A detailed performance benchmark comparing TigerBeetle (a specialized financial database) against PostgreSQL for double-entry bookkeeping transfers. The test implements similar schemas in both databases, explores different PostgreSQL locking strategies (explicit, implicit, and batched), and uses asynchronous Rust clients with Tokio. Local single-node tests on M1 Max show TigerBeetle achieving 42k TPS at optimal concurrency (24,576), 2.8x faster than batched PostgreSQL (15k TPS) and 6.6x faster than explicit locking approaches. The benchmark code is open source, with plans for future cluster testing on dedicated servers.
Table of contents
Designing the test: PostgreSQL schemaTransfers in PostgreSQLBatching transfers in PostgreSQLThe client codeThe coordinatorLocal test resultsTest limitationsNext stepsSort: