service built on PostgreSQL-compatible architecture that AWS operates for you. Aurora offers higher availability and automatic scaling at premium costs, whereas PostgreSQL provides full control and zero licensing fees.
text: Cost Model. Management Responsibility. Read Replicas Setup Time. High Availability SLA. Automatic Failover. Data Import/Export Flexibility. Query Performance (3x read scaling)
conclusion text: Choose PostgreSQL if you need cost-free database software, require complete control over your infrastructure, or operate in multi-cloud environments—it's ideal for startups, on-premises deployments, and DevOps teams. Choose Amazon Aurora if you prioritize operational simplicity, need 99.95% uptime guarantees, automatic scaling, and are already invested in AWS—it's best for mission-critical applications where team time is expensive.
additional property: ACID Compliance Level
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Complete (all operations) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Simple Query Throughput
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: ~25,000 (PostgreSQL 18) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Complex Join Performance
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: ~320 (5-table join) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: JSON Query Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: JSONB with full indexing | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Base Memory Footprint
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: ~150 (minimal config) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Vector Similarity Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Native pgvector | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Full-Text Search
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Comprehensive native support | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Time-Series Optimization
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: TimescaleDB extension native | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: AWS RDS Managed Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: $15.25 (PostgreSQL 18) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Supported Versions (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 5 (14-18 active) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Replication Lag (typical)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 10-100 (WAL) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Support Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: EDB, multiple vendors | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Single-Node Write Throughput
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 35,000 writes/sec | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Horizontal Scalability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Manual sharding required | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Minimum Cluster Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 1 (single instance) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Multi-Region Failover Time (RTO)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Manual, typically 5-15 minutes | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: PostgreSQL SQL Compatibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 100% (native) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Self-Hosted Cost (Base)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: $0 (open-source) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: GitHub Stars
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 3,500+ stars | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Production Maturity (Years Active)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 25+ years | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Monthly Base Cost (Small Instance)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: $0 (infrastructure cost only) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Write Throughput (bulk inserts)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 15,000-25,000 docs/sec | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Multi-row/Document Transactions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Full multi-statement ACID | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Query Language Complexity (learning curve)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 1-2 months (SQL standardized, widely taught) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Free open-source; commercial support available | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Memory Usage (100K documents)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 150-200 MB | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Index Types Supported
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 20+ (B-tree, hash, BRIN, GiST, partial indexes) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Maximum Concurrent Connections
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 1,000+ | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Setup Time (Fresh Installation)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 30-60 minutes | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: License Cost (Annual, Small Enterprise)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: $0 | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Max Write Throughput (Optimized)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: ~10,000 (single node) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: ACID Transaction Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Full compliance, all operations | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Storage Overhead (vs Equivalent Relational)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 1x baseline (normalized) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Native Horizontal Scaling
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: No (requires partitioning/third-party) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Query Language Complexity Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Full SQL with unlimited JOIN depth and CTEs | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Schema Enforcement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Required (schema-on-write) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Community Size & Ecosystem
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: ~15k stars | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Typical Setup Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 2-4 hours (widely supported, simpler setup) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Time to Production
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 120-1440 minutes (self-hosted) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Minimum Monthly Cost (Production)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: $20-50 (cloud VM minimum) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Built-in Authentication Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 0 (requires third-party) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Real-time Subscriptions Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Not native - requires extensions | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Maximum Database Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Unlimited (petabyte+ capable) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Automatic Daily Backups
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Not included - manual setup required | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Vendor Lock-in Risk
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Zero - 100% portable SQL | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Supported Concurrent Connections (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: Unlimited (depends on installation) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Simple SELECT Query Speed
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: 115-120ms | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Minimum Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: $0 (open-source) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
additional property: Production Tier Monthly Base Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: PostgreSQL: $0 (self-hosted only) | Amazon Aurora: N/A
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/postgresql
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/postgresql
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/amazon-aurora
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/amazon-aurora
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/postgresql-vs-amazon-aurora)
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/postgresql-vs-amazon-aurora)
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/postgresql-vs-amazon-aurora
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-amazon-aurora
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/postgresql-vs-sqlite
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cockroachdb-vs-postgresql
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mongodb-vs-postgresql
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/postgresql-vs-supabase
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/neon-vs-postgresql
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mysql-vs-postgresql
teaches: How to choose between PostgreSQL and Amazon Aurora
genre: Software

