PostgreSQL development.
The database we reach for first.
PostgreSQL is our default relational database, and has been for years. We design schemas that hold up as the product grows, fix the query that has been getting slower every month, and use JSON columns, full-text search, and pgvector so most projects never need a second data store.
Where PostgreSQL does the work
PostgreSQL sits under most of what we build. These are the pieces of work where the database itself is the deciding factor.
Schema Design for SaaS
Multi-tenant data models with the right isolation strategy, foreign keys that mean something, and constraints in the database rather than hoped for in the application. The Employment Law Alliance platform runs on this: a network of 3,000+ lawyers across 170+ jurisdictions.
Query Performance Work
The report that times out, the endpoint that got slow at 100,000 rows. We read the query plan, add the right index, rewrite the query, and partition the table if it genuinely needs it.
Migrations Off Other Databases
Moving from MySQL, SQL Server, or MongoDB to PostgreSQL, with a plan for the data, the access layer, and the cutover, so the application keeps running through it.
Vector Search with pgvector
Retrieval for AI features stored right next to the rest of your data. One database to back up, one to secure, no separate vector store to keep in sync.
Our default, and it earns the position
PostgreSQL is where we start unless a project gives us a specific reason to go elsewhere. It covers more ground than it used to, and it does so without surprises.
One database, fewer moving parts
JSON columns, full-text search, geospatial data, and vector search are all built in or one extension away. That is one system to back up, secure, and monitor instead of four.
Constraints that actually hold
Foreign keys, check constraints, unique indexes, and transactions mean the database refuses to store data that should not exist. That is a class of bug you never have to chase in the application.
A query planner you can reason about
EXPLAIN ANALYZE tells you exactly what the database is doing. Performance work on PostgreSQL is methodical, not guesswork.
Open source, no vendor lock
It runs on RDS, Cloud SQL, Supabase, or a plain Linux box, and moving between them is a routine operation. Your data is not held hostage by a hosting choice.
PostgreSQL vs MySQL vs MongoDB
We build with all three, and we recommend based on your data and your team, not a default. Here is the honest breakdown.
Choose PostgreSQL when
- Your data has clear relationships and you want them enforced
- You need complex queries, reporting, or full-text search
- You want JSON flexibility and relational guarantees in one place
- AI retrieval is on the roadmap and pgvector keeps it simple
Consider alternatives when
- Records genuinely vary in shape between entries, where MongoDB fits
- Your team is on a Laravel or PHP stack already productive with MySQL
- A well-run existing database has no real problem to solve
Hire a PostgreSQL Developer
Skip the full build. Get a vetted PostgreSQL developer working inside your existing team, on your stand-ups and your roadmap.
Hire a PostgreSQL Developer →PostgreSQL in production
🇺🇸Sharewear
We built the digital platform behind Sharewear — a family-owned safety brand selling NFC and QR-enabled wearable ID products. Any bracelet or tag when scanned instantly surfaces the wearer's emergency contacts, medical info, and location data.
Read case study →
🇺🇸Employment Law Alliance (ELA)
We redesigned and rebuilt the digital platform for the Employment Law Alliance — the world's largest network of independent labour and employment law firms, spanning 3,000+ lawyers across 170+ jurisdictions. A "Find a Lawyer" discovery engine, a searchable Global Employer Handbook, and a member firm network, unified under one global brand while preserving every local chapter's identity.
Read case study →Built by AI-native engineers, so your database is ready for retrieval and agents
AI features need a data layer designed for them. We model your schema so retrieval, embeddings, and agent access fit in without a bolt-on system later. It is how our own products, Tully AI and Mebag, were built.
Embeddings live next to the rows they describe, so retrieval stays consistent and there is nothing extra to keep in sync.
Scoped access so an AI agent can query your data without being able to reach past its permissions.
Logical replication and triggers that keep an index or a downstream model current without a nightly export job.
Shipped with prompt versioning, evals, and guardrails. See how we build AI →
Common questions about PostgreSQL development
Straight answers on stack fit, working in your codebase, cost, and how we start.
Do you build custom applications on PostgreSQL, or can we hire a PostgreSQL developer to join our existing team?
Both. Most engagements are a fixed-price custom build where PostgreSQL is the database under a Node.js or .NET backend. If you already have a team and need database capacity for schema design, migrations, or a performance problem, we also place vetted PostgreSQL developers who work inside your workflow while we handle employment and payroll.
How much does PostgreSQL work cost?
We work fixed-price, not hourly. A performance and indexing review is a small, defined engagement; a schema redesign or a migration off another database is scoped separately. See our pricing page for how we structure engagements, or book a call for a real number.
How experienced is your team with PostgreSQL specifically?
PostgreSQL is our default relational database and has been for years, across 600+ shipped projects. It runs behind Sharewear, the NFC and QR wearable ID platform, and the Employment Law Alliance platform, which serves a legal network of 3,000+ lawyers across 170+ jurisdictions.
PostgreSQL vs MySQL vs MongoDB: which should I choose?
PostgreSQL is our default: it handles complex queries, JSON columns, full-text search, and extensions like PostGIS and pgvector without reaching for another system. MySQL is a fine choice on a PHP or Laravel stack where the team already knows it. MongoDB earns its place when records genuinely vary in shape between entries. We recommend based on your actual data, not a house preference.
Do you work with recent PostgreSQL versions and extensions?
Yes. PostgreSQL 16 and 17 for new projects, with pgvector for AI retrieval, PostGIS for geospatial data, logical replication, and partitioning where the table size calls for it. For existing databases we work with whatever version is live and plan an upgrade path where it adds value.
Is PostgreSQL still a good choice in 2026?
For most applications, yes. It is stable, open source, and now covers use cases that used to need a separate document store, search engine, or vector database. Where it is not the automatic answer: a genuinely schema-less workload is often simpler on MongoDB, and an existing well-run MySQL setup rarely needs migrating just for its own sake.
Can you migrate our database to PostgreSQL?
Yes. We have migrated from MySQL, SQL Server, and MongoDB to PostgreSQL. Before recommending it, we assess whether the migration actually pays for itself; sometimes tuning the existing database is the better value.
What does the process look like?
A 30-minute scoping call, then a fixed-price, fixed-timeline proposal within 48 hours. A performance review is usually days; a schema redesign or migration is scoped against the size and shape of the data.
Do you sign an NDA before we talk details?
Yes. We can have an NDA in place before the first call. Just ask and we will send one over.
Hire PostgreSQL Developers
Need PostgreSQL engineers embedded in your team rather than a full project handoff? Our PostgreSQL Developers join your existing workflow (your tools, your stand-ups, your roadmap) while we handle employment, payroll, and HR. Add one developer or a full team, scale up before a release and back down after, and keep everything they build.
Have a schema to design or a slow query to fix?
Let's look at it.
We'll review your data model or your query plan and tell you what we would change, before you commit to anything.