Devlink Tips

Posted on Apr 23

PostgreSQL vs MySQL vs Redis: Choose Your Fighter

#postgres #mysql #cloud #redis

The Ultimate Developer Showdown for Picking the Right Database (and Where to Host It Without Losing Sleep)

So you’ve built a thing. Maybe it’s a humble blog, a chaotic real-time game, or a full-blown SaaS monster. But now you’re stuck asking the question that has started more internal team wars than tabs vs spaces:

“Which database should we use?”

Welcome to the age-old dev conundrum. You’ve got PostgreSQL — your feature-packed Swiss Army knife; MySQL — the battle-hardened war veteran; and Redis — the caffeine-fueled speed demon with zero chill.

Picking between them isn’t just a matter of personal preference (though we know devs will die on that hill). It’s about choosing the right tool for your data’s job — and avoiding those “we should’ve thought this through” refactors six months later.

In this guide, we’ll break it all down — what each DB is good for, when to pick what, and which cloud provider actually gives a crap about your uptime. Expect opinions, examples, and zero enterprise-speak. Let’s go full dev mode.

TL;DR:

PostgreSQL = Big brain, powerful, scalable, JSON too
MySQL = Solid, reliable, low maintenance
Redis = Lightning fast, but don’t trust it with your secrets

PostgreSQL: The Feature-Rich Overachiever That Reads Docs for Fun

PostgreSQL is what happens when a database goes to grad school, gets a PhD, and still lifts weights on weekends. It’s not just smart — it’s jacked.

If you’re looking for something that can handle both structured and semi-structured data, run mind-bending queries, and still not break a sweat — welcome to Postgres. This DB is basically the developer’s favorite wizard. Think Gandalf, but fluent in SQL and JSON.

Why Devs Use PostgreSQL (and Write Love Letters to It)

Big Brain SQL: Recursive CTEs, window functions, custom operators it can pull off SQL stunts that make other databases sweat. Docs: postgresql.org/doc
JSONB + SQL Hybrid: Wanna do NoSQL style stuff but keep structure and indexing? PostgreSQL’s got JSONB, which is basically MongoDB with adult supervision.
Extensions for Days: PostGIS for geospatial wizardry, TimescaleDB for time-series data, pg_trgm for fuzzy search. It’s like Skyrim modded do whatever you want.
Strong Typing & Constraints: Catch your VARCHAR(20) mistakes before they ruin your day. It’s got the kind of strictness you’ll grow to appreciate (after yelling at it a few times).

When to Use It

You’re building serious apps: analytics dashboards, CRMs, SaaS, fintech, etc.
You want flexible data (JSON) but with rigid safety (constraints, transactions)
You expect to scale vertically or horizontally someday and don’t want regrets
Your data model is more complex than your last relationship

When Not to Use It

You need to spin up a prototype fast with zero config
You hate reading docs (Postgres requires a bit of study time)
You’re just caching stuff or storing key-value pairs (use Redis for that madness)

🔗 Links & Tools

Docs: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/

Admin GUIs:

PostgreSQL on DigitalOcean

PostgreSQL on UpCloud

Pricing on Linode (Akamai)

Engineer Wisdom:
“Postgres is that quiet genius in your team who doesn’t say much in meetings but builds absolute monsters of data models.”

MySQL: The Battle-Tested Classic That Still Gets the Job Done

Ah, MySQL — the database equivalent of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It’s been powering websites since the dial-up days and still holds its ground like a true OG. Sure, it’s not as shiny as Postgres, and it doesn’t flex JSON like it’s 2025, but when it comes to simplicity and reliability, MySQL is your dependable homie.

Used by giants like WordPress, Facebook (originally), and Shopify in its early days, MySQL thrives in scenarios where performance matters, but you don’t need to do SQL gymnastics every day.

Why Devs Use It (Still)

Fast Reads: It handles read-heavy workloads like a champ. Blogs, catalogs, landing pages? MySQL says, “Hold my beer.”
Fast Reads: It handles read-heavy workloads like a champ. Blogs, catalogs, landing pages? MySQL says, “Hold my beer.”
Massive Ecosystem: Tons of documentation, tutorials, and StackOverflow threads dating back to prehistoric times.
Easy to Learn: If you’re onboarding junior devs or building in LAMP stacks, this is usually the smoothest ride.