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

PostgreSQL
type: SoftwareApplication
alternate name: Postgresql
language: en-US
description: Free, open-source relational database with advanced features and full control
image: ImageObject
  caption: PostgreSQL
subject of: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora
image: ImageObject
  caption: PostgreSQL

Amazon Aurora
type: SoftwareApplication
alternate name: AA
language: en-US
description: AWS-managed relational database with PostgreSQL/MySQL compatibility, auto-scaling, and high availability
subject of: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora

PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora. Contains 106 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
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  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: ACID Compliance Level
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reliability
variable measured: Simple Query Throughput
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Complex Join Performance
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: JSON Query Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Base Memory Footprint
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Resources
variable measured: Vector Similarity Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI/ML Features
variable measured: Full-Text Search
  type: PropertyValue
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variable measured: Time-Series Optimization
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: AWS RDS Managed Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Supported Versions (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Maintenance
variable measured: Replication Lag (typical)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Enterprise Support Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Single-Node Write Throughput
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Horizontal Scalability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Architecture
variable measured: Minimum Cluster Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Multi-Region Failover Time (RTO)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Availability
variable measured: PostgreSQL SQL Compatibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: Self-Hosted Cost (Base)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: GitHub Stars
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community Adoption
variable measured: Production Maturity (Years Active)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Maturity
variable measured: Monthly Base Cost (Small Instance)
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variable measured: Write Throughput (bulk inserts)
  type: PropertyValue
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variable measured: Multi-row/Document Transactions
  type: PropertyValue
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variable measured: Query Language Complexity (learning curve)
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variable measured: Enterprise Support
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variable measured: Memory Usage (100K documents)
  type: PropertyValue
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variable measured: Index Types Supported
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Maximum Concurrent Connections
  type: PropertyValue
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variable measured: Setup Time (Fresh Installation)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: License Cost (Annual, Small Enterprise)
  type: PropertyValue
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variable measured: Max Write Throughput (Optimized)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: ACID Transaction Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Data Reliability
variable measured: Storage Overhead (vs Equivalent Relational)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Efficiency
variable measured: Native Horizontal Scaling
  type: PropertyValue
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variable measured: Query Language Complexity Support
  type: PropertyValue
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variable measured: Schema Enforcement
  type: PropertyValue
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variable measured: Community Size & Ecosystem
  type: PropertyValue
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variable measured: Typical Setup Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operational
variable measured: Time to Production
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Deployment
variable measured: Minimum Monthly Cost (Production)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Built-in Authentication Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Real-time Subscriptions Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Maximum Database Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Automatic Daily Backups
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reliability
variable measured: Vendor Lock-in Risk
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Flexibility
variable measured: Supported Concurrent Connections (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Limits
variable measured: Simple SELECT Query Speed
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Minimum Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Production Tier Monthly Base Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Time to Deploy Production Database
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Developer Experience
variable measured: Supported Geographic Regions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Database Branching Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Maximum Storage (Base Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Limits
variable measured: Auto-Scaling Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Point-in-Time Recovery Retention
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Data Protection
variable measured: Monthly Cost (100 GB, moderate traffic)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Auto-scaling Response Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Maximum Connections
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: Data Portability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ownership
variable measured: Available PostgreSQL Extensions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Customization
variable measured: Cold Start Latency
variable measured: Community Size & Support
variable measured: Complex Analytical Query Speed (with JOINs + aggregations)
variable measured: Default Memory Usage
variable measured: ACID Compliance by Default
variable measured: Maximum JSON Document Size
variable measured: Full-Text Search Languages Supported
variable measured: Hosting Provider Compatibility
variable measured: Window Functions Availability
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/postgresql-vs-amazon-aurora)

PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora.
has defined term: Reliability
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Resources
has defined term: AI/ML Features
has defined term: Cost
has defined term: Maintenance
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Architecture
has defined term: Infrastructure
has defined term: Availability
has defined term: Compatibility
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Community Adoption
has defined term: Maturity
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Data Reliability
has defined term: Efficiency
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: Design Philosophy
has defined term: Community
has defined term: Operational
has defined term: Deployment
has defined term: Flexibility
has defined term: Limits
has defined term: Developer Experience
has defined term: Data Protection
has defined term: Ownership
has defined term: Customization
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Data Integrity
has defined term: Data Handling
has defined term: SQL Features
has defined term: Adoption
has defined term: Management
has defined term: Operations

Reliability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: reliability
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Resources
type: DefinedTerm
term code: resources
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI/ML Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai/ml-features
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cost
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cost
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Maintenance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: maintenance
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Architecture
type: DefinedTerm
term code: architecture
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: infrastructure
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Availability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: availability
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Compatibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: compatibility
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community-adoption
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Maturity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: maturity
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Usability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: usability
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ease-of-use
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Data Reliability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: data-reliability
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Efficiency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: efficiency
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scalability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scalability
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Design Philosophy
type: DefinedTerm
term code: design-philosophy
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operational
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operational
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Deployment
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Flexibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: flexibility
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Limits
type: DefinedTerm
term code: limits
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Developer Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: developer-experience
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Data Protection
type: DefinedTerm
term code: data-protection
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ownership
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ownership
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Customization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: customization
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Data Integrity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: data-integrity
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Data Handling
type: DefinedTerm
term code: data-handling
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

SQL Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: sql-features
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: adoption
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Management
type: DefinedTerm
term code: management
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operations
in defined term set: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-07-09T07:48:10.673Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: postgresql-vs-amazon-aurora)
main entity: Can I migrate from PostgreSQL to Aurora without rewriting code?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Yes. Aurora is PostgreSQL-compatible, so existing queries and applications work with minimal changes. Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for automated migration. However, some advanced PostgreSQL extensions may not be available in Aurora, requiring code modifications. The reverse migration (Aurora to PostgreSQL) requires manual export/import.
    language: en-US
main entity: What is the true total cost of ownership for PostgreSQL vs Aurora?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: PostgreSQL has zero licensing but requires infrastructure costs (compute/storage $200-$2,000/month), DevOps staff ($80K-$150K annually), and backup systems. Aurora costs $525-$10,700 annually for equivalent performance with no DevOps overhead. Break-even: Aurora becomes cheaper when DevOps labor exceeds ~$40K/year or you value operational simplicity over raw cost.
    language: en-US
main entity: Does Aurora guarantee better performance than self-managed PostgreSQL?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: No. Aurora and PostgreSQL offer similar query performance on equivalent hardware. Aurora's advantage is operational (automatic scaling, failover), not raw speed. A well-tuned PostgreSQL instance on premium hardware matches Aurora's performance; Aurora wins on *consistency* (managed optimization) and *availability* (automatic recovery).
    language: en-US
main entity: Can I run PostgreSQL in AWS instead of using Aurora?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Yes. You can run PostgreSQL on EC2 instances, RDS for PostgreSQL (AWS-managed but different from Aurora), or Lightsail. RDS for PostgreSQL is cheaper than Aurora but lacks Aurora's read-scaling and cross-region features. Aurora is AWS's premium PostgreSQL offering with more automation and performance features.
    language: en-US
main entity: What happens if I need to leave AWS with Aurora?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: You can export Aurora data using native PostgreSQL tools (pg_dump) or AWS Database Migration Service, then import into any PostgreSQL instance. However, this requires downtime or a separate migration infrastructure. AWS-specific features (Aurora-specific extensions, native read scaling) won't transfer, requiring application changes.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between PostgreSQL and Amazon Aurora
type: HowTo
description: PostgreSQL is a free, open-source relational database that you manage yourself, while Amazon Aurora is a managed cloud database service built on PostgreSQL-compatible architecture that AWS operates for you. Aurora offers higher availability and automatic scaling at premium costs, whereas PostgreSQL provides full control and zero licensing fees.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Cost Model
step: Consider: Management Responsibility
step: Consider: Read Replicas Setup Time
step: Consider: High Availability SLA
step: Consider: Automatic Failover
step: Consider: Data Import/Export Flexibility
step: Consider: Query Performance (3x read scaling)
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose PostgreSQL if you need cost-free database software, require complete control over your infrastructure, or operate in multi-cloud environments—it's ideal for startups, on-premises deployments, and DevOps teams. Choose Amazon Aurora if you prioritize operational simplicity, need 99.95% uptime guarantees, automatic scaling, and are already invested in AWS—it's best for mission-critical applications where team time is expensive.

