Popular open-source relational database
Visit WebsiteReviews onG2CapterraSourceForge
3738 reviews tracked·4 press mentionsThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free, no paid tier
Biggest pro
Simple and easy to get started
Biggest con
Less feature-rich than PostgreSQL
TL;DR - MySQL
- MySQL is the world's most popular open-source relational database
- It powers millions of websites and applications with reliable performance
- Free and open-source, commercial support available
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups
4.5/5 across review platforms
What is MySQL?
MySQL is the relational database that powered the web. Open source, reliable, and understood-the database behind countless applications.
The ecosystem is vast. The knowledge is widespread. The reliability is proven.
Web applications often use MySQL because it works and everyone knows it.
Available on: Web
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Simple and easy to get started
- Excellent read performance
- Massive community and hosting options
- Well-documented and battle-tested
- Good for web applications
Cons
- Less feature-rich than PostgreSQL
- Oracle ownership concerns
- Storage engine complexity
- Limited JSON support compared to alternatives
- Replication can lag under heavy writes
Ratings Across the Web
4.5(3,738 reviews)
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Relational databaseACID complianceReplicationHigh availabilityJSON supportFull-text search
Pricing Plans
Community Edition
Free
- GPL licensed
- Full database features
- Open source
- Community support
Standard Edition
$2,140/year
- Per server license
- Premier support included
- Production use
Enterprise Edition
$5,350/year
- All Standard features
- Advanced security
- Backup & recovery
- Monitoring tools
How MySQL's pricing compares
At $178.33/mo, MySQL is the most premium of its 2 direct competitors.
Entry paid plan, monthly.
Reviews
4.5/5
Across 3,738 verified user reviews on Capterra, G2, SourceForge
Add your hands-on experience to help the next buyer.
Best MySQL Alternatives
Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.
Still deciding?
Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.
Explore More
MySQL FAQ
Is MySQL free?
MySQL Community Edition is free. Enterprise Edition requires commercial license. Most use cases covered by free version.
What is MySQL?
MySQL is the world's most popular open-source relational database. Powers WordPress, many web apps, and enterprises. Now owned by Oracle.
MySQL vs PostgreSQL?
MySQL is simpler and faster for reads. PostgreSQL has more features and better SQL compliance. PostgreSQL generally preferred for new projects.
Should I use MySQL or MariaDB?
MariaDB is a MySQL fork with more features. Fully compatible. Either works, but MariaDB preferred by some for community governance.
Source: mysql.com