PostgreSQL allows upgrading using pgupgrade - https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/pgupgrade.html Current guide only provides steps on how to upgrade using a backup copy, instead of doing it in-place. Heroku has a guide on how to do it, so it would be nice to have same smooth experience on render ( https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/upgrading-heroku-postgres-databases#upgrading-with-pg-upgrade )