# Neon vs PostgreSQL

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Neon

| Attribute | Neon | PostgreSQL |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 79 (71% (medium)) | 59.8 (56% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | - | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 0 |
| adoption.github_stars | - | 21,899 |
| adoption.stackoverflow_questions | - | 170,000 |
| content.faq | - | `[{"answer":"PostgreSQL is a free, open-source relational database system that emphasizes extensibility and standards compliance. It provides robust support for complex data types and advanced query capabilities, making it suitable for both small applications and large-scale enterprise deployments.","source":"https://www.postgresql.org","question":"What is PostgreSQL?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"PostgreSQL is open-source and available at no cost under the PostgreSQL License. Organizations can deploy and modify the software without paying licensing fees, though managed hosting services may charge for their infrastructure and support.","source":"https://www.postgresql.org/about/licence/","question":"Is PostgreSQL free to use?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"PostgreSQL is cross-platform and runs on Linux, Unix, Windows, macOS, and other operating systems. This broad platform support makes it accessible for diverse infrastructure environments.","source":"https://www.postgresql.org/download/","question":"What operating systems does PostgreSQL support?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"PostgreSQL fully implements ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) transactions, ensuring that database operations are reliable and data remains consistent even in the face of failures or concurrent access patterns.","source":"https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/tutorial-concepts.html","question":"Does PostgreSQL guarantee data integrity through ACID compliance?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"Organizations often evaluate PostgreSQL alongside MySQL for relational workloads, Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server for large enterprise deployments, and NoSQL systems like MongoDB for document-based requirements. The choice depends on specific priorities around complexity, scalability, and data structure needs.","source":"https://www.postgresql.org","question":"What are common database alternatives to PostgreSQL?","confidence":0.9},{"answer":"PostgreSQL can be deployed on self-managed infrastructure using binary installations or containerization, or through managed database services from cloud platforms such as AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL, and Azure Database for PostgreSQL. Managed services typically handle automated backups, scaling, and routine maintenance.","source":"https://www.postgresql.org/download/","question":"How can developers deploy PostgreSQL?","confidence":0.9},{"answer":"PostgreSQL supports JSON/JSONB data types for semi-structured data, full-text search capabilities, window functions, Common Table Expressions, and custom extensions through its extensibility architecture. These features reduce the need for application-layer complexity and the addition of specialized separate systems.","source":"https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/sql-syntax.html","question":"What advanced features enable complex analytical and transactional work in PostgreSQL?","confidence":0.9},{"answer":"PostgreSQL is used in production by thousands of organizations ranging from startups to large enterprises. It includes comprehensive features for data replication, backup strategies, and high-availability configurations, making it a reliable choice for applications where data consistency and uptime are critical.","source":"https://www.postgresql.org/","question":"Is PostgreSQL suitable for production and mission-critical applications?","confidence":0.9}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Neon is a managed Postgres database service that automatically scales compute and storage based on workload demands. It features instant database branching for testing and development, point-in-time restore capability, and maintains SOC2 and HIPAA compliance. | PostgreSQL is a mature open-source relational database system combining strong data integrity with comprehensive features and active community maintenance. |
| features.capabilities | `{"isolation":"serializable","sql_model":"full_sql","deployment":"managed","serverless":true,"consistency":"strong","replication":"async","license_class":"proprietary","horizontal_scale":"read_replica","acid_transactions":"full","automatic_failover":true,"wire_compatibility":"postgres"}` | `{"sql_model":"full_sql","deployment":"self_hosted","serverless":false,"geo_spatial":"extension","extensibility":true,"json_document":true,"license_class":"permissive","horizontal_scale":"read_replica","automatic_failover":true}` |
| integrations.count | 1 | 10 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Datadog"}]` | `[{"name":"CloudNativePG"},{"name":"Kubernetes"},{"name":"Patroni"},{"name":"pgAdmin"},{"name":"pgVector"},{"name":"PostGIS"},{"name":"pgAudit"},{"name":"Spock"},{"name":"Cilium"},{"name":"Submariner"}]` |
| language.primary | - | C |
