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Compute options in Azure Database for PostgreSQL

You can create an Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server instance in one of three pricing tiers: Burstable, General Purpose, and Memory Optimized. The pricing tier is calculated based on the compute, memory, and storage you provision. A server can have one or many databases.

Resource/Tier Burstable General Purpose Memory Optimized
VM-series B-series Ddsv5-series,
Dadsv5-series,
Ddsv4-series,
Dsv3-series
Edsv5-series,
Eadsv5-series,
Edsv4-series,
Esv3-series
vCores 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 48, 64, 96 2, 4, 8, 16, 20 (v4/v5), 32, 48, 64, 96
Memory per vCore Variable 4 GiB 6.75 GiB to 8 GiB
Storage size 32 GiB to 64 TiB 32 GiB to 64 TiB 32 GiB to 64 TiB
Automated Database backup retention period 7 to 35 days 7 to 35 days 7 to 35 days
Long term Database backup retention period up to 10 years up to 10 years up to 10 years

To choose a pricing tier, use the following table as a starting point:

Pricing tier Target workloads
Burstable Designed for workloads that do not require full CPU performance continuously. Uses a CPU credit model: credits accumulate when usage is below baseline and are consumed when usage exceeds it. When credits are exhausted, the VM is restricted to baseline CPU, which under sustained load can cause severe performance degradation, connection timeouts, and delays or transient failures in management operations until credits rebuild. Best suited for web servers, proof-of-concept environments, small databases, and development builds. Not recommended for production workloads.
General Purpose Provides a balance between CPU and memory with scalable I/O throughput, making it suitable for most production workloads. Examples include servers for hosting web and mobile apps and other enterprise applications.
Memory Optimized Suitable for high-performance database workloads that require in-memory performance for faster transaction processing and higher concurrency. Examples include servers for processing real-time data and high-performance transactional or analytical apps.

After you create a server for the compute tier, you can change the number of vCores (up or down) and the storage size (up) in seconds. You also can independently adjust the backup retention period up or down. For more information, see the Scaling resources in Azure Database for PostgreSQL page.

Compute tiers, vCores, and server types

You can select compute resources based on the tier, vCores, and memory size. vCores represent the logical CPU of the underlying hardware.

Important

Burstable compute is for workloads that stay idle or below baseline most of the time. If CPU runs near or above baseline for long periods, credits deplete and the server might become unreachable.

For these workloads, it's recommended to:

  • Monitor CPU Credits Remaining in Azure Monitor and set alerts for low credits.
  • Avoid restarts or scaling when credits are near zero; allow time to rebuild.
  • If credits deplete often, move to a larger Burstable size or switch tiers.

The detailed specifications of the available server types are as follows:

SKU name vCores Memory size Maximum supported IOPS Maximum supported I/O bandwidth
Burstable
B1ms 1 2 GiB 640 10 MiB/sec
B2s 2 4 GiB 1,280 15 MiB/sec
B2ms 2 8 GiB 1,920 22.5 MiB/sec
B4ms 4 16 GiB 2,880 35 MiB/sec
B8ms 8 32 GiB 4,320 50 MiB/sec
B12ms 12 48 GiB 4,320 50 MiB/sec
B16ms 16 64 GiB 4,320 50 MiB/sec
B20ms 20 80 GiB 4,320 50 MiB/sec
General Purpose
D2s_v3 / D2ds_v4 2 8 GiB 3,200 48 MiB/sec
D2ds_v5 / D2ads_v5 2 8 GiB 3,750 85 MiB/sec
D4s_v3 / D4ds_v4 4 16 GiB 6,400 96 MiB/sec
D4ds_v5 / D4ads_v5 4 16 GiB 6,400 145 MiB/sec
D8s_v3 / D8ds_v4 8 32 GiB 12,800 192 MiB/sec
D8ds_v5 / D8ads_v5 8 32 GiB 12,800 290 MiB/sec
D16s_v3 / D16ds_v4 16 64 GiB 25,600 384 MiB/sec
D16ds_v5 / D16ds_v5 16 64 GiB 25,600 600 MiB/sec
D32s_v3 / D32ds_v4 32 128 GiB 51,200 768 MiB/sec
D32ds_v5 / D32ads_v5 32 128 GiB 51,200 865 MiB/sec
D48s_v3 / D48ds_v4 48 192 GiB 76,800 1152 MiB/sec
D48ds_v5 / D48ads_v5 48 192 GiB 76,800 1200 MiB/sec
D64s_v3 / D64ds_v4 / D64ds_v5/ D64ads_v5 64 256 GiB 80,000 1200 MiB/sec
D96ds_v5 / D96ads_v5 96 384 GiB 80,000 1200 MiB/sec
Memory Optimized
E2s_v3 / E2ds_v4 2 16 GiB 3,200 48 MiB/sec
E2ds_v5 / E2ads_v5 2 16 GiB 3,200 85 MiB/sec
E4s_v3 / E4ds_v4 4 32 GiB 6,400 96 MiB/sec
E4ds_v5 / E4ads_v5 4 32 GiB 6,400 145 MiB/sec
E8s_v3 / E8ds_v4 8 64 GiB 12,800 192 MiB/sec
E8ds_v5 / E8ads_v5 8 64 GiB 12,800 290 MiB/sec
E16s_v3 / E16ds_v4 16 128 GiB 25,600 384 MiB/sec
E16ds_v5 / E16ds_v5 16 128 GiB 25,600 600 MiB/sec
E20ds_v4 20 160 GiB 32,000 480 MiB/sec
E20ds_v5 / E20ads_v5 20 160 GiB 32,000 750 MiB/sec
E32s_v3 / E32ds_v4 32 256 GiB 51,200 768 MiB/sec
E32ds_v5 / D32ads_v5 32 256 GiB 51,200 865 MiB/sec
E48s_v3 / E48ds_v4 / E48ds_v5 / E48ads_v5 48 384 GiB 76,800 1152 MiB/sec
E48ds_v5 / E48ads_v5 48 384 GiB 76,800 1200 MiB/sec
E64s_v3 / E64ds_v4 64 432 GiB 80,000 1200 MiB/sec
E64ds_v5 / E64ads_v4 64 512 GiB 80,000 1200 MiB/sec
E96ds_v5 /E96ads_v5 96 672 GiB 80,000 1200 MiB/sec

Important

Minimum and maximum IOPS are also determined by the storage tier so choose a storage tier and instance type that can scale as per your workload requirements.

Price

For the most up-to-date pricing information, see Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server pricing.

Azure portal also shows you an estimation of the monthly costs of a server configuration, based on the options selected.

That estimation can be seen throughout the server creation experience, in the New Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible server page:

Screenshot that shows the estimated monthly costs in the New Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible server wizard.

It can also be seen for existing servers if, in the resource menu of an existing instance, under the Settings section, you select Compute + storage:

Screenshot that shows the estimated monthly costs in the Compute + storage page of an existing Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server instance.

If you don't have an Azure subscription, you can use the Azure pricing calculator to get an estimated price. In the Azure pricing calculator website, select Databases category, and then select Azure Database for PostgreSQL to add the service to your estimate and then customize the options.

Screenshot that shows the Azure pricing calculator.