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pgwatch review

Free#13 of 24 in Database Performance Monitoring Software

A broad self-hosted monitoring toolkit for PostgreSQL-focused teams.

7.9/10Editor score
pgwatch7.9 Visit pgwatch

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

pgwatch is an open-source, self-hosted monitoring tool for PostgreSQL databases. It is aimed at teams that need database activity, health, query performance, lock, I/O, replication, log, and operating-system metrics without adopting a hosted monitoring service. The product provides a built-in WebUI and internal REST API, while Grafana dashboards provide another way to view collected measurements. Its positioning suits PostgreSQL operators, platform teams, and organizations that want control over deployment and metric storage.

The monitoring depth is its clearest strength. pgwatch uses pg_stat_statements for SQL query performance statistics, supports query-plan capture, and includes lock contention and blocking-session analysis. Teams can define custom metrics with SQL, monitor server-log errors, and collect OS-level metrics through helper procedures. Metric storage can use PostgreSQL, TimescaleDB, CitusDB, or CockroachDB sinks, with Prometheus also supported in its ecosystem. Discovery support covers PgBouncer, Pgpool2, AWS RDS, Patroni, Kubernetes, and OpenShift, giving the tool useful reach across PostgreSQL deployments.

The published product model is open source rather than a tiered SaaS offering. Deployment options include Docker, Kubernetes, YAML, and environment-based configuration, so adoption can fit different infrastructure practices but leaves setup and ongoing operations with the team running pgwatch. Grafana integration and optional alerting add flexibility, while the built-in interface and REST API support direct access. Choose pgwatch when self-hosting, PostgreSQL-specific analysis, and configurable metrics are priorities. Teams seeking a hosted, database-agnostic service or AI-assisted monitoring should consider an alternative.

pgwatch pros and cons

  • Where it wins
    • Detailed PostgreSQL activity, query, lock, log, and system metrics
    • Custom SQL metrics with Grafana dashboards and optional alerting
    • Broad discovery and storage support across PostgreSQL ecosystems
  • Where it doesn't
    • Self-hosted deployment requires teams to manage operations and infrastructure
    • Monitoring scope is centered on PostgreSQL and related database systems
    • No AI features are included

pgwatch fact sheet, pricing and score →

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