CockroachDB
PostgreSQL
| Feature | CockroachDB | PostgreSQL |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $0/mo | Free only |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 |
| Best For | distributed-applications, fintech, global-companies, high-availability-apps | backend-developers, enterprises, data-intensive-apps, geospatial-applications |
| Founded | 2015 | 1996 |
| Distributed Sql | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi Region | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Scaling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Postgresql Compatible | ✓ | ✗ |
| Backup Recovery | ✓ | ✗ |
| Change Data Capture | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi Tenancy | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sql Queries | ✗ | ✓ |
| Json Support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Full Text Search | ✗ | ✓ |
| Extensions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Replication | ✗ | ✓ |
| Partitioning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Stored Procedures | ✗ | ✓ |
| Postgis | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ CockroachDB Pros
- Survives infrastructure failures automatically
- PostgreSQL-compatible wire protocol
- Horizontal scaling without application changes
- Multi-region deployment with low-latency reads
- Generous free tier (10 GiB storage)
✗ CockroachDB Cons
- Higher latency than single-node databases for simple queries
- Complex pricing model for serverless tier
- Some PostgreSQL features not fully supported
✓ PostgreSQL Pros
- Completely free and open source
- Extremely reliable with decades of development
- Advanced features like JSON, full-text search, and PostGIS
- Excellent standards compliance
- Massive ecosystem of extensions
✗ PostgreSQL Cons
- Requires more setup and management than cloud databases
- Horizontal scaling more complex than NoSQL alternatives
- Default configuration needs tuning for production
The Verdict
CockroachDB is built for distributed applications and fintech, with a focus on distributed-sql and multi-region. PostgreSQL targets backend developers and enterprises and leads with sql-queries and json-support.
PostgreSQL uses custom enterprise pricing, while CockroachDB starts at $0/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
PostgreSQL edges out on user ratings (4.8 vs 4.3). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, PostgreSQL offers broader built-in capabilities (8 features vs 7), while CockroachDB takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: PostgreSQL has a slight overall edge — but if survives infrastructure failures automatically matters most to you, CockroachDB may still be the right call.