When to Use It

You’re building content-heavy websites (blogs, e-commerce)
You want a simple relational DB with no fluff
You like having tons of dev help and hosting options

When Not to Use It

You need deep JSON support or recursive CTEs
You’re working with highly normalized, complex schemas
You want horizontal scaling out of the box

Official Docs & Goodies

MySQL Docs: https://dev.mysql.com/doc/
Popular GUI: https://www.mysql.com/products/workbench/
Best managed MySQL on cloud (DigitalOcean): https://www.digitalocean.com/products/managed-databases-mysql/

Dev Joke Break:
“Using MySQL is like dating someone from high school you know what to expect, it’s stable, but sometimes you wonder what else is out there.”

Redis: The In-Memory Sprinter That Doesn’t Believe in Brakes

Redis isn’t a database. It’s a lifestyle.

Well, technically it is a database, but not the one you trust with your life savings or your users’ wedding photos. Redis is what you turn to when you need speed the kind of speed that makes SSDs look like floppy disks.

It lives entirely in memory. RAM. Yes, that volatile thing that disappears when the server restarts. That’s Redis’ jam. But when you need lightning-fast reads/writes, ephemeral storage, or some real-time voodoo, Redis is your go-to.

Why Devs Use Redis

In-Memory Everything: Latency so low it could live in the Mariana Trench.
TTL (Time-To-Live): Set keys to expire like self-destructing mission notes.
Pub/Sub: Built-in messaging for real-time apps.
Data Structures Galore: Strings, lists, sets, sorted sets, hashes — Redis is like a data structure buffet.

When to Use It

Caching layer for your main DB (good ol’ key-value)
Rate limiting API requests
Leaderboard or real-time metrics
Session storage in web apps
Message queue-lite without needing Kafka or RabbitMQ

When Not to Use It

You want persistent storage (unless you configure Redis AOF/RDB)
Your data is too large to fit in RAM (unless you also enjoy OOM crashes)
You treat Redis like a full-blown relational DB (you monster 😅)

🔗 Official Docs & Tools

Redis Docs: https://redis.io/docs/
RedisInsight (GUI tool): https://redis.com/redis-enterprise/redis-insight/
Redis on UpCloud (wicked fast IOPS): https://upcloud.com/products/managed-databases/redis

Engineer’s Whisper:
“Redis is like that caffeine-fueled intern who gets everything done at lightning speed but forgets what they did if they don’t write it down.”

Choosing Between PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Redis

aka “Please Don’t Use Redis for Your Entire Startup”

There’s no universal “best” database — only the right one for your use case (and hopefully not one you’ll rage-quit in 3 months). Here’s a no-fluff breakdown to help you pick without turning it into a philosophy debate.

TL;DR Decision Matrix

Combine for Maximum Dev Power

In real-world apps, you’ll often use two or more of these together:

PostgreSQL + Redis: For complex data + caching or sessions
MySQL + Redis: For simple sites + speed boosts
PostgreSQL + MySQL? Not recommended unless you enjoy chaos or are migrating.

Don’t Make These Mistakes

❌ Using Redis as your only DB with zero persistence unless you like living dangerously.
❌ Picking MySQL just because “it worked in college” your app might need more horsepower.
❌ Avoiding PostgreSQL because the docs are long they’re long because it does more.

Cloud Hosting Showdown: DigitalOcean vs Linode vs UpCloud

aka “Where Should You Host Your DB Without Selling Your Kidney?”

Picking a database is only half the battle. Now you’ve gotta host it somewhere that won’t explode at 3 AM, has decent performance, and ideally doesn’t cost more than your app makes.

Let’s break it down by features, pricing, and dev vibes. Think of this as the loadout screen before you pick your gear.

