PostgreSQL vs MySQL 9.7 LTS

Comparison of the two dominant open‑source relational DBMSs for OLTP workloads on‑prem and in the cloud.

Updated November 5, 2026

Score Breakdown

PostgreSQL

Pick

Performance

Cost value

Features

Maturity

Total: 38 / 40

MySQL 9.7 LTS

Performance

Cost value

Features

Maturity

Total: 33 / 40

Strengths & Weaknesses

PostgreSQL

Advanced SQL compliance and extensibility (JSONB, native partitioning, logical replication)

Strong ACID guarantees and robust MVCC engine

Vibrant ecosystem (PostGIS, TimescaleDB, Neon serverless offering) and frequent minor releases

Higher RAM usage for comparable workloads

Complexity of tuning advanced features can steepen learning curve

MySQL 9.7 LTS

Widely deployed in LAMP stacks and supported by most PaaS providers

Excellent read‑heavy performance with InnoDB improvements in 9.7

Large pool of DBAs and tooling familiarity

Less feature‑rich (e.g., limited window functions, no native columnar storage)

Historically weaker concurrency control compared with PostgreSQL

When to Choose

PostgreSQL

When you need advanced analytics, GIS, or extensibility and can allocate enough memory.

MySQL 9.7 LTS

When you prioritize simplicity, existing MySQL expertise, or need the most lightweight footprint.

IT Intelligence Verdict

Pick: PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL’s richer feature set and superior concurrency model make it the better long‑term choice for modern applications, while MySQL 9.7 LTS remains a solid, low‑cost option for legacy web workloads.

Try it out

Neon (Serverless Postgres)

Generous free tier

Start free

PlanetScale

Free hobby plan

Start free

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