| license.spdx | - | PostgreSQL |
| market.availability | - | `{"source":"https://www.postgresql.org","confidence":0.95,"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"cli":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"usage","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","summary":"Free - Build and learn","features":["100 projects","100 CU-hours monthly per project","0.5 GB storage per project","Compute up to 2 CU (8 GB RAM)","Unlimited team members","Managed backend","Better Auth","Object Storage (Beta)","Functions (Beta)"],"description":"Build and learn free with no time limits and no credit card required","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"storage":"0.5 GB per project","projects":"100","max_compute_cu":"2","cu_hours_monthly":"100 per project"}},{"free":false,"name":"Launch","summary":"Usage-based, typical $15/mo (intermittent load, 1 GB)","features":["Compute autoscaling up to 16 CU","Scale to zero when inactive","Database storage with 7-day instant restore history","100 snapshots","Monitoring with 3-day retention","Private networking options","Object Storage (Beta)","Functions (Beta)","AI Gateway (Beta)"],"components":[{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"CU-hour"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.106,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB-month"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.35,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"branch-hour"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.002,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB-month"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.2,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Pay-per-usage plan for variable workloads","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"projects":"100","max_compute_cu":"16","branches_per_project":"10"}},{"free":false,"name":"Scale","summary":"Usage-based, typical $701/mo (high load, 100 GB)","features":["Compute autoscaling up to 56 CU","Configurable scale-to-zero","Database storage with up to 30-day instant restore history","100 snapshots","SLAs included","HIPAA compliance","Private networking with Private Link","Monitoring with 14-day retention and export (Datadog, OTel)","Spending limits","Multiple egress options","Object Storage (Beta)","Functions (Beta)","AI Gateway (Beta)"],"components":[{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"CU-hour"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.222,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB-month"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.35,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"branch-hour"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.002,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB-month"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.2,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.01,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Pay-per-usage plan for production workloads with SLAs and compliance features","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"projects":"1000+","max_compute_cu":"56","branches_per_project":"25"}}],"summary":"Free tier with 100 CU-hours/mo. Usage-based: Launch plan $0.106/CU-hr + $0.35/GB-mo, Scale plan $0.222/CU-hr + $0.35/GB-mo. Typical $15–$701/mo.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://neon.tech","retrievedAt":"2026-08-03T12:40:59.605Z","startingPrice":{"amount":0.002,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.postgresql.org","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T12:11:14.172Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | freemium | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | low | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | - |
| release.cadence_days | - | 90 |
| reliability.sla_pct | 99.95 | - |
| reliability.status_page | yes | - |
| security.disclosure_policy | - | yes |
| security.fedramp | yes | - |
| security.gdpr | yes | - |
| security.hipaa | yes | - |
| security.iso27001 | yes | - |
| security.pci | yes | - |
| security.scorecard | - | 6.1 |
| security.soc2 | yes | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=helm&package_name=openstack-helm%2Fpostgresql&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Relational Databases)

| Capability | Neon | PostgreSQL |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| SQL model | Full SQL | Full SQL |
| **Transactions** |  |  |
| ACID transactions | Full | - |
| Highest isolation level | Serializable | - |
| **Consistency** |  |  |
| Consistency | Strong | - |
| **Scale** |  |  |
| Horizontal scale | Read replicas | Read replicas |
| **Replication** |  |  |
| Replication | Async | - |
| **Availability** |  |  |
| Automatic failover / HA | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Deployment | Managed | Self-hosted |
| Serverless / scale-to-zero | ✓ | ✗ |
| **Compatibility** |  |  |
| Wire compatibility | Postgres protocol | - |
| **Extensibility** |  |  |
| Extensions / plugins / UDFs | - | ✓ |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Licence class | Proprietary | Permissive OSS |
| **Data types** |  |  |
| JSON / document support | - | ✓ |
| Geo / spatial | - | Extension |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T14:32:57.737Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*