{ "id": "amazon-aurora-vs-postgresql", "ids": [ "amazon-aurora", "postgresql" ], "title": "Amazon Aurora vs PostgreSQL: managed service, compatibility and cost", "heading": "Amazon Aurora vs PostgreSQL", "kicker": "Database software comparison", "deck": "Compare Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible with a PostgreSQL deployment for application compatibility, extensions, operating ownership, recovery and the complete bill.", "description": "Compare Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible with a PostgreSQL deployment for application compatibility, extensions, operating ownership, recovery and the complete bill.", "answerHeading": "Which database approach fits the workload?", "answer": "Aurora is a managed AWS service, while PostgreSQL is a database engine that can run under several operating arrangements. Consider Aurora’s PostgreSQL-compatible edition when its supported features and AWS service scope fit the application. Consider another PostgreSQL deployment when its version, extensions and responsibility model fit better. Choose an actual PostgreSQL host or self-managed configuration before comparing cost or recovery.", "checkedAt": "2026-10-15", "researchTag": "Data model, application fit and operating scope", "researchLimit": "Official product, pricing and technical documentation reviewed. These are proposed evaluation briefs, not completed migrations, performance benchmarks or reliability measurements.", "datasetDescription": "Seven application and buying differences, four proposed database exercises and four acceptance checks for Amazon Aurora vs PostgreSQL.", "type": "workflow-buying", "rows": [ [ "What is compared", "Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible service configuration", "A specified deployment of the PostgreSQL engine" ], [ "Version and features", "Check the supported Aurora version and service behaviour", "Check the selected upstream version and host restrictions" ], [ "Extensions", "Validate the service’s supported extensions and permissions", "Validate available extensions and required administrative access" ], [ "Operations", "AWS-managed service with customer-owned application and configuration work", "Tasks depend on the chosen host or internal operating team" ], [ "Compute", "Select provisioned or Serverless and the retained capacity scope", "Specify the host, instance or self-managed resource arrangement" ], [ "Storage and I/O", "Select Standard or I/O-Optimized and other required options", "Specify storage, I/O, replicas and backup arrangement" ], [ "Free boundary", "Paid managed service; limited credits or evaluation terms differ", "Free engine software does not include a free production deployment" ] ], "scenarios": [ { "name": "An application connection", "question": "Does the intended application work with the retained version?", "left": "Run the required driver, statements and transaction workflow.", "right": "Run the same application against the chosen PostgreSQL deployment.", "note": "Include connection settings and any permission-dependent feature." }, { "name": "An extension dependency", "question": "Is a mandatory extension available under the required permissions?", "left": "Verify the exact supported extension and service configuration.", "right": "Verify the exact extension and host or administrator configuration.", "note": "A shared protocol or engine family does not establish identical extension access." }, { "name": "A recovery exercise", "question": "Can the app reconnect after an isolated restore?", "left": "Exercise the retained Aurora recovery path and endpoint changes.", "right": "Exercise the selected PostgreSQL backup and recovery path.", "note": "Compare against a written recovery requirement, not an inferred guarantee." }, { "name": "A full monthly estimate", "question": "What work and resource use remain with the customer?", "left": "Model compute or capacity, storage, I/O and additional features.", "right": "Model host resources, backups, replicas, support and staff work.", "note": "Keep the same data, workload, availability and recovery scope." } ], "exampleTable": { "caption": "Proposed acceptance checks for an authorised evaluation; no measured product result is implied.", "headers": [ "Requirement", "Proposed exercise", "Accept when" ], "rows": [ [ "Application fit", "Exercise real statements and transaction behaviour", "Required results and supported versions are documented" ], [ "Extension fit", "Check every mandatory extension and permission", "The retained deployment supports the application dependency" ], [ "Recovery", "Restore an isolated sample and reconnect a test app", "Recovered data and reconnection meet the written brief" ], [ "Matched cost", "Quote equal workload and recovery requirements", "Resource charges and operating responsibilities are explicit" ] ] }, "sections": [ { "id": "engine-service", "title": "Compare an engine with an actual service", "navLabel": "Engine vs service", "paragraphs": [ "Aurora’s PostgreSQL-compatible edition and upstream PostgreSQL are related choices, but they are not the same product boundary. PostgreSQL can be self-managed or supplied through another managed service. Name that arrangement on the comparison sheet.", "Aurora’s MySQL-compatible edition is a separate engine-family choice and is outside this particular application brief. Keep the compatibility edition, supported version and required extensions with every result." ] }, { "id": "responsibilities", "title": "Compatibility and managed operation need proof", "navLabel": "Operating scope", "paragraphs": [ "Inventory the application’s statements, extensions, drivers, permissions and background jobs. Validate each required dependency against the actual Aurora version or selected PostgreSQL host before estimating migration work.", "For both proposals, assign access control, monitoring, backup verification, restoration and application reconnection. Include compute, storage, replicas, I/O where applicable, network and support in the recurring estimate." ] } ], "faqs": [ { "question": "Is Aurora simply the PostgreSQL engine?", "answer": "No. Aurora is an AWS-managed service with PostgreSQL-compatible and MySQL-compatible editions. Specify the compatibility edition and supported features." }, { "question": "Does free PostgreSQL software make the comparison free versus paid?", "answer": "No. A running PostgreSQL deployment still needs infrastructure, backups and operating work or a hosting service." }, { "question": "Can every PostgreSQL extension run unchanged on Aurora?", "answer": "Do not assume that. Verify the extension, supported version and permissions in the intended Aurora configuration." } ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://aws.amazon.com/rds/aurora/", "facts": "AWS-managed relational service with MySQL-compatible and PostgreSQL-compatible editions." }, { "url": "https://aws.amazon.com/rds/aurora/pricing/", "facts": "Compute or capacity, storage, I/O options and additional service costs." }, { "url": "https://www.postgresql.org/about/", "facts": "Open-source relational database engine and extension ecosystem." } ], "relatedLinks": [ { "path": "/categories/database-software/", "title": "Explore database software" }, { "path": "/guides/database-models-search-documents-graphs-analytics/", "title": "Choose a database model for search, documents, graphs and analytics" }, { "path": "/guides/database-managed-vs-self-hosted/", "title": "Compare managed and self-hosted database responsibilities" } ], "downloads": [ { "path": "/downloads/amazon-aurora-vs-postgresql-evaluation.csv", "title": "Download the database evaluation checklist (CSV)", "description": "Four proposed checks with blank evidence and owner fields. Record the exact version, edition, region, deployment and workload used." } ] }