# PostGraphile vs Pothos

| Attribute | PostGraphile | Pothos |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 56 (54% (medium)) | 60.8 (46% (low)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 100 | 26 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 501 | 316 |
| adoption.github_stars | 12,929 | 2,611 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 116,682 | 487,927 |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | An open-source tool that generates GraphQL APIs directly from PostgreSQL databases, with emphasis on performance and customizability. The generated API can be extended and modified to meet specific application needs. | Pothos is a GraphQL schema builder for TypeScript that emphasizes type-safety and ease of use. It features a plugin ecosystem for extending functionality while maintaining zero-overhead at runtime. |
| features.capabilities | `{"role":"db_to_graphql","language":"JavaScript/TypeScript","self_hostable":true,"schema_approach":"introspection","type_generation":true,"db_introspection":true}` | `{"role":"schema_builder","federation":true,"self_hostable":true,"subscriptions":true,"schema_approach":"code_first","type_generation":true,"db_introspection":true}` |
| integrations.count | 1 | 6 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"PostgreSQL"}]` | `[{"name":"Prisma"},{"name":"NestJS"},{"name":"Next.js"},{"name":"Apollo"},{"name":"Mercurius"},{"name":"OpenTelemetry"}]` |
| language.primary | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| license.spdx | MIT | ISC |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | - |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"cli":true,"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Core (Open Source)","description":"Self-hosted GraphQL API generation from PostgreSQL","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"On-Demand Consultancy","components":[{"kind":"one_time","amount":375,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"One hour of voice/screensharing with maintainer","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Development Support","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":999,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"One-to-one access to Graphile team throughout the year; priority support via chat","contactSales":true}],"summary":"Open source and free. Professional support from $999/month.","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.graphile.org/postgraphile/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T16:37:12.955Z","startingPrice":{"amount":375,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}}` | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://pothos-graphql.dev/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T09:17:12.302Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | - |
| pricing.model | open_source | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | - |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/postgraphile%405.1.4","date":"2026-08-05T13:36:30Z","type":"stable","version":"postgraphile@5.1.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/grafast%401.1.2","date":"2026-08-05T13:36:32Z","type":"stable","version":"grafast@1.1.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/postgraphile%405.1.3","date":"2026-08-04T07:44:26Z","type":"stable","version":"postgraphile@5.1.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/graphile-build-pg%405.1.3","date":"2026-08-04T07:44:29Z","type":"stable","version":"graphile-build-pg@5.1.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/grafast%401.1.1","date":"2026-08-04T07:44:32Z","type":"stable","version":"grafast@1.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/postgraphile%405.1.2","date":"2026-07-29T07:07:04Z","type":"stable","version":"postgraphile@5.1.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/graphile-build%405.1.1","date":"2026-07-29T07:07:01Z","type":"stable","version":"graphile-build@5.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/graphile-build-pg%405.1.2","date":"2026-07-29T07:07:07Z","type":"stable","version":"graphile-build-pg@5.1.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/postgraphile%405.1.1","date":"2026-07-22T10:38:15Z","type":"stable","version":"postgraphile@5.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/graphile-utils%405.0.3","date":"2026-07-22T10:38:12Z","type":"stable","version":"graphile-utils@5.0.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/graphile-build-pg%405.1.1","date":"2026-07-22T10:38:09Z","type":"stable","version":"graphile-build-pg@5.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/%40dataplan/pg%401.1.1","date":"2026-07-22T10:38:06Z","type":"stable","version":"@dataplan/pg@1.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/ruru%402.0.1","date":"2026-07-13T14:39:46Z","type":"stable","version":"ruru@2.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/postgraphile%405.1.0","date":"2026-07-13T14:39:40Z","type":"stable","version":"postgraphile@5.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/pgl%405.0.1","date":"2026-07-13T14:40:13Z","type":"stable","version":"pgl@5.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/graphile%405.1.0","date":"2026-07-13T14:39:58Z","type":"stable","version":"graphile@5.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/graphile-utils%405.0.2","date":"2026-07-13T14:40:07Z","type":"stable","version":"graphile-utils@5.0.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/graphile-config%401.1.0","date":"2026-07-13T14:39:37Z","type":"stable","version":"graphile-config@1.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/graphile-build%405.1.0","date":"2026-07-13T14:40:10Z","type":"stable","version":"graphile-build@5.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/graphile/crystal/releases/tag/graphile-build-pg%405.1.0","date":"2026-07-13T14:39:55Z","type":"stable","version":"graphile-build-pg@5.1.0"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-validation%404.3.2","date":"2026-08-25T22:31:21Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-validation@4.3.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-drizzle%400.18.0","date":"2026-08-21T02:07:00Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-drizzle@0.18.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-drizzle%400.17.6","date":"2026-08-18T20:51:35Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-drizzle@0.17.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-federation%404.5.0","date":"2026-07-23T19:25:33Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-federation@4.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/tracing-xray%401.1.4","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:11Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/tracing-xray@1.1.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/tracing-sentry%401.1.5","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:32Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/tracing-sentry@1.1.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/tracing-opentelemetry%401.2.1","date":"2026-07-08T23:27:47Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/tracing-opentelemetry@1.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/tracing-newrelic%401.1.4","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:29Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/tracing-newrelic@1.1.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/test-utils%402.2.1","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:17Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/test-utils@2.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-zod%404.3.1","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:35Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-zod@4.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-with-input%404.1.5","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:26Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-with-input@4.1.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-validation%404.3.1","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:47Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-validation@4.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-tracing%401.1.3","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:14Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-tracing@1.1.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-sub-graph%404.5.1","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:44Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-sub-graph@4.5.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-smart-subscriptions%404.1.5","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:38Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-smart-subscriptions@4.1.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-simple-objects%404.1.4","date":"2026-07-08T23:27:53Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-simple-objects@4.1.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-scope-auth%404.1.7","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:20Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-scope-auth@4.1.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-relay%404.7.1","date":"2026-07-08T23:28:02Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-relay@4.7.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-prisma%404.15.0","date":"2026-07-08T23:27:32Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-prisma@4.15.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/hayes/pothos/releases/tag/%40pothos/plugin-prisma-utils%401.3.4","date":"2026-07-08T23:27:41Z","type":"stable","version":"@pothos/plugin-prisma-utils@1.3.4"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=pg-sql2&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=%40pothos%2Fcore&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (GraphQL Tools)

| Capability | PostGraphile | Pothos |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Role | DB-to-GraphQL | Schema builder |
| Primary language | JavaScript/TypeScript | - |
| **Modelling** |  |  |
| Schema approach | DB introspection | Code-first |
| **Scale** |  |  |
| Federation / subgraph composition | - | ✓ |
| **Realtime** |  |  |
| Real-time subscriptions | - | ✓ |
| **Performance** |  |  |
| Response / edge caching | - | - |
| **DX** |  |  |
| Typed code generation | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Automation** |  |  |
| Generates API from a database | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Security** |  |  |
| Built-in authz / permissions | - | - |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Official hosted offering | - | - |
| Self-hostable | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T17:13:01.409Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*