Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB comparison

Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs. Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

ROI

Sentiment score

5.0

Azure Database for PostgreSQL reduces costs with pay-as-you-go pricing, eliminating expensive licenses, and improving uptime and efficiency.

Sentiment score

6.3

Azure Cosmos DB users see cost savings and efficiency, especially larger firms, though some report higher expenses and challenges.

It offers at least 25 percent cost savings compared to maintaining on-premises databases.

Wesley Haakman

Principle azure architect at Intercept

Now, we use embedded PostgreSQL vectors, which will undoubtedly reduce the TCO by using a much more cost-effective solution.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Database for PostgreSQL report

Head of cloud, data, and AI at BJSS

We've reduced our total ownership cost because we are not spending on expensive SQL server licenses.

reviewer2596230

Admin (hands on user) at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees

Getting an MVP of that project would have taken six to eight months, but because we had an active choice of using Azure Cosmos DB and other related cloud-native services of Azure, we were able to get to an MVP stage in a matter of weeks, which is six weeks.

MichaelJohn

Director | Data & AI at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

You can react quickly and trim down the specs, memory, RAM, storage size, etc. It can save about 20% of the costs.

Bernard Parinas

Co-Founder at arpa

When I have done comparisons or cost calculations, I have sometimes personally seen as much as 25% to 30% savings.

Alexander Hughes

Solutions Architect at CompuNet

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

5.2

Azure Database for PostgreSQL support experiences vary, with prompt issue attention but inconsistent response times and satisfaction challenges.

Sentiment score

6.8

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB support is generally praised for robustness, though response speed and expertise can vary.

Once we open a support case, we have people engaged within about 20 minutes, especially for a Sev 1 issue.

Nick Rapoport

Financial Advisor at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

On a scale from one to ten, I rate customer service and technical support a nine because they are quick in responding and in working with me to rectify any issues we come across.

Russell Priesing

Cloud Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

The documentation and training we've received through Microsoft Learn on how to migrate, deploy, and manage the solution is exceptional.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Database for PostgreSQL report

Head of cloud, data, and AI at BJSS

Premier Support has deteriorated compared to what it used to be, especially for small to medium-sized customers like ours.

reviewer2595951

Head of IT, Infrastructure, Operations & Applications Development at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees

The response was quick.

Joel Hulen

Lead Cloud Architect at Solliance, Inc

I would rate customer service and support a nine out of ten.

MichaelJohn

Director | Data & AI at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

5.8

Azure Database for PostgreSQL offers scalable, reliable performance with auto-scaling, efficiently supporting organization growth in cloud environments.

Sentiment score

7.7

Azure Cosmos DB offers scalable, cost-efficient resource management, seamless global expansion, and flexibility for large data volumes despite needing technical expertise.

We do not have to buy everything and build it. It is already there.

George Yen

Systems Engineer II at ICW Group

Scalability is not an issue on cloud.

Mohammed Aleemullah

DevOps Engineer at Donyati

However, we can see how well it scales after we deploy it for some large enterprise customers or big government organizations.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Database for PostgreSQL report

Head of cloud, data, and AI at BJSS

The system scales up capacity when needed and scales down when not in use, preventing unnecessary expenses.

Hashir Ali Shuja

Associate Software Architect at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees

We like that it can auto-scale to demand, ensuring we only pay for what we use.

Tiago Duarte

CTO at Stellium Consulting

We have had no issues with its ability to search through large amounts of data.

reviewer2678751

Full Stack Software Developer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

7.3

Azure Database for PostgreSQL is stable and reliable, with minimal latency, meeting SLA expectations despite occasional network issues.

Sentiment score

7.6

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is praised for stability and reliability, despite rare minor downtime during peak traffic or regional issues.

It is the go-to database if seeking performance and capacity.

Swanston Benjamin

Director at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

I have not experienced any downtime, crashes, or performance issues; it has been very stable.

Russell Priesing

Cloud Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Once everything is in the same networking environment, the latency becomes much smaller compared to when I have everything spread across different availability zones and regions, which results in higher latency.