Consider: Cost Model
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Cost Model: PostgreSQL has Free (open-source), while Amazon Aurora has $0.06-$1.22/hour (varies by instance type).

Consider: Management Responsibility
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Management Responsibility: PostgreSQL has Self-managed (patches, backups, scaling), while Amazon Aurora has Fully managed by AWS.

Consider: Read Replicas Setup Time
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Read Replicas Setup Time: PostgreSQL has Manual configuration (4-8 hours), while Amazon Aurora has 1-click automated (2 minutes).

Consider: High Availability SLA
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: High Availability SLA: PostgreSQL has No guarantee (depends on setup), while Amazon Aurora has 99.95% uptime SLA included.

Consider: Automatic Failover
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Automatic Failover: PostgreSQL has Requires third-party tools, while Amazon Aurora has Built-in (15-30 second failover).

Consider: Data Import/Export Flexibility
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Data Import/Export Flexibility: PostgreSQL has Complete flexibility, runs anywhere, while Amazon Aurora has AWS ecosystem lock-in risk.

Consider: Query Performance (3x read scaling)
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Query Performance (3x read scaling): PostgreSQL has Manual sharding needed, while Amazon Aurora has Native read scaling with Aurora replicas.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora
review body: PostgreSQL is a free, open-source relational database that you manage yourself, while Amazon Aurora is a managed cloud database service built on PostgreSQL-compatible architecture that AWS operates for you. Aurora offers higher availability and automatic scaling at premium costs, whereas PostgreSQL provides full control and zero licensing fees.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora

Time to Deploy Production Database
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 240-1440 minutes (4-24 hours) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Supported Geographic Regions
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Unlimited (self-hosted) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Database Branching Capability
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Not built-in | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Maximum Storage (Base Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Unlimited (hardware dependent) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Auto-Scaling Support
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Manual or third-party tools required | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Point-in-Time Recovery Retention
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Customizable via WAL archiving | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Monthly Cost (100 GB, moderate traffic)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: $50-200+ (self-hosted infrastructure) or $100-500 (managed provider) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Auto-scaling Response Time
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Manual; requires 5-60 minutes intervention | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Maximum Connections
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Unlimited (hardware-dependent) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Data Portability
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Trivial (native format, zero lock-in) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Available PostgreSQL Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 500+ (all available from PostgreSQL ecosystem) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Cold Start Latency
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 0 seconds (always running) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Community Size & Support
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 10,000,000+ deployments globally | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Complex Analytical Query Speed (with JOINs + aggregations)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 320ms (with window functions) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Default Memory Usage
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 300MB | Amazon Aurora: N/A

ACID Compliance by Default
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Yes (default) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Maximum JSON Document Size
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 1GB+ (JSONB) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Full-Text Search Languages Supported
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 15+ languages | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Hosting Provider Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 85% of providers | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Window Functions Availability
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Yes (since 8.4) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Simple Query Speed (1M rows, SELECT *)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 52ms (PostgreSQL) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Complex Analytical Query Speed (Aggregate + Join)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 850ms (PostgreSQL) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Minimum Memory Requirement
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 100MB | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Maximum Connection Limit (Default)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 100 | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Built-in JSON Support
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Yes, comprehensive with operators and indexing | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Full-Text Search Capability
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Native with ranking, stemming, 15+ languages | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Developer Preference (2024 Survey)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 44% | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Window Functions Support
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Full support with 20+ window functions | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Query Language Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: SQL (steep initial curve, powerful at scale) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

