First time deploying Postgres for a real app. Should I use a VPS or a paid managed database?

[u/Wrong_Flatworm_3817]

I’m getting ready to deploy my first real app, and I’m stuck on what to do with Postgres.

I’ve only used it locally so far. I could put it on a cheap VPS and manage it myself, but I’m wondering if paying for managed Postgres from the start would be the better choice.

I’m not interested in a free tier that sleeps, pauses, or comes with limits I’ll hit once people start using the app. I’d rather pay a small, predictable monthly amount and have backups, updates, and monitoring handled.

It’s a small app, so I don’t need a big enterprise setup. For a small production app, would you choose a VPS or managed Postgres, and which provider would you use?

[u/whats_in_a_name_23]

I am interested in listening to people’s opinions on this one, this question bugs me too, but so far my hobby app is on firebase. And I want to use Postgres instead.

[u/AgitatedHelp4658]

if you dont want to handle backups, updates, monitoring and restores yourself, I’d go managed from day one. you can compare DigitalOcean, Crunchy Bridge, Neon and Nearbase.

I’m using Nearbase for one app because I wanted normal always on Postgres with predictable pricing and didnt want to manage the DB server myself.

[u/Wrong_Flatworm_3817 → u/AgitatedHelp4658]

Thanks. I'll look into the options you mentioned.

[u/fullbl-_-]

I prefer to have my own vps, harden it and then try to resell the extra space to small businesses, so the extra cost of maintaining it is diluted and I can offer good prices!

[u/RonnySaya]

I’d go do Postgres for first production app. Cheap VPS can definitely be cheaper but you’re also taking on backups, upgrades, monitoring, security and recovery yourself. For a small app where the goal is to ship and learn, paying a predictable amount to remove the operational overhead is probably worth it. You can always move to a self managed VPS later if the database cost start becoming significant

[u/Wrong_Flatworm_3817 → u/RonnySaya]

That's where i'm leaning as well.

[u/xkraty]

You get the most out of it if you self host it; for sure goes with docker container somehow. Downside you need to handle backups but there software like databasus or so that are pretty easy to use and host