MongoDB vs PostgreSQL
Two sides of the database decision: managed database and run it yourself. When each fits, what it costs, who moves from one to the other, and what makers who chose it say.
Ask your AI about this, with this page as the source:ChatGPT ↗Claude ↗Perplexity ↗
Which fits you
Choose MongoDB if- Document-shaped data and teams already fluent in Mongo.
Use it whenYour team already knows Mongo, or your records vary so much in shape that a fixed schema gets in the way.
Trade-offNo joins or schema by default, so relational data and migrations take discipline you'd get for free in Postgres.
Choose PostgreSQL if- You already run your own server and want a flat monthly cost
Use it whenYou already run a server, or want extensions and settings a managed provider doesn't offer.
Trade-offBackups, upgrades, failover and connection pooling are yours to set up and watch.
At a glance
| MongoDB | PostgreSQL | |
|---|---|---|
| Used by | 131 makers' products · 148 open-source projects | 74 makers' products · 542 open-source projects |
| Cost at default usagedatabase size 8 GB, data transfer 50 GB, document or row reads 10 million reads, document or row writes 2 million writes | $58/mo Atlas Dedicated M10 | — |
| Moved to it on GitHubpull requests since Oct 2024 | 23 from PostgreSQL | 46 from MongoDB |
| Downloads | 14.5M/wk−45% vs npm | 45.1M/wk+18% vs npm |
| Pricing | Free Atlas tier; paid clusters by size. · paid from $0.011/hour | Free and open source under the PostgreSQL License; you pay only for the server or managed service that runs it. |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No · self-hostable | Yes · self-hostable |
| Incidents, 90 daysfrom its status page | 19 (7 major) | no public status feed |
Who moves from one to the other
Public pull requests on GitHub since Oct 2024 whose title says "MongoDB to PostgreSQL" or the reverse — real code changes, by developers in general rather than makers only.
PostgreSQL → MongoDB23 PRs- feat: migrate NestJS persistence from Prisma/Postgres to MongoDB (Mongoose)Diatech226/Bikiengasite · 2026-09-30
- transparency-service: Postgres to MongoDB Atlasaimozart/entropa-public · 2026-09-28
- Switch backend storage from Postgres to MongoDB.Debarun1205/valmont-financial-group · 2026-09-25
- Change the db from postgres back to mongodbBOL-DEV/zentry-backend · 2026-09-16
- Codewithbasu postgres to mongodbCodeWithBasu/Life-RPG · 2026-09-13
- feat: migrate Prisma/Postgres backend to MongoDB (Prisma 6, ObjectId)Diatech226/Maryme-backend · 2026-09-06
- feat(db): migrate primary data store from Postgres to MongoDBByte-Quill/user-management-system · 2026-08-06
- Move hq from Postgres to MongoDBzoworkhq/zoblocks · 2026-08-06
- Move logs from Postgres to MongoDBMuhammetAli2828/Ops_center · 2026-07-21
- Migrate chocolate-store from Postgres to MongoDBaninamu/chocolate-store · 2026-07-13
MongoDB → PostgreSQL46 PRs- refactor(db)!: migrate Payload CMS from MongoDB to Postgresm6-o4/payload-template-pg · 2026-09-25
- Migrate contact form storage from MongoDB to Supabase PostgresGreenbergEnterprise/greenberg-enterprisegroup-website · 2026-09-15
- Migrate persistence from MongoDB to Supabase Postgres (SQLAlchemy async)naheedroomy/valorantsl-new · 2026-08-14
- feat(db): move the data layer from MongoDB to Postgres with pgvectorjohnbekele/infracanvas · 2026-08-09
- Migrate ROI calculator from MongoDB Atlas to Neon PostgresAONIQQ/fastrackwebsite · 2026-08-06
- fix: rewire merchant read path from MongoDB to Postgres, delete Merch…Syed-web-coder/expense-project · 2026-07-27
- Migrate backend from MongoDB to Supabase Postgressatishkengam2017-ops/InvoiceAI · 2026-07-24
- feat: migrate database from MongoDB to Supabase Postgresfdrive422/React-Admin-Dashboard · 2026-07-14
- Migrate storage from MongoDB to Postgres, hosting from Render to Vercelprashanth-ds-ml/workhub-office-time-tracker · 2026-07-13
- migrate ConnectionRequest feature from MongoDB to Postgres (Drizzle)Dikshant441/merge_me · 2026-07-08
What makers say
Makers on using it for database, from Product Hunt and Starter Story interviews, each linked to the source. Products with a page of their own and fuller notes first.
