Technology Comparison

MySQL vs PostgreSQL - Which Should You Use?

Comparing MySQL and PostgreSQL for your next project. Honest analysis of performance, ecosystem, and suitability for Australian businesses.

98%

Client Retention

under 2 seconds

Average Load Time

50+

Businesses Served

150+

Integrations Available

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Our Development Capabilities

Custom-built solutions for your specific business needs.

Custom Web Applications

Bespoke web applications built from the ground up to solve your specific business problems. No off-the-shelf compromises.

Progressive Web Apps

Web applications that feel native on mobile devices. Offline support, push notifications, and app-like performance.

Data Dashboards and Reporting

Custom analytics dashboards that give your team real-time visibility into business metrics and KPIs.

Security-First Development

OWASP-compliant development practices, encrypted data handling, and regular security audits built into every project.

Headless CMS Integration

Decouple your content management from your frontend for flexibility, performance, and better developer experience.

CI/CD and DevOps

Automated testing, continuous integration, and deployment pipelines that keep your application reliable and easy to update.

Quick Comparison

Side-by-side comparison to help you decide.

Criterion	MySQL	PostgreSQL
SQL standards compliance	Partial - some non-standard extensions; GROUP BY less strict	More compliant - standard SQL behaviour is a design goal
JSON support	JSON type in MySQL 5.7+; functional indexes on JSON expressions	JSONB - binary JSON with full indexing; more powerful than MySQL JSON
Advanced data types	Standard types plus spatial (MySQL Spatial)	Arrays, ranges, hstore, JSONB, UUID, PostGIS - vastly richer type system
Replication	Binary log replication - simple to configure; MySQL Cluster for HA	Streaming replication, logical replication, Patroni for HA - more complex but flexible
Full-text search	MATCH...AGAINST full-text search - basic but functional	tsvector/tsquery with GIN indexes - more powerful; pgvector for embeddings
Managed hosting options	PlanetScale (serverless MySQL), RDS MySQL, Cloud SQL - good options	Supabase, Neon (serverless), RDS Postgres, PGEdge - excellent options

Our Verdict

Choose PostgreSQL for any new project. MySQL is a capable, battle-tested database, but PostgreSQL consistently offers a richer feature set: superior JSONB support, arrays, ranges, window functions, CTEs, and an extensibility system (pgvector, PostGIS, pg_cron) that makes it the most versatile open-source relational database available. The managed PostgreSQL hosting market (Supabase, Neon, RDS) is excellent. MySQL remains the pragmatic choice if you have an existing MySQL codebase, are locked to PlanetScale's serverless model, or are working with a CMS like WordPress that mandates MySQL.

Choose MySQL when:

✓ You have an existing MySQL codebase that migration would not be cost-justified
✓ Using PlanetScale's serverless branching model for schema change workflows
✓ WordPress, Drupal, or other MySQL-mandated CMS is the application layer

Choose PostgreSQL when:

✓ Any new greenfield project with a free database choice
✓ Using JSONB, arrays, or advanced types that MySQL handles poorly
✓ Adding pgvector for vector similarity search alongside relational data
✓ Using Supabase or Neon for managed PostgreSQL with real-time and auth features

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely. You get 3 months of hands-on support after launch. For ongoing development, we offer flexible retainer packages tailored to your needs.

Every project is scoped individually based on complexity, integrations, and feature requirements. Most projects fall within our standard tiers. Book a free assessment to get a transparent, fixed-price quote.

Most projects deliver a working prototype in 2 weeks and complete within 4-8 weeks. Complex applications may take longer. We deliver in phases so you see value quickly.

Yes, our team has experience with both MySQL and PostgreSQL. We choose the right tool based on your project needs and recommend accordingly during our free assessment.

Yes. We integrate with 150+ business tools and can build custom connectors for specialist software. Your new application will work seamlessly with your existing tech stack.

We primarily build with Next.js, React, TypeScript, and Node.js. We also work with Python, PostgreSQL, and various cloud platforms. We choose the best technology for your specific requirements.

It depends on your project requirements. MySQL and PostgreSQL each have strengths. Our detailed comparison above covers the trade-offs to help you decide.