Both Faucet and PostgREST turn SQL databases into REST APIs. PostgREST is a mature, PostgreSQL-native tool trusted by Supabase. Faucet supports 7 databases, includes built-in auth, an admin UI, and native MCP for AI agents.
PostgREST is the original database-to-REST-API tool. It is laser-focused on PostgreSQL, battle-tested over 10+ years, and powers Supabase under the hood. If you are 100% committed to PostgreSQL and want deep PG-native integration (roles, RLS, functions), PostgREST is outstanding.
Faucet is for teams that need more: multi-database support (7 databases including MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle), built-in authentication and RBAC (not tied to database roles), an embedded admin UI, OpenAPI 3.1 generation, and a native MCP server that lets AI agents query your data securely.
Feature-by-Feature
An honest, side-by-side breakdown across 14 dimensions. We acknowledge PostgREST's strengths where they exist.
| Feature | Faucet | PostgREST |
|---|---|---|
| Databases Supported | 7 (PG, MySQL, MariaDB, MSSQL, Oracle, Snowflake, SQLite) | PostgreSQL only |
| Deployment | Single binary (47 MB), Docker, Homebrew | Single binary, Docker |
| Language | Go | Haskell |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Embedded Admin UI | Yes | No |
| Authentication | Built-in (API keys, JWT, RBAC) | External JWT + Postgres roles |
| Authorization / RBAC | Built-in role-based access control | Via PostgreSQL RLS & roles |
| MCP Server (AI Agents) | Native | No |
| OpenAPI Generation | 3.1 | Yes (2.0 / 3.0) |
| Stored Procedures / Functions | All 7 databases | PostgreSQL functions |
| Schema DDL via API | Yes | No |
| Maturity | New (2025) | 10+ years, battle-tested |
| Community / Adoption | Growing | ~26K GitHub stars, used by Supabase |
| Test Coverage | 849+ tests | Extensive test suite |
Honest Assessment
PostgREST is an excellent tool. Here is when it is the better choice.
If your entire stack runs on PostgreSQL and you have no plans to add other databases, PostgREST's deep PG integration is a genuine advantage. It leverages native features like roles, RLS, and functions without any abstraction layer.
PostgREST has been in production for over a decade. It powers Supabase and has been stress-tested at serious scale. If proven maturity and a large community are your top priorities, PostgREST delivers.
PostgREST's authorization model is built directly on PostgreSQL's Row Level Security. If your team has invested in RLS policies and database-level roles, PostgREST lets you reuse that work without a separate auth layer.
Written in Haskell, PostgREST is highly efficient for PostgreSQL-specific workloads. It delegates nearly everything to the database engine itself, resulting in minimal processing overhead for PG-native operations.
Why Faucet
Faucet is the better fit when your needs go beyond a single database.
Connect PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, Snowflake, SQLite, and MariaDB simultaneously from a single Faucet instance. One binary, one config, unified REST API across all your databases.
Faucet's authentication and role-based access control is application-level, not tied to database roles. Manage API keys, JWT tokens, and fine-grained permissions from the admin UI without touching database grants.
Faucet includes a native MCP server. AI agents like Claude, GPT, and Cursor can query your databases through governed, role-based access. PostgREST has no MCP support.
Manage connections, users, roles, API keys, and monitor usage from a built-in web interface. No need to install pgAdmin, write SQL grants, or build a custom dashboard. Everything is in the single binary.
Faucet auto-generates OpenAPI 3.1 specs for every endpoint across all connected databases. Import into Postman, generate client SDKs, or feed into documentation pipelines with zero manual effort.
Create and modify tables, columns, and indexes through the REST API. Useful for dynamic applications, multi-tenant platforms, and development tools. PostgREST does not expose DDL operations.
Migration
Your PostgreSQL database does not change. Faucet auto-discovers your schema and generates endpoints.
brew install faucetdb/tap/faucet Single binary. No Docker required. Available via Homebrew, Go install, or direct download.
faucet serve --dsn "postgres://user:pass@localhost:5432/mydb" Faucet connects to your existing PostgreSQL database and auto-generates REST endpoints for all tables, views, and stored procedures.
faucet config set auth.enabled true Enable built-in RBAC and API keys. Or keep using your existing JWT setup. Faucet supports both approaches.
faucet connection add mysql --dsn "mysql://user:pass@localhost:3306/app" Now you have PostgreSQL and MySQL behind a single, unified REST API. This is something PostgREST cannot do.
Free, open-source, MIT licensed. Get a REST API from your database in under 60 seconds.
PostgREST is a trademark of its respective owners. This comparison is provided for informational purposes and is based on publicly available information as of March 2026.