PostgreSQL vs MySQL for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

PostgreSQL Overview

PostgreSQL is the database that keeps surprising you with what it can do. It's a relational database at its core, but it also handles JSON documents (JSONB), full-text search, geospatial data (PostGIS), and has an extension system that lets it do almost anything. It's like getting five different databases for the price of one.

I run Postgres for every production application I build. The reliability is outstanding. I've never lost data. I've never had a corruption issue. The JSONB support means I can store flexible data alongside structured tables without needing a separate NoSQL database. Full-text search means I can handle basic search without adding Elasticsearch. These features save a solo developer from managing multiple database systems.

The managed hosting options are excellent too. Supabase gives you free Postgres with an API layer. Neon offers serverless Postgres that scales to zero. Railway and Render both include one-click Postgres. You're never stuck self-managing it.

MySQL Overview

MySQL is the world's most popular open-source database. It powers the LAMP stack, WordPress, and a huge percentage of the web. It's simple to set up, widely supported on every hosting provider, and proven at massive scale by companies like Facebook (before they forked it) and Uber.

For straightforward web applications, MySQL gets the job done. It's fast for read-heavy workloads, has excellent replication support, and virtually every hosting provider supports it. If you're building a PHP application with Laravel or working with WordPress, MySQL is the natural choice.

The simplicity is genuinely appealing. MySQL is easier to set up and tune than PostgreSQL for basic use cases. The documentation is clear, and the community is enormous. For a solo developer building a standard CRUD application, MySQL handles it without any fuss.

Key Differences

Feature depth separates these two clearly. PostgreSQL supports JSONB, full-text search, array columns, CTEs, window functions, and materialized views. MySQL has improved over the years but still lacks native array types and its JSON support is less performant than Postgres's JSONB. As a solo developer, Postgres's features mean you need fewer external tools.

Data integrity matters more than you think. PostgreSQL is stricter about data types and constraints by default. MySQL in its default configuration allows things like inserting invalid dates or silently truncating data. This means bugs that PostgreSQL catches at the database level slip through MySQL and become application-level problems. When you're the only developer, you want your database catching mistakes for you.

JSONB is a game-changer. Need to store user preferences, feature flags, or any semi-structured data? PostgreSQL's JSONB stores it with full indexing and query support. You can query inside JSON documents efficiently. With MySQL, JSON support exists but the performance and query capabilities don't match up.

Hosting and ecosystem. MySQL is available on literally every hosting provider, including the cheapest shared hosts. PostgreSQL is available on all modern platforms but might not be on legacy shared hosting. For solo developers using Railway, Render, Supabase, or any modern platform, both are equally available.

Ownership concerns. MySQL is owned by Oracle, which makes some developers nervous about the future. PostgreSQL is community-driven with no corporate owner. This is why many developers have migrated from MySQL to PostgreSQL in recent years.

When to Choose PostgreSQL

• You want the most feature-rich relational database available
• You need JSONB for flexible data alongside structured tables
• You want built-in full-text search without a separate service
• You value strict data integrity and type safety
• You're using Django, Rails, or any modern framework (all prefer Postgres)

When to Choose MySQL

• You're building a WordPress site or PHP application
• Your hosting only supports MySQL (legacy shared hosting)
• You need the simplest possible database setup
• You're working with a legacy codebase that already uses MySQL
• You need proven MySQL-specific features like Group Replication

The Verdict

PostgreSQL is the better choice for solo developers in 2026. The feature set eliminates the need for separate tools (JSONB replaces a document store, full-text search replaces Elasticsearch for basic needs), the data integrity catches bugs before they reach production, and every modern framework and hosting platform supports it natively.

MySQL is fine if you're in the PHP/WordPress ecosystem, but for new projects, there's no compelling reason to choose it over Postgres. The 9/10 vs 7/10 solo dev rating reflects real-world experience. PostgreSQL does more, protects your data better, and costs the same (free). Pick Postgres and don't look back.