At a glance
| Database engines | PostgreSQL only |
| Deployment | Self-hosted: Docker image, Docker Compose or built from source |
| Collection/agents | pgwatch collector connecting to each database and running SQL metric queries |
| Alerting | Through Grafana; the documentation includes an alerting setup guide |
| Query monitoring | Statement statistics through metric queries and dashboards |
| Licensing | BSD 3-Clause; commercial support from CYBERTEC |
pgwatch is a sensible free option for PostgreSQL fleets that want continuous metrics and pre-built dashboards without paying for a service. It is PostgreSQL only, it relies on Grafana for its user interface, and you run the collector, metrics store and Grafana yourself.
Overview
pgwatch is a PostgreSQL-specific monitoring tool developed by CYBERTEC and released under the BSD 3-Clause licence. Its collector runs metric queries against each monitored database and writes the results to a storage back end, which the documentation calls a sink. Version 6.0.0 arrived in September 2026 and 6.1.0 on 26 October 2026.
The documented sinks are PostgreSQL, TimescaleDB, Prometheus, JSON files and a custom gRPC-based back end. The main user interface is a set of Grafana dashboards, and a built-in web UI is used to add databases to monitoring. The project provides a Docker image, a Docker Compose setup that starts the database, collector and Grafana, and a demo image.
Key features
- Metrics defined as SQL queries, grouped into presets, against PostgreSQL statistics views
- Choice of sinks: PostgreSQL, TimescaleDB, Prometheus, JSON files or a custom gRPC back end
- Pre-built Grafana dashboards, with Lock Details, Server Log Events and Stored Procedures dashboards added in 6.0.0
- Built-in web UI for adding and managing monitored databases
- From 6.0.0, can also scrape existing Prometheus endpoints such as Patroni and postgres_exporter
- Docker image and Docker Compose setup, plus a demo image with a test database
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free under a permissive BSD licence
- Ready-made Grafana dashboards save building your own
- Flexible storage, including Prometheus if you already run it
- Actively developed, with two releases in autumn 2026
Cons
- PostgreSQL only
- You operate the collector, the metrics store and Grafana yourself
- Upgrade care is needed: the 6.0.0 release notes warn that a migration dropped TimescaleDB sink data, and 5.x users on that sink are told to go straight to 6.1.0
Pricing
pgwatch is free and open source under the BSD 3-Clause licence, with no paid edition. CYBERTEC offers commercial 9-to-5 and 24/7 support for it; support prices are not published.
Pricing checked on the vendor's official page on 7 November 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.
Who it is best for
PostgreSQL teams who want free, self-hosted continuous monitoring with pre-built Grafana dashboards.
Who should look elsewhere
- Teams wanting index and VACUUM advice from a managed service: see pganalyze.
- Mixed-engine estates: see database monitoring tools.
Verdict
pgwatch is a capable free monitor for PostgreSQL that reuses Grafana instead of inventing its own interface. It pairs well with pgBadger for log reports, but it is a single-engine tool, and you take on the running costs and upgrade care of a self-hosted stack.
Frequently asked questions
Is pgwatch free?
Yes. pgwatch is released under the BSD 3-Clause licence. CYBERTEC sells optional commercial support.
Where does pgwatch store its metrics?
In a sink of your choice: PostgreSQL, TimescaleDB, Prometheus, JSON files or a custom gRPC back end.
Does pgwatch need Grafana?
The pgwatch documentation describes Grafana dashboards as its main user interface, and the Docker Compose setup starts Grafana alongside the collector and database.
Sources
Checked November 2026.
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