DigitalOcean The Friendly Cloud for Devs

Managed DBs for PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis
Auto backups, daily snapshots, read replicas, end-to-end security
Clean UI with simple scaling sliders (feels like adjusting volume on Spotify)
CLI and API access that doesn’t make you cry

Best for: Startups, solo devs, bootstrapped projects

Pricing Example:

PostgreSQL (1 GB RAM, 1 vCPU): $15/month
Redis (same config): $15/month
MySQL: $15/month (Scales up to 8+ vCPUs if you’re feeling spicy)

Linode (Akamai) The Budget Pick That Still Slaps

Also offers Managed Databases for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB
Recently rebranded as part of Akamai — more enterprise-ready now
Cheaper than DigitalOcean but slightly less polished UI
Manual Redis setup (no managed Redis yet)

Best for: Cost-conscious devs, tinkerers who like to DIY

Pricing Example:

PostgreSQL (1 GB RAM): Starts at ~$10/month
MySQL: Similar price range
Redis: DIY on regular instance or Docker

UpCloud — The High-Performance Underdog

Boasts crazy fast IOPS (benchmark nerds love it)
Has Managed Databases for PostgreSQL, Redis, MySQL
Customizable configs, private networking, great if performance matters
Smaller ecosystem, fewer tutorials than DO or Linode

Best for: Performance junkies, API-first teams

Pricing Example:

PostgreSQL: Starts around $20/month
Redis: Same
But you get fast SSDs and a bit more raw power

Special Offer: The UpCloud team has generously provided a personalized promo code that gives you a 30-day extended trial along with $50 in credits. 👉 Sign up here to give it a try!

TL;DR Cloud Matchmaking Table:

Real-World Dev Use Cases: What to Use for What

aka “Stop Using Postgres for Leaderboards, Please”

It’s easy to get lost in docs and benchmark charts. But let’s talk about actual projects — the kind you’ve probably built (or debugged at 2 AM). Here’s what real devs are doing with PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Redis, and what you should be doing too.

Blogging Platform or CMS

Stack: MySQL + Redis (optional)

MySQL handles post metadata, users, tags, comments
Redis for caching popular articles, rate-limiting comments

Why not Postgres? You can, but for basic content CRUD, MySQL is simpler and cheaper.

E-commerce Site

Stack: MySQL or PostgreSQL + Redis

MySQL/Postgres stores users, orders, products, inventory
Redis handles real-time carts, flash sale limits, or session tokens

Redis here is your performance buddy, not your main DB.

SaaS Dashboard with Analytics

Stack: PostgreSQL (+ maybe TimescaleDB or ClickHouse)

You want complex joins, filters, and time-series tracking
PostGIS if you’re tracking delivery routes or locations

MySQL would cry trying to pull the same report.

Real-Time Chat App

Stack: Redis (Pub/Sub) + Postgres or MySQL (for history)

Redis handles instant message broadcasting
SQL DB stores conversation logs and user metadata

Do not rely on Redis alone unless you like watching chats vanish after a reboot.

Subscription Billing System

Stack: PostgreSQL (with triggers + JSONB magic)

Handle nested invoices, billing cycles, and webhooks
JSONB helps with dynamic pricing models or one-off plan features

Leaderboard / Gaming Stats

Stack: Redis + Backup DB (PostgreSQL or MySQL)

Sorted Sets in Redis = perfect for real-time leaderboards
Persist to a SQL DB every X minutes so you don’t lose data on crash

Auth System

Stack: SQL DB + Redis

Use PostgreSQL or MySQL for users, roles, permissions
Use Redis for access tokens, refresh tokens, or 2FA session TTLs

Dev Rule of Thumb:
Use Redis to go fast, but use PostgreSQL/MySQL to stay safe.

Conclusion: Pick Smart, Not Trendy

aka “Just Because Redis Is Fast Doesn’t Mean It Should Hold Your Wedding Photos”

If you’ve made it this far, congrats — you now know more about databases than most “AI-powered” startup founders. Picking between PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Redis isn’t about hype or tribal loyalty — it’s about use case, performance needs, and sanity maintenance.

Here’s the TL;DR if your scroll wheel broke:

PostgreSQL = Use when your data model is complex, structured, or your app is a SaaS monster.
MySQL = Use when your app is straightforward, read-heavy, or built in PHP 100 years ago.
Redis = Use when you want things fast and temporary — caching, queues, or real-time anything.

And unless you really love config files and pagerduty alerts, use a managed DB from a solid cloud provider like DigitalOcean, UpCloud, or Linode. They handle backups, security, and scaling, so you can go back to what matters — debugging your frontend CSS.