PostgreSQL vs SQLite comparison

PostgreSQL and SQLite are both solutions in the Open Source Databases category. PostgreSQL is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.4, while SQLite is ranked #9 with an average rating of 6.8. PostgreSQL holds a 20.4% mindshare in OSD, compared to SQLite’s 3.9% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of PostgreSQL users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of SQLite users who would recommend it.

PostgreSQL

Read 125 PostgreSQL reviews

9,815 Views
8,352 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

SQLite

Read 8 SQLite reviews

1,602 Views
1,619 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

PostgreSQL

SQLite

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between PostgreSQL and SQLite based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Open Source Databases solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed PostgreSQL vs. SQLite Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

PostgreSQL vs. SQLite

January 2025

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Helped 831,158 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

PostgreSQL

Ranking in Open Source Databases

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.9

Number of Reviews

125

Ranking in other categories

Vector Databases (9th)

SQLite

Ranking in Open Source Databases

9th

Average Rating

7.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Embedded Database (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Open Source Databases category, the mindshare of PostgreSQL is 20.4%, down from 23.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SQLite is 3.9%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Open Source Databases

Featured Reviews

AdityaSharma3

Vice President Business at Techmagnate: Digital Marketing Agency

Transaction processes are fast and good replication capability

Use cases include querying data warehouses and databases to fetch data for clients already working on PostgreSQL. We also use Postgres for building reports It's a transactional database, so we use Postgres for most of our reporting. That's where it's helping. The query speed is fast, and the…

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Neeraj Tiwari

Student at Queens University Belfast

Pretty easy to execute my SQL queries but issues while uploading and importing my dataset

It was a bit easy to use compared to other tools. It's simple. I found it pretty easy to execute my SQL queries. Since I was a beginner, it was comfortable for me to learn SQL using SQLite. However, when I used it for my professional work and for my assignments, I found some complications. Maybe I'm not proficient with it, that's why. The main benefit for me was learning. Since I was new to SQL, SQLite helped me understand how to work with structured data.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It's a transactional database, so we use Postgres for most of our reporting. That's where it's helping."

"It is very useful for both structured and unstructured data. You can store unstructured and structured data in PostgreSQL. It is easy to use. You can easily manage things through PostgreSQL Admin. It is cost-effective. Its on-premise version is free. It is agnostic of on-premise or cloud. You can install it on the cloud or on-premises. It is available with all clouds, and you can also install it on desktop or Windows Servers."

"It has completely met our needs. It works, and it is robust. We haven't had any problems with what PostgreSQL does for us and the way it does it. That's why we've been using it for so long. We understand it, and it does the job."

"PostgreSQL is very easy to use. I have experience in Oracle SQL and PostgreSQL uses the same syntax which makes it is easy for me to develop."

"The solution is open-source and free to use."

"The main value is that it is open source, which means it is free. Our organization has the initiative to go to open source to cut down on cost. Oracle costs us $6 million a year right now, which is killing us, and Postgres costs nothing. So, there is a big push to go to Postgres."

"The solution has many valuable features such as it easy to use and the interface is intuitive."

"We are able to create many different types of jobs and items with this solution making it one of the most valuable features."

Cons

"The pricing could be better."

"Sometimes, the views create problems. If you don't have the view, sometimes what happens is you need to have the drivers properly set up for PostgreSQL."

"PostgreSQL’s performance could be improved."

"I don't think PostgreSQL supports bulk databases, so it needs to have more capabilities in terms of managing the bulk data."

"PostgreSQL could improve by providing a geographical solution for tracking trucks and people in the field. They might already have features similar to this and I have not found them. I haven't done research about this topic."

"I have noticed that user and access management should be improved."

"I had some issues when I integrated with the Jupyter Notebook."

"It would be great if the solution offered even more integration capabilities."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is free. There is no license on it."

"It could be much cheaper. If you would like to build an application on Amazon today, PostgreSQL is the standard database with Redshift. If you want other databases, you can add them, but PostgreSQL is the basis of everything. It's a question of money, that's it."

"The licensing model is good."

"PostgreSQL is open-source, so if capable admins are available then the setup cost can be $0."

"PostgreSQL is a free and open-source database."

"The need for our customers to pay for licences is contingent on their projects and budgets."

"There is an annual license."

"The tool is cheaply priced compared to other RDBMS providers in the market."

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

17%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

How does Firebird SQL compare with PostgreSQL?

PostgreSQL was designed in a way that provides you with not only a high degree of flexibility but also offers you a cheap and easy-to-use solution. It gives you the ability to redesign and audit yo...

See all answers

What do you like most about PostgreSQL?

It's a transactional database, so we use Postgres for most of our reporting. That's where it's helping.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PostgreSQL?

The tool is free of cost. For now, it's not about making money. But once we perfect it, we can offer it to customers willing to pay for support and other services. Most of my deployments are free.

See all answers

What do you like most about SQLite?

It was a bit easy to use compared to other tools. It's simple. I found it pretty easy to execute my SQL queries.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SQLite?

It is not expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SQLite?

There were some complications. For example, you have to upload the dataset into SQLite, and once it's uploaded, you might find difficulties working with it.

See all answers

Comparisons

Firebird SQL vs PostgreSQL

Compared 38% of the time

MySQL vs PostgreSQL

Compared 16% of the time

EDB Postgres Advanced Server vs PostgreSQL

Compared 14% of the time

MariaDB vs PostgreSQL

Compared 8% of the time

Qdrant vs PostgreSQL

Compared 1% of the time

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

PostgreSQL

January 2025

Download PostgreSQL product report

Buyer's Guide

SQLite

October 2024

Download SQLite product report

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PostgreSQL

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SQLite

Overview

PostgreSQL is a versatile and reliable database management system commonly used for web development, data analysis, and building scalable databases.

It offers advanced features like indexing, replication, and transaction management. Users appreciate its flexibility, performance, and ability to handle large amounts of data efficiently. Its robustness, scalability, and support for complex queries make it highly valuable.

Additionally, PostgreSQL's extensibility, flexibility, community support, and frequent updates contribute to its ongoing improvement and stability.

SQLite is an open-source, serverless, reliable, and flexible, SQL database engine. It is particularly favored in the realm of embedded database solutions and small to medium-sized projects. Unlike traditional database systems that operate on a client-server model, SQLite is a serverless database engine, meaning it runs directly within the application it powers. This unique architecture makes SQLite an ideal choice for applications where simplicity, efficiency, and minimal configuration are paramount.

SQLite is an embedded database engine, which means it operates directly within the application that uses it, without requiring a separate server process. It is designed to be cross-platform, supporting multiple operating systems, and is is compatible with a wide range of programming languages, such as C, C++, Python, Java, and more. This makes it highly portable and suitable for a wide range of applications, from mobile devices to desktop software and web applications.

The key advantages of SQLite is its reliability, the lightweight nature and efficient performance. It has a small footprint, typically requiring only a few megabytes of disk space, and can operate entirely in memory if needed. It is designed to be reliable and robust, with built-in features such as atomic commit and rollback, which ensure data integrity even in the event of system crashes or power failures. Finally, the SQLite solution requires no configuration or setup, making it easy to use and deploy. It can be embedded directly into applications without the need for complex installation or configuration procedures.

SQLite Functionality

SQL Compliance: SQLite supports a substantial portion of the SQL standard, including features like transactions, triggers, views, and indexes.
File-based Storage: SQLite stores its entire database as a single cross-platform file on the host machine's file system.
ACID Compliance: SQLite fully supports ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) transactions, ensuring data consistency and integrity in concurrent access scenarios.

SQLite is an open-source project distributed under a public domain license, which means it can be used, modified, and distributed freely, without any licensing costs or restrictions.

To summarize, SQLite is widely used in various applications, including web browsers (e.g., Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome), mobile applications (e.g., Android, iOS), embedded systems, and desktop software. Its simplicity, portability, and efficiency make it a popular choice for developers who require a lightweight and reliable database solution, especially in resource-constrained environments or applications with modest data storage needs.

Sample Customers

1. Apple 2. Cisco 3. Fujitsu 4. Instagram 5. Netflix 6. Red Hat 7. Sony 8. Uber 9. Cisco Systems 10. Skype 11. LinkedIn 12. Etsy 13. Yelp 14. Reddit 15. Dropbox 16. Slack 17. Twitch 18. WhatsApp 19. Snapchat 20. Shazam 21. SoundCloud 22. The New York Times 23. Cisco WebEx 24. Atlassian 25. Cisco Meraki 26. Heroku 27. GitLab 28. Zalando 29. OpenTable 30. Trello 31. Square Enix 32. Bloomberg

Oracle, Bloomberg, Bentley, Mozilla

Buyer's Guide

PostgreSQL vs. SQLite

January 2025

Free Report: PostgreSQL vs. SQLite

Find out what your peers are saying about PostgreSQL vs. SQLite and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.

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