ACID Compliance Scope
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Full transaction coverage (all operations) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Sharding (Horizontal Scaling)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Requires external tools (Citus, pg_partman) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Starting Managed Hosting Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: $15 (RDS free tier + $20) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Storage Efficiency
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 5-15% (optimized row format) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Join Performance on 1M+ rows
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 0.5-2 seconds (optimized joins) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Extension Ecosystem
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 75+ community extensions | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Schema Flexibility
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Fixed schema (requires ALTER) | Amazon Aurora: N/A

Annual License Cost (Small Instance)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: $0 | Amazon Aurora: $4,380-$10,700
value reference: PostgreSQL

Automatic Failover Time
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Not built-in | Amazon Aurora: 15-30

Maximum Read Replicas
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Unlimited (manual setup) | Amazon Aurora: 15

Uptime SLA Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: None standard | Amazon Aurora: 99.95

Setup Time for HA Cluster
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: 4-8 (manual) | Amazon Aurora: 0.03 (1-click)
value reference: Amazon Aurora

Maximum Storage Capacity
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Limited by hardware | Amazon Aurora: 128

PostgreSQL Version Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Latest (16.2) | Amazon Aurora: Aurora PostgreSQL 16

Cross-Region Replication Latency
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: Depends on setup (50-500ms typical) | Amazon Aurora: <1,000 (as low as 100ms)
value reference: PostgreSQL

Read Throughput Improvement
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: 5x faster

Cost (On-Demand, Single Instance/Month)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: $86.40-$315.36/month

Uptime SLA
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: 99.95% SLA

Backup Automation
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: Automatic daily + continuous backup

Deployment Platforms Supported
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: 1 (AWS only)

ACID Compliance
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: Full ACID support with distributed architecture

Read Throughput Performance Improvement
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: 3x (via read replicas)

High Availability Replication Factor
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: 6 across 3 AZs

Minimum Monthly Operational Cost (production-ready)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: $50-150 (db.t3.small to db.r6g.xlarge)

Backup Retention Window (default)
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: 35 (automatic)

Storage Scalability Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: 128 (automatic)

Setup & Deployment Time
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: 0.25 (click-to-launch via console)

SLA Uptime Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value: PostgreSQL: N/A | Amazon Aurora: 99.95% (multi-AZ deployment)

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PostgreSQL — Wikipedia
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Amazon Aurora — Wikipedia
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Compare PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora
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Cold Start Latency
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Community Size & Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Complex Analytical Query Speed (with JOINs + aggregations)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Default Memory Usage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Resources

ACID Compliance by Default
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Data Integrity

Maximum JSON Document Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Data Handling

Full-Text Search Languages Supported
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Hosting Provider Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Deployment

Window Functions Availability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: SQL Features

Simple Query Speed (1M rows, SELECT *)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Complex Analytical Query Speed (Aggregate + Join)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Minimum Memory Requirement
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure

Maximum Connection Limit (Default)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Built-in JSON Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Full-Text Search Capability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Developer Preference (2024 Survey)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Window Functions Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Query Language Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

ACID Compliance Scope
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Sharding (Horizontal Scaling)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Starting Managed Hosting Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Cost

Storage Efficiency
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Join Performance on 1M+ rows
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Extension Ecosystem
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Schema Flexibility
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Annual License Cost (Small Instance)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Cost

Automatic Failover Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Availability

Maximum Read Replicas
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Uptime SLA Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Setup Time for HA Cluster
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Management

Maximum Storage Capacity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

PostgreSQL Version Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Cross-Region Replication Latency
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Read Throughput Improvement
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Cost (On-Demand, Single Instance/Month)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Uptime SLA
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Backup Automation
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Operations

Deployment Platforms Supported
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Flexibility

ACID Compliance
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Data Integrity

Read Throughput Performance Improvement
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

High Availability Replication Factor
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Minimum Monthly Operational Cost (production-ready)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Cost

Backup Retention Window (default)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Data Protection

Storage Scalability Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Setup & Deployment Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Operations

SLA Uptime Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability