# When to use columnar databases over Postgres, MySQL, or MongoDB

DevFeed: [When to use columnar databases over Postgres, MySQL, or MongoDB](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/when-to-use-columnar-databases-over-postgres-mysql-or-mongodb-18768.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.tinybird.co/blog/when-to-use-columnar-database>)

Author: Javi Santana

Published: 2022-10-17T00:00:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Tinybird](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/tinybird.md>)

Topics: [Databases](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/databases.md>)

Tags: [databases](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/databases.md>), [mongodb](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mongodb.md>), [mysql](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mysql.md>), [postgres](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/postgres.md>), [the-data-base](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/the-data-base.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains that choosing a columnar database depends on query patterns and that an unsuitable choice can hurt performance. It compares columnar databases with Postgres, MySQL, and MongoDB.

## Source excerpt

When to use a columnar database depends on your query patterns. Get this decision wrong and performance suffers. Here's how to decide.