PostgreSQL is a relational database system known for its performance and reliability. But unlike MySQL, which is available on almost all hosting plans, PostgreSQL is not as widely supported. If you’re in a hurry, we’ve listed the top five PostgreSQL hosts here, but if you want more details, follow along below.
Simple hosting optionsSolid-state drives (SSDs) for all hosting options
Free website builder tools
One-on-one training for new customers
How Did We Pick the Best Hosts for PostgreSQL?
PostgreSQL is normally used for larger and more demanding projects than MySQL. Most often, it is used with more advanced hosting like virtual private servers and dedicated servers. You might also want to combine it with other performance-oriented features like SSD storage.
From our list of hundreds of hosting plans, we selected all those that can effectively host PostgreSQL. Then we sorted them by our thousands of expert and user reviews to determine the top PostgreSQL hosting plans.
What is PostgreSQL Hosting?
Billed as “The World’s Most Advanced Open Source Database”, PostgreSQL is a powerful, flexible, and absolutely free DBMS. Descended from a research project begun in the ’70s at the University of California, Berkeley, PostgreSQL has offered SQL support since the mid-’90s.
PostgreSQL is a database management system (DBMS) that’s designed to compete with applications such as MySQL and MS SQL, two popular Linux-based and Windows-based Structured Query Language (SQL) solutions.
Used to store, sort, edit, and serve data stored in databases to websites, applications, and more, this open source, relational DBMS enjoys growing support among developers and hosting providers alike.
What are the Advantages of PostgreSQL?
The four prime categories to monitor are as follows:
Feature
PostgreSQL
MySQL
Oracle
SQL Server
Reliability
Good
Okay
Good
Good
Performance
Good
Good
Good
Good
Simplicity/Ease of Use
Okay
Excellent
Poor
Poor
Cost/License
Open Source
Open Source
Proprietary
Proprietary
How To Choose a PostgreSQL Web Host
If you run a small website, you might consider MySQL instead. For all its qualities, PostgreSQL isn’t always the best choice. For simple databases, MySQL may use fewer system resources and run faster. Some popular software packages, such as WordPress, require MySQL.
PostgreSQL is best suited for situations that require heavy custom coding or have strict data integrity requirements. If you’re planning to develop applications or need to manage a large amount of data, know that PostgreSQL is free and available for public download.
If you aren’t sure where to begin when it comes to choosing a PostgreSQL-friendly web hosting provider, check out our picks.
Why it’s best: Shared servers all come with PostgreSQL and phpPgAdmin pre-installed
SiteGround boasts a craftsman approach to PostgreSQL hosting on its shared plans. These plans come with phpPgAdmin installed and promise easy PostgreSQL management.
SiteGround keeps up with the latest version of the software. With features like SSD storage, free SSL, cPanel, and the Cloudflare CDN, it’s a solid choice as a hosting provider. PostgreSQL is also available on dedicated servers and cloud hosting.
Why it’s best: Offers very fast, reliable, secure, and flexible web hosting with great customer support
Bluehost is praised for providing impressive hosting solutions at affordable prices. It has been the most popular hosting service in the world because of its feature-rich and flexible hosting packages.
Why it’s best: PostgreSQL included with all shared plans
A2 Hosting provides PostgreSQL 9.6 (released in November 2019), which isn’t the latest version but is close. It’s included with all A2 Hosting shared hosting plans, VPS plans, and Linux reseller plans.
Customers can manage database users and create databases from the cPanel control panel. Alternatively, they can launch phpPgAdmin from cPanel. Other attractive features include international data centers and a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
Why it’s best: Thousands of servers in California and Virginia
InMotion’s shared servers all come with PostgreSQL and phpPgAdmin pre-installed. Customers with VPS plans or dedicated server plans can install it themselves.
Support by phone, chat, or email is available 24 hours a day. SSD storage and secure SSL access are included. Disk space and monthly data transfers are unlimited. InMotion can be especially appealing to small businesses in North America.
