#43 in DatabasesUpdated 2026-08

Citus

by Citus Data · Distributed Postgres as an open source extension

30.8 — BenchRank score out of 100

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Overview

Citus is an open source extension to PostgreSQL that adds distributed tables, spreading data and queries across nodes. It supports schema-based and row-based sharding, with sharding, SQL query and transaction routing handled in the database layer. You can start on a single Citus node, then add nodes and rebalance shards as you grow.

Best for: Teams scaling multi-tenant SaaS or analytics workloads on Postgres beyond a single node
Pricing: The Citus extension is free and open source; the Azure Cosmos DB for PostgreSQL managed service starts at about $0.27/hour (East US), billed pay-as-you-go or as reserved capacity.

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths

Postgres extension, not a fork, so it tracks new Postgres releases
100% open source and free to download and self-manage
Schema-based and row-based sharding for existing apps
Start on one node, then add nodes and rebalance shards

Trade-offs

The only managed option shown is Azure Cosmos DB for PostgreSQL
Self-hosting means running and scaling the cluster yourself
Managed pricing varies by region; only an East US rate is quoted
Sharding works best with a distribution key such as tenant_id

Pricing

Published plans from Citus’s own pricing page, in USD. Usage charges and add-ons may apply on top.

Citus pricing tiers, monthly rates in USD
Plan	Monthly	Includes
Citus Open Source	—	Free download of the Citus extension to Postgres Self-managed; source on GitHub Cluster activity views and querying from any Citus node
Citus on Azure	—per hour	Managed service via Azure Cosmos DB for PostgreSQL From ~$0.27/hr, East US pricing Pay for what you use, or buy reserved capacity Can be provisioned as a single node

How this score is made up

Each dimension is scored out of 100 and combined into the headline score using fixed weights.

MCP support: 0 out of 100
API quality: 0 out of 100
Documentation: 40 out of 100
Agent friendliness: 55 out of 100
Pricing transparency: 20 out of 100
Changelog: 80 out of 100
Marketing site structure: 75 out of 100
Operational trust: 25 out of 100

Measured, but not part of the score

Useful to know, but not a mark for or against the product — so these do not affect the ranking.

Openness: 65 out of 100
Maintenance: 100 out of 100

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