On MongoDBShoutout to MongoDB for providing a powerful, flexible database solution that scales with our needs. Your platform helps us manage and analyze vast amounts of data seamlessly!
…nd technology infrastructure: Amazon Web Services (AWS) , Google Analytics , Qovery , and MongoDB Email Marketing: Sendgrid Social Media: Buffer for automation and Canva for design Freela…
…>Salesforce , Hubspot , HeyMantle Customer Support: Intercom Insights: MixPanel Database: MongoDB Hosting: AWS Internal Communications: Slack Creative Design: Figma + Canva Video recordin…
On PostgreSQLPostgres is rock-solid. It handles complex data relationships gracefully and gives us the querying power we need as we scale. For relational data, it’s hands down the best choice for us.
We picked PostgreSQL over MongoDB and dedicated vector databases because one proven database handles our relational data, JSON and agent memory, with no extra stores to run.
Postgres is so nice to work with. pg_dump was a lifesaver when we had to move database providers. Extensions like pgvector make it the best database for building AI apps.
Loved and watch-outs
Themes that recur in makers' words and Hacker News comments, each linked to what it summarises.
MongoDBMost loved
- The flexible document model lets fast-changing products evolve their data without rigid migrations. PHPH 2PH 3HN
- Atlas starts on a free tier and handles scaling, backups and monitoring, so there is little database to manage. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
- Atlas Vector Search keeps embeddings next to regular documents, so RAG and agent data combine vector and structured queries. PHHN
Watch-outs
On Product Hunt: 5.0★, 68 reviews · mentioned most: flexible schema, NoSQL database, scalable database- Its history of unsafe defaults and lost writes left a lasting reputation that still keeps many developers away. HNHN 2HN 3HN 4
- Anything beyond simple reads and writes is hard, and aggregation pipelines feel primitive next to SQL, which costs more over time. HNHN 2
- Indexes are kept in memory, so larger datasets demand a lot of server RAM. HN
PostgreSQLMost loved
- It is rock-solid, keeps data consistent with strong transactions, and handles complex relational queries well. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
- With pgvector, embeddings live next to relational data, so AI features need no separate vector database. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
- Extensions and features like PostGIS, JSON support and advanced indexing cover geospatial and semi-structured data too. PHPH 2PH 3
Watch-outs
On Product Hunt: 5.0★, 77 reviews · mentioned most: reliability, performance, scalability- Built-in full-text search lacks corpus-wide relevance ranking like BM25 and can need very large indexes. HNHN 2
- It has no loose index scan, so SELECT DISTINCT over large tables needs manual workarounds. HNHN 2
- Timestamp versus timestamptz and AT TIME ZONE behavior are easy to get wrong, with edge-case bugs around daylight saving. HNHN 2HN 3
Who uses each
Alpaca Chat
Brand.dev
ChikitAI