Tomi Dapo-Osalusi

Aws Solutions Architect at ProjectCareer

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Database for PostgreSQL report

We have multiple availability zones, so nothing goes down.

reviewer2596239

Hands on user at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees

Azure Cosmos DB would be a good choice if you have to deploy your application in a limited time frame and you want to auto-scale the database across different applications.

HarshitGaur

Associate Data Analytics L1 at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees

I would rate it a ten out of ten in terms of availability and latency.

Aroosh Kumar

Azure Consultant at Deloitte

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report

Room For Improvement

Azure Database for PostgreSQL users seek improved user management, scalability, reliability, security, monitoring, network integration, and intuitive interface enhancements.

Azure Cosmos DB's pricing model and integration challenges impact usability, requiring enhanced tools, documentation, and feature improvements.

It does not presently support knowledge graph functionalities as Neo4j does.

Li Tse Liu

Product manager at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees

Some cloud platforms I've used have journeys that guide you through processes, but with Azure Database for PostgreSQL, I have to know exactly what I want to do and navigate there myself.

Tomi Dapo-Osalusi

Aws Solutions Architect at ProjectCareer

Azure Database for PostgreSQL can be improved by allowing quicker scaling without blips.

Wesley Haakman

Principle azure architect at Intercept

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Database for PostgreSQL report

We must ensure data security remains the top priority.

Mohamed Ait Salah

Cloud Solutions Architect and Microsoft Principal Consultant for EMEA at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

You have to monitor the Request Units.

Bernard Parinas

Co-Founder at arpa

The dashboard could include more detailed RU descriptions, IOPS, and compute metrics.

Fabien GOUINEAU

Cloud Architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report

Setup Cost

Azure Database for PostgreSQL offers cost-effective pay-as-you-go pricing, transitioning to reserved capacity for additional savings.

Azure Cosmos DB offers scalable pricing with dynamic auto-scaling options, requiring RU understanding but offering discounts and enterprise agreements.

We've reduced costs by 60 percent compared to maintaining on-premises solutions.

Manikyam Thukkapuram

Director, Alliances & Engineering at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

We chose it because it is more cost-effective than Microsoft SQL.

Michael Taute

Cloud Solutions Architect at Measurement Incorporated

Once you are comfortable and ready to make some commitments, you get about 30 percent saving if you are going with one-year or three-year reservation cost.

Sathish Palanisamy

Staff Data Engineer at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Database for PostgreSQL report

Initially, it seemed like an expensive way to manage a NoSQL data store, but so many improvements that have been made to the platform have made it cost-effective.

Joel Hulen

Lead Cloud Architect at Solliance, Inc

Cosmos DB is expensive, and the RU-based pricing model is confusing.

Christian Gomez Rua

IT Data Architect & Manager at Ternium Mexico S.A. de C.V.

Cosmos DB is great compared to other databases because we can reduce the cost while doing the same things.

Rusty Coulbourne

Lead Software Architect at CPower

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report

Valuable Features

Azure Database for PostgreSQL offers seamless integration, robust security, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and easy management with a pay-as-you-go model.

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB offers scalable, flexible, and secure multi-modal NoSQL services with global reach and seamless Microsoft integration.

My takeaway as a CTO is that they're comfortable with the security posture, the features, the observability, alerts, and now it integrates into the rest of the Azure landscape.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Database for PostgreSQL report

Head of cloud, data, and AI at BJSS

The query analyzers help me find out what's happening in each of the queries.

Gautam Gupta

IT Director at Infosys

If a database has any task that has been interrupted or any connection issue, it will alert LogicMonitor, and we have a centralized panel for all the alerts.

reviewer2777886

System Engineer II at a insurance company with 501-1,000 employees

The most valuable feature of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is its real-time analytics capabilities, which allow for turnaround times in milliseconds.

reviewer2227599

Vice President, Machine Learning at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

Performance and security are valuable features, particularly when using Cosmos DB for MongoDB emulation and NoSQL.

Christian Gomez Rua

IT Data Architect & Manager at Ternium Mexico S.A. de C.V.

The performance and scaling capabilities of Cosmos DB are excellent, allowing it to handle large workloads compared to other services such as Azure AI Search.