Why it’s best: Provides options for fully managed websites with excellent customer and technical support
HostPapa is a reliable, user-friendly web hosting and domain registration service. They provide helpful support and fast servers with datacenters all over the world.
Pros and cons of HostPapa
Pros
Free site migration
Environmentally friendly company
Exceptional customer support
Cons
No dedicated servers
Advanced security not available for entry level hosting packages
PostgreSQL was founded as a successor to the Ingres database. Its name is a contraction of ‘post-Ingres’.
PostgreSQL’s open-source nature has led to many crowd-sourced refinements and performance enhancements over the life of the application, as well as extensive documentation available online.
The PostgreSQL license also gives all users the ability to adapt and modify the source code to their needs, making it ideal for complex, customized uses.
PostgreSQL lets developers take a more familiar object-oriented approach to the database server. This leads to greater productivity and making better use of the database. If necessary, everything they do can be converted to plain SQL without compatibility issues.
What is an object-relational database?
A traditional relational database organizes data in related tables. Object-relational databases build on this by adding support for classes, objects, models, and inheritance.
Who develops PostgreSQL?
It’s developed by the PostgreSQL Global Development Group.
What is the PostgreSQL Licence?
The PostgreSQL Licence is very similar to the GNU GPL that covers many open source applications. The PostgreSQL Licence allows any developer to use PostgreSQL free of charge, even if they are developing a commercial application.
What advantages does PostgreSQL offer?
PostgreSQL is reliable and stable, and it’s designed for intensive applications. It’s also considered to be one of the most secure databases available. PostgreSQL is very extensible. It can be modified and customized without any obligation to share the changes, making it suitable for commercial use.
Does PostgreSQL have a graphical interface?
Yes. You can download several graphical tools to help you interact and administer PostgreSQL databases.
Does PostgreSQL require a Linux server?
PostgreSQL is cross-platform. It will run on Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, and UNIX.
PostgreSQL vs SQLite: which is better?
SQLite is a very lightweight database that’s ideal for embedded applications. It is not a good choice for the multi-user, high-volume scenarios where PostgreSQL excels.
How widely supported is PostgreSQL?
Many hosting companies support it, although it is not always offered on shared hosting accounts.
What are the primary uses for PostgreSQL?
PostgreSQL is used primarily for commercial websites and applications because of its power, flexibility, scalability, and ease of use.
Many well-known, large companies around the world with thousands of gigabytes of data and millions of dollars in revenue depend on PostgreSQL for database management, including:
CloudFlare
Etsy
Upwork
Reddit
Skype
TripAdvisor
What are the Benefits of Using an Object-Relational Database?
The PostgreSQL database management system is an “object-relational” system. It’s strongly compliant with ANSI SQL, more so than most popular database management systems. However, web developers find relational programming awkward, and the mismatch is the source of a lot of bugs. Database bugs are a leading source of security problems.
Which industries use PostgreSQL?
PostgreSQL is used to manage all kinds of data in a variety of industries. These range from aeronautical design to medical records and billing to managing ticket sales and promotional data for big sports organizations.
Are there third-party extensions for PostgreSQL
Third-party extensions are available to define object types for specialized problem domains. They add new data types, provide integration with other software, or add ways to export and import data.
Can you add PostgreSQL to your web server?
Adding it to your web server should be relatively straightforward, providing your hosting package meets the requirements.
Most modern servers, whether Linux or Windows-based, should be able to run PostgreSQL. Many hosts also offer native support for PostgreSQL as a part of their hosting packages.
Is there optional language support for PostgreSQL?
Support for languages such as Perl and Python is optional, but packages are available to integrate them with the DBMS. Remember to check with your host before adding any application or service you think might not be supported by your hosting package or server.
How do you manage PostgreSQL?
Web-based management of a PostgreSQL server is simple with the open-source phpPgAdmin control panel. It’s similar to phpMyAdmin for MySQL databases.