Side by side
Heimdall Database Proxy vs PgBouncer
Both stand on database proxy software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Consider Heimdall Database Proxy if you need SQL query routing and caching, read/write separation, or live query visibility. Greenplum users can start with its free Community Edition. The Enterprise editions are the route for features such as distributed auto-scaling proxies, enterprise-level support, or Enterprise Plus SQL security.
Visit Heimdall Database ProxyPgBouncer focuses on reusing PostgreSQL connections and offers three pooling modes. It does not handle internal multi-host load balancing or failover, so those needs require other approaches.
Visit PgBouncerThe facts
| Heimdall Database Proxy | PgBouncer | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Self-hosted | Linux, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | heimdalldata.com | pgbouncer.org |
| On database proxy software | #9 of 31 | #13 of 31 |
Heimdall Database Proxy: what it does well
- Routes reads to replicas and writes to primary databases.
- Caches queries with automatic expiry and invalidation rules.
- Offers live SQL visibility, bottleneck identification, and tuning recommendations.
- Supports a broad set of listed databases and cloud integrations.
- Greenplum Community Edition is free for Greenplum use.
What to know first
- The free Community Edition is limited to Greenplum use.
- Technical support for the Community Edition requires upgrading to Enterprise.
- Linux installation instructions and self-hosted deployment are listed.
PgBouncer: what it does well
- Free source release for self-hosted use.
- Offers session, transaction, and statement pooling.
- Supports several documented authentication methods.
- Can route to databases on different hosts.
What to know first
- Statement pooling disallows multi-statement transactions.
- No internal multi-host load balancing configuration.
- No internal failover-host configuration or detection.
- Windows builds require MinGW.
Alternatives to Heimdall Database Proxy Alternatives to PgBouncer The whole list