Tiago Duarte

CTO at Stellium Consulting

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report

Categories and Ranking

Azure Database for PostgreSQL

Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)

4th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Open Source Databases (4th)

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB

Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)

3rd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

112

Ranking in other categories

NoSQL Databases (1st), Managed NoSQL Databases (1st), Vector Databases (1st)

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Database as a Service (DBaaS) category, the mindshare of Azure Database for PostgreSQL is 3.9%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is 4.9%, up from 3.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Database as a Service (DBaaS) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB	4.9%
Azure Database for PostgreSQL	3.9%
Other	91.2%

Database as a Service (DBaaS)

Featured Reviews

Sathish Palanisamy

Staff Data Engineer at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees

Improves database performance, supports AI integration, and accelerates customer-focused innovation

Azure Database for PostgreSQL can be improved in the area of elastic capabilities. One of the things we were actively looking for is the elastic feature, which was made a GA at this Ignite event. I am really happy that finally in Azure, we have a product which we can use for elastic clusters. If you are bound with a single server, then you have a vertical limit. Now you do not have any limits. As long as your use case grows, we can grow. The only thing I would maybe be thinking about is we should also allow customers to pick different node sizes for every node inside the elastic eventually. Some nodes do not need that big capacity. So that may be a nice-to-have feature, though it is not a must-have at this point.

Read full review

Michael Hasenfang

Director, Platform Engineering - Infrastructure Systems and Automation at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Collecting compliance data has become more efficient while managing unstructured inputs for reporting

The features that I find most valuable within Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB are probably the cost, as the cost optimization is good. The storage and queryability are good for what we're doing; it's a lot of unstructured data, so having a platform to put that in and then be able to harvest that data out for the reporting we do is essential. In terms of cost saving, it was probably easily 30 to 40% cheaper than doing a standard SQL, which is what we saw just on piloting and getting in there. We were initially thinking 20 to 25%, but we were probably more at the 35 to 40%. We are using Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB's hybrid search today. The value that it has added to my AI or search workloads is that I think it's optimized that process and made it easier. We have a lot of unstructured data coming from different dissimilar systems and different data sources, so correlating those things together and making sense of it has been very beneficial. Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB has had pretty good performance with searching through large amounts of data; it's been fast, and we haven't seen a lot of performance degradation while building larger queries and bringing in a large set of data. The dynamic auto-scale or serverless model from Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB has helped reduce costs and operational effort; however, it's hard to quantify how that plays out since you're using a shared service. It shifts my focus away from building, managing, and upgrading to adding value.

Read full review

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913,683 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Comms Service Provider

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Marketing Services Firm

Financial Services Firm

11%

Outsourcing Company

10%

Legal Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	16

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	35
Midsize Enterprise	24
Large Enterprise	58

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Database for PostgreSQL?

Azure Database for PostgreSQL's pay-as-you-go pricing model has affected my database-related cost and resource allocation. I do not know the exact minute details of the database cost. For even mino...

What needs improvement with Azure Database for PostgreSQL?

Apart from the scaling aspect, I would like to see improvements in the user interface. If a guided journey could be created, I would prefer that approach. Some cloud platforms I've used have journe...

What is your primary use case for Azure Database for PostgreSQL?

Azure Database for PostgreSQL serves several use cases for me. I use it primarily for testing and development environments where I need flexible database access without long-term commitments.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB?

I have knowledge about the pricing, setup cost, and licensing aspect of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB.

What needs improvement with Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB?

I would see improvements in Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB, particularly concerning integration with more tiers. They should integrate products like IBM Watson for analytics and offer more options for e...

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB?

I have worked with databases like Azure SQL Database, Cosmos DB, and PostgreSQL. We had a migration where our customer wanted solutions like Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB, where they desired high avail...

Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs Azure Database for PostgreSQL

Comparisons

Compared 14% of the time

Amazon RDS vs Azure Database for PostgreSQL

Compared 12% of the time

MySQL vs Azure Database for PostgreSQL

Compared 10% of the time

PostgreSQL vs Azure Database for PostgreSQL

Compared 7% of the time

Oracle Database as a Service vs Azure Database for PostgreSQL

Compared 5% of the time

More Azure Database for PostgreSQL Competitors

MongoDB Atlas vs Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB

Compared 6% of the time

PostgreSQL vs Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB

Compared 5% of the time

MongoDB Enterprise Advanced vs Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB

Compared 5% of the time

Redis vs Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB

Compared 4% of the time

Pinecone vs Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB

Compared 4% of the time

More Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB Competitors

Product Reports

Azure Database for PostgreSQL

Download Azure Database for PostgreSQL product report

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB

Download Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB product report

Also Known As

No data available

Microsoft Azure DocumentDB, MS Azure Cosmos DB

Overview

Azure Database for PostgreSQL offers efficient management, robust networking, and seamless Microsoft integration. Known for its strong performance and high satisfaction in enterprise settings, it provides operational efficiency, security, and monitoring.

With features that facilitate Azure integration, easy configuration, and AI integration, Azure Database for PostgreSQL serves as a valuable choice for businesses requiring operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Users benefit from powerful vector capabilities, seamless Microsoft service integration, straightforward management, and user authentication ensuring high satisfaction. Easy optimization, query analysis, and backup operations make it suitable for varied enterprise applications. However, improvements in flexible scaling, cost-effectiveness of monitoring tools, and enhanced integration with Azure OpenAI would enhance its capabilities further.

What Are the Key Features of Azure Database for PostgreSQL?

Robust Networking: Offers seamless Azure integration to optimize cloud resources.
AI Integration: Simplifies incorporating artificial intelligence into databases.
Monitoring Tools: Provides comprehensive tools for efficient database management.
Security: Ensures user data is protected with high-standard security protocols.
Cost-Effectiveness: Delivers efficient operations with budget-friendly solutions.

What Benefits Should Users Consider?

Operational Efficiency: Streamlines database management tasks, reducing workload.
High Satisfaction: Receives positive feedback for its reliable performance in enterprises.
Enterprise Compatibility: Integrates across various Microsoft services for enhanced productivity.
User-Friendly Management: Facilitates straightforward database administration.
Scalability: Supports businesses with potential growth through flexible solutions.

Industries such as healthcare, retail, and finance leverage Azure Database for PostgreSQL for backend solutions, incident reporting, and public information sharing. Managed service providers utilize its strong performance for client needs, while administrators use it for applications like ControlM. Its flexibility supports containerized applications and disaster recovery, ensuring compatibility with diverse environments.

Microsoft

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB offers scalable, geo-replicated, multi-model support with high performance and low latency. It provides seamless Microsoft service integration, benefiting those needing flexible NoSQL, real-time analytics, and automatic scaling for diverse data types and quick global access.

Azure Cosmos DB is designed to store, manage, and query large volumes of both unstructured and structured data. Its NoSQL capabilities and global distribution are leveraged by organizations to support activities like IoT data management, business intelligence, and backend databases for web and mobile applications. While its robust security measures and availability are strengths, there are areas for improvement such as query complexity, integration with services like Databricks and MongoDB, documentation clarity, and performance issues. Enhancements in real-time analytics, API compatibility, cross-container joins, and indexing capabilities are sought after. Cost management, optimization tools, and better support for local development also require attention, as do improvements in user interface and advanced AI integration.

What are the key features of Azure Cosmos DB?

Scalability: Effortlessly handles scaling for large workloads.
Geo-replication: Provides global data access with low latency.
Multi-model Support: Compatible with diverse data types.
NoSQL Flexibility: Offers a non-relational database experience.
Real-time Analytics: Facilitates data-driven decision-making.
Automation: Simplifies scaling and maintenance processes.

What benefits can users expect from Cosmos DB?

High Performance: Ensures rapid processing and low latency.
Ease of Use: Features a user-friendly interface enhancing deployment speed.
Seamless Integration: Connects effortlessly with Microsoft services.
Security: Offers robust measures to protect data integrity.
Consistent Availability: Ensures continuous access to data worldwide.

Industries use Azure Cosmos DB to support business intelligence and IoT data management, using its capabilities for backend databases in web and mobile applications. The platform's scalability and real-time analytics benefit sectors like finance, healthcare, and retail, where managing diverse datasets efficiently is critical.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

TomTom, KPMG Australia, Bosch, ASOS, Mercedes Benz, NBA, Zero Friction, Nederlandse Spoorwegen, Kinectify

Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs. Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB