PostgreSQL vs SurrealDB
Both are alternatives to MongoDB Atlas. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as SurrealDB vs PostgreSQL — same comparison, one verdict.
PostgreSQL
TOP PICKThe default answer, and JSONB means you may not need a document store.
Postgres is the most capable open database in general use and the one most teams should reach for first. The detail that matters on this page: JSONB gives you schemaless document storage with indexing and rich querying inside a relational database, so you can hold documents where they suit and use joins, transactions and constraints everywhere else. Add pgvector for embeddings and full-text search built in, and a large share of MongoDB deployments turn out to be Postgres deployments that took a detour. PostgreSQL Licence — permissive, foundation-governed, and not going to change.
SurrealDB
Documents, graph and relational in one engine — but check the licence.
SurrealDB is a Rust multi-model database combining document, graph and relational access through a single SQL-like language, with real-time queries and permissions built in. It is genuinely interesting engineering and around 32.8k stars. One correction that matters and that most listings get wrong: the core is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1, not an open-source licence. BSL restricts offering it as a competing service and converts to Apache-2.0 after a set period. For internal use that is usually fine; for anyone building a product on top, read it first.
Side by side
| PostgreSQL | SurrealDB | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty Score | 98 | 68 |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Local-first | Yes | Yes |
| License | PostgreSQL License (permissive) | BSL 1.1 (source-available, converts to Apache-2.0 over time) |
| Pricing | Free and open source. Managed options exist from every cloud, usually cheaper than Atlas. | Free to self-host under BSL terms. Managed cloud is paid. |
PostgreSQL is Macrostack's recommended MongoDB Atlas alternative, so it's our pick here.
PostgreSQL
Strengths
- +JSONB covers most document workloads without giving up relational features
- +pgvector and full-text search built in — no second database
- +Governance by a foundation; the licence will not be changed under you
- +Every cloud offers a managed version, so you are never captive to one
Trade-offs
- −Migrating from MongoDB means rewriting queries, not just moving data
- −Horizontal sharding is harder than MongoDB's
- −Genuinely document-shaped workloads at huge scale fit MongoDB better
- −Operating it yourself is still real work
SurrealDB
Strengths
- +Document, graph and relational in a single engine — genuinely rare
- +Real-time queries and row-level permissions built in
- +Rust, fast, and can embed directly in an application
- +Converts to Apache-2.0 on a published schedule
Trade-offs
- −BSL 1.1 is NOT open source, despite how it is usually listed
- −Young relative to Postgres or MongoDB
- −Smaller ecosystem and fewer battle-tested deployments
- −Multi-model flexibility is also more ways to model something badly
More MongoDB Atlas head-to-heads
Related alternative guides
Facts verified 2026-08-07. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.