Ora2Pg vs DBShifts
Ora2Pg is a long-standing open-source tool, written in Perl, for migrating Oracle (and MySQL) schemas and data to PostgreSQL. It is thorough about Oracle-specific objects — packages, procedures, partitions — and produces a migration assessment report.
When Ora2Pg is the better choice
Stated first, because it is often true and you will find out either way.
- ✓Oracle to PostgreSQL is the only migration you will ever do, and PL/SQL conversion depth matters more than anything else.
- ✓You want a free tool with no service in the path and are comfortable with a Perl toolchain and configuration file.
- ✓You need its Oracle-specific assessment output, which is unusually detailed for that one pair.
Where DBShifts is different
Differences, not a scorecard.
Not limited to one source and one target
Ora2Pg goes to PostgreSQL. DBShifts handles eleven engines in either direction, so the same tooling and knowledge covers the next migration too.
Row-level proof rather than assessment
Ora2Pg's report tells you what conversion will be difficult. DBShifts additionally tells you what actually happened: row counts and type-aware checksums compared on both sides after the transfer.
Minimal downtime
DBShifts supports change data capture from Oracle, so the target stays current while Oracle keeps serving, and go-live is a staged, abortable cutover.
A browser interface and an API
Progress streams live, jobs are resumable from checkpoints, and migrations can be triggered from CI with an API key.
Questions people ask about Ora2Pg
Is Ora2Pg still the best way to move from Oracle to PostgreSQL?
For that specific pair it remains a strong and very thorough option, particularly for PL/SQL and Oracle-specific objects, and it is free. The trade-offs are that it targets only PostgreSQL, is a point-in-time export rather than a replicated cutover, and leaves verification to you.
Can Ora2Pg migrate Oracle to MySQL or SQL Server?
No — PostgreSQL is the target. DBShifts moves Oracle to any of eleven engines and in either direction, so the same tooling covers a later move as well.
How do I migrate off Oracle without downtime?
You need change data capture: an initial load, then a stream of changes applied while Oracle keeps serving, and a cutover once the target is caught up and verified. DBShifts does this with an abortable staged switch and per-table checksum verification before you commit to it.
Try it against your own schema.
Connect a database read-only and DBShifts reports every lossy conversion before anything moves. Free tier, no card.