PostgreSQL, with its power and flexibility, is a popular choice for a new database. But the migration process is full of challenges, and the risks are high. A single mistake can lead to data loss, extended downtime, and major disruption to your business operations. For many enterprises, the cost of IT downtime can be thousands of dollars per minute.

The main questions in any migration are clear:

  • How do you convert the database schema correctly?
  • How do you handle different data types between your old and new systems?
  • How do you move a large data volume without errors and ensure data integrity?
  • Most importantly, how do you do all of this with minimal downtime?

Answering them requires a solid plan and the right PostgreSQL migration tool. A good migration tool automates complex tasks, reduces the risk of manual error, and makes the entire process faster and safer. This post will review the seven best tools that help you address these critical challenges in 2025.

1. SQLWays

SQLWays, from Ispirer, is a top choice for database migration. It is a very flexible migration tool that supports a wide range of databases. SQLWays is great for complex projects as it helps automate the entire migration process. Companies that have taken advantage of the tool report saving a lot of time and effort.

Key features of SQLWays:

  • It can handle database migrations from many different source databases to PostgreSQL. The number of possible sources is constantly growing, as the team invests into SQLWays' evolution.
  • The tool can automatically convert your database schema, including tables, views, and stored procedures.
  • SQLWays moves your data with high speed and accuracy. It helps ensure data integrity.
  • You can reach out to the Ispirer team if you need to customize the migration tool to fit your needs.

Choosing SQLWays for your PostgreSQL migration, you get more control over the process and a whole team to support you.

Try SQLWays license for free!

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2. InsightWays

InsightWays, also from Ispirer, is a fantastic free assessment tool. Before you migrate your database, you need a good plan, and InsightWays helps you create that plan. It analyzes your source database and gives you a detailed report. You can use this report to understand the complexity of your migration, assess costs, time, and potential customization options.

Key features of InsightWays:

  • It performs a deep analysis of your source database to help identify potential issues early.
  • The tool helps you estimate the time and resources required for the migration.
  • InsightWays automates the assessment process. This saves you from hours of manual work. It is a great help for resource management.
  • The reports are easy to understand. They give you a clear view of your database objects and what it will take to move them to Postgres.

Read more: New Assessment Reports: Clearer Insights, Better Plans

3. AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)

AWS DMS is a cloud service that helps migrate databases to AWS. You can migrate your on-premises databases to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL or Amazon Aurora. It is a popular choice for organizations that use AWS. As Amazon claims, the service is designed for minimal downtime.

Key features of AWS DMS:

  • DMS can replicate your database while it is still in use. This means you can keep your business operations running during the migration.
  • You can use it to migrate between the same type of database or different types. For example, you can migrate from Oracle to PostgreSQL.
  • The service is managed by AWS, so you do not need to worry about the underlying infrastructure. The migration process becomes much simpler.
  • The platform can handle large data volume and provides automatic scaling of available resources.

4. pg_dump and pg_restore

If you prefer native tools, pg_dump and pg_restore are built right into PostgreSQL. They are command-line utilities that allow you to export and import your database. They are usually a reliable choice for smaller database migrations.

Key features of pg_dump and pg_restore:

  • Because they are part of PostgreSQL, you can be sure they will work correctly with your database.
  • pg_dump can create backups in several formats, meaning you get options for how you want to manage your data.
  • You can choose to export just the database schema, just the data, or both. This gives you fine-grain control.
  • These tools are part of the open source project and are completely free to use.

5. Ora2Pg

Ora2Pg is a free tool that is designed to migrate an Oracle database to PostgreSQL. Self-explanatory, it is a great choice if you are moving from Oracle. This migration tool has many features that make the process easier.

Key features of Ora2Pg:

  • It is highly optimized for this specific type of migration. It can handle many of the complexities of moving from Oracle to Postgres.
  • Ora2Pg can export the database schema and the data. It can also convert your Oracle PL/SQL code to PostgreSQL PL/pgSQL.
  • The tool can generate a report that shows you how much work will be required to complete the migration. The planning process can benefit from this big time.
  • Ora2Pg has many configuration options. You can customize the migration to meet your needs.

6. pgloader

pgloader is another powerful, open-source migration tool for PostgreSQL. It can load data into Postgres from a variety of sources. It is known for its speed and reliability.

Key features of pgloader:

  • pgloader can load data from other databases like MySQL and SQLite. It can also load data from files like CSV.
  • The tool can transform your data as it loads. This means you can clean and prepare your data during the migration process.
  • pgloader has good error handling. If it encounters a problem with a row of data, it will log the error and continue with the rest of the data.
  • The tool uses the PostgreSQL COPY protocol. The data loading is very fast, which is critical for a large database.

Try SQLWays license for free!

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7. EDB Migration Toolkit

The EDB Migration Toolkit is a powerful command-line tool for migrating from other databases to EDB Postgres Advanced Server. It is a good choice for enterprise organizations that need a robust solution.

Key features of EDB Migration Toolkit:

  • The toolkit supports migration from Oracle, SQL Server, Sybase, and MySQL to PostgreSQL.
  • It can migrate both the database schema and the data, including tables, views, and other database objects.
  • Although it is a command-line tool, it is quite easy to use. The migration process is straightforward.
  • It is designed to work well with the EDB Postgres platform, which is a popular choice for enterprise use.

What's the best PostgreSQL migration tool choice?

Choosing the right PostgreSQL migration tool is a critical decision. The best tool for your organization will depend on your specific needs. If you have a complex project or just need the highest level of conversion accuracy, a tool like SQLWays might be the best choice.

For a simpler migration, the native pg_dump and pg_restore tools might be all you need. No matter which tool you choose, a well-planned migration will ensure the success of your project with minimal downtime.