cmd.haus
CalmerWhat makers pair each with
With MongoDBHosting
MongoDB + Amazon Web Services:Alchemyze
Dopamine.chat
Gro
JotMe
Loki.Build
Migma AI
Modelence App Builder
Quorini
SuperCraft
Text2InfographicTxtCart®
Vouzand 8 more
Dopamine.chatGroJotMeLoki.BuildMigma AIModelence App BuilderQuoriniSuperCraftText2InfographicTxtCart®Vouzand 8 more
JustCMS
Rosper
ZenVeil
Brew
Bitbucket
Buffer
ManabiDojo
Ostivities
Toffu AI
ZupportFrontend Framework
MongoDB + Next.js:agumbe.dev
AiTerm
Aupair Valley
EddyOwl
GitHub Wrapped 2025Gro
Inventory MateJotMe
Kotae
MagineMigma AIModelence App Builderand 20 more
AiTermAupair ValleyEddyOwlGitHub Wrapped 2025GroInventory MateJotMeKotaeMagineMigma AIModelence App Builderand 20 moreMongoDB + React:
AidaJet
BoltEddyOwl
Face IndexMigma AIQuoriniRatePunk
Reach from SalesStream.aiReflect
Sheet Ninja
Skilled PartnerCheckout Pageand 2 more
AidaJetBoltEddyOwlFace IndexMigma AIQuoriniRatePunkReach from SalesStream.aiReflectSheet NinjaSkilled PartnerCheckout Pageand 2 moreMongoDB + Astro:
ASOBoltScrapingdog
ASOBoltScrapingdogTransactional Email
MongoDB + SendGrid:ANDREASOBolt
Debriefs
DevRevDocDecoder
DocuDigFinvaultFlags by 4149
Foil
Insight7
Kuration AIand 11 more
ASOBoltDebriefsDevRevDocDecoderDocuDigFinvaultFlags by 4149FoilInsight7Kuration AIand 11 more
Credal.ai
Exploit Alarm
LiveDemo
PicMotionAI
Statsig
ComplyDo
Jupitrr AI
Weavable
GoMarble
Thesys
One Minute News
Shadow
GrowthBookWith PostgreSQLFrontend Framework
PostgreSQL + Next.js:
Byterover
JustPaid
Moneo AI
Morphik
NeuralAgent
Open Paper
Permit.io
Qibble
Skarbe
Superexpert.AI
VisionAR
VizDiffand 6 more
ByteroverJustPaidMoneo AIMorphikNeuralAgentOpen PaperPermit.ioQibbleSkarbeSuperexpert.AIVisionARVizDiffand 6 morePostgreSQL + React:
BaselightBoondockers WelcomeExirioHexpay
Incerto
Layer
MedusaMoneo AINeuralAgent
ReviewradarSaasRockSongstatsand 4 more
BaselightBoondockers WelcomeExirioHexpayIncertoLayerMedusaMoneo AINeuralAgentReviewradarSaasRockSongstatsand 4 morePostgreSQL + Astro:Baselight
Dodo Payments
Supabase
BaselightDodo PaymentsSupabaseHosting
PostgreSQL + Amazon Web Services:
BooleanMaths PulseJustPaidNeuralAgent
TrieveDodo PaymentsLingloop
Neon
BooleanMaths PulseJustPaidNeuralAgentTrieveDodo PaymentsLingloopNeon
ScrapIn
AGG Loop ex-DeposurePostgreSQL + Cloudflare:Reviewradar
PrismaSupabase
ReviewradarPrismaSupabaseTransactional Email
Hexclave (Stack Auth)
ScispaceBackend Framework
PostgreSQL + FastAPI:
Atlas.coNeuralAgentPermit.io
Warestack
Atlas.coNeuralAgentPermit.ioWarestackPostgreSQL + Ruby on Rails:SkarbeSongstats
SkarbeSongstatsNeither quite right?
See the whole database decision →SupabaseBackend platformPostgres plus auth, storage and realtime in one project.vs MongoDB →vs PostgreSQL →
ConvexBackend platformRealtime, collaborative apps written entirely in TypeScript.
FirebaseBackend platformMobile apps that need offline sync and client-side SDKs.NeonManaged databaseServerless Postgres that scales to zero, with a branch per preview deploy.vs PostgreSQL →
PlanetScaleManaged databaseApps that expect heavy scale and want zero-downtime schema changes.
Turso