ConsenseShould we use Postgres or DynamoDB for this workload?
This choice is usually made too early, on general reputation rather than your actual access patterns. Postgres (including its JSONB support) covers more ground than people assume; DynamoDB earns its complexity at a specific kind of scale and access pattern, not by default.
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What actually decides it
Access patterns, not data shape
DynamoDB rewards workloads where every query is known upfront and keyed lookups dominate. Ad hoc queries, joins, and evolving reporting needs favor Postgres.
Consistency requirements
Multi-row transactions, foreign keys and strong consistency across entities are native to Postgres and awkward to rebuild on DynamoDB.
Actual scale, not projected scale
Postgres comfortably handles far more throughput than most teams ever reach. Design for the scale you have evidence for, not the one you hope for.
Team familiarity and operational cost
DynamoDB removes some ops burden but shifts complexity into application-level data modeling. Count both kinds of cost.
What would change the answer
- A specific, measured throughput requirement DynamoDB is designed for
- Confirmation your query patterns are truly fixed and keyed
- An existing team with deep DynamoDB modeling experience
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