Managed Databases vs Self-Hosted Databases

Developers should use managed databases when they need to reduce operational overhead, ensure high availability, and scale databases easily without deep expertise in database administration meets developers should consider self-hosted databases when they need strict data sovereignty, such as in industries with heavy regulatory requirements like healthcare or finance, or when they require fine-grained control over performance and security configurations. Here's our take.

Managed Databases

Nice Pick

Developers should use managed databases when they need to reduce operational overhead, ensure high availability, and scale databases easily without deep expertise in database administration

Pros

• They are ideal for startups, web applications, and enterprises looking to offload database maintenance to focus on core business logic
• Related to: cloud-computing, sql

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Self-Hosted Databases

Developers should consider self-hosted databases when they need strict data sovereignty, such as in industries with heavy regulatory requirements like healthcare or finance, or when they require fine-grained control over performance and security configurations

Pros

• This approach is also beneficial for organizations with existing on-premises infrastructure investments or those handling sensitive data that cannot be stored in public clouds due to privacy concerns
• Related to: database-administration, sql

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Managed Databases is a platform while Self-Hosted Databases is a database. We picked Managed Databases based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Managed Databases wins

Based on overall popularity. Managed Databases is more widely used, but Self-Hosted Databases excels in its own space.