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Head-to-head · Relational Databases

PostgreSQL vs Microsoft SQL Server

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score PostgreSQL #1 in Relational Databases 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit PostgreSQL
Microsoft SQL Server #4 in Relational Databases 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit site

PostgreSQL leads on 0 checks, Microsoft SQL Server on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorePostgreSQL · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth

PostgreSQL scores higher on our rubric for relational databases: 9.4 against 9.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #4.

On deployment model, Microsoft SQL Server gives you Both where PostgreSQL offers Self_hosted.

PostgreSQL is the better fit for open-source production databases. Microsoft SQL Server is the better fit for microsoft-centered enterprise workloads.

  • PostgreSQL fits best

    Open-source production databases

  • Microsoft SQL Server fits best

    Microsoft-centered enterprise workloads

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Side by side

Feature PostgreSQL 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Microsoft SQL Server 9.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 9.1
Ranking #1 in Relational Databases #4 in Relational Databases
Best for Open-source production databases Microsoft-centered enterprise workloads
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan —
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, Linux
Support Community, Docs Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features PostgreSQL 3/4 · Microsoft SQL Server 3/4
Managed service — —
High availability ✓ ✓
Read replicas ✓ ✓
JSON data support ✓ ✓
Specs
Deployment model Self_hosted Both
Backup retention Not checked yet Not checked yet
Maximum connections Not checked yet 32767 connections
Our review
Pros
  • Advanced indexing, partitioning, replication, and failover
  • Supports SQL, JSONB, transactions, and concurrency control
  • Free, open source, and available on Linux, macOS, and Windows
  • Supports Windows, Linux, self-hosted, cloud, and hybrid deployments
  • Combines JSON, replication, full-text search, and failover capabilities
  • Includes Azure integrations, management tools, and Linux containers
Cons
  • Self-hosted deployment requires installation and administration
  • No built-in AI features
  • Requires technical expertise for advanced configuration and security
  • The paid model requires a licensing choice across multiple plans
  • Licensing costs can vary by channel and reseller
  • Its broad feature set may exceed the needs of narrow database projects
Our verdict

PostgreSQL is an open-source object-relational database system for developers, data engineers, and organizations that need SQL-based relational storage with extensibility. It handles structured data alongside JSON and JSONB, and supports…

Read the review →

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system for organizations building and operating data-driven applications. Its Database Engine stores, processes, and secures data, while support for JSON data, JSON indexing,…

Read the review →
  1. PostgreSQLRelational Databases 9.4Free plan
  2. Microsoft SQL ServerRelational Databases 9.1Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • PostgreSQL — where it wins

    • Advanced indexing, partitioning, replication, and failover
    • Supports SQL, JSONB, transactions, and concurrency control
    • Free, open source, and available on Linux, macOS, and Windows

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires installation and administration
    • No built-in AI features
    • Requires technical expertise for advanced configuration and security

  • Microsoft SQL Server — where it wins

    • Supports Windows, Linux, self-hosted, cloud, and hybrid deployments
    • Combines JSON, replication, full-text search, and failover capabilities
    • Includes Azure integrations, management tools, and Linux containers

    Where it doesn't

    • The paid model requires a licensing choice across multiple plans
    • Licensing costs can vary by channel and reseller
    • Its broad feature set may exceed the needs of narrow database projects

More comparisons

All relational databases comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update