MySQL

Name: MySQL
Brand: MySQL
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)

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Popular open-source relational database

Data & Databases Serverless Databases Managed Databases

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4.5(3,738 across the web)

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Reviews onG2CapterraSourceForge

3739 reviews tracked·6 press mentions

The 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

Top Pros

MySQL is the classic open-source relational database.

Top Cons

The documentation is (like most) too “techy” and not really that accessible to a user who knows they need SQL but needs a little help getting going.

What is MySQL?

Editorial review

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

LCLouis CorneloupUpdated Jul 20, 2026 · how we evaluateSourcemysql.com ↗

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)

MySQL holds an aggregate rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 3,738 reviews across G2, Capterra and SourceForge, last checked March 18, 2026.

Capterra2,093 reviews

4.6/5

SourceForge6 reviews

4.8/5

What people say

“I'm grateful to mysql as it's free - but I feel like it's had it's day as a database, and there's better open source options out there.”via G2

“if MySQL didn't exist - neither would my business. It's a complusory element”via Capterra

“MySQL is hands down the best free database software for startup applications”via SourceForge

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Relational databaseACID complianceReplicationHigh availabilityJSON supportFull-text search

Pricing Plans

Pricing checked Aug 26, 2026

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

Calculate your cost View full pricing

Is MySQL worth the price?

90/100

MySQL's pricing is incredibly generous with its Community Edition, offering full features for free.

The Standard Edition at $2140/year and Enterprise at $5350/year are competitive for businesses requiring premier support and advanced features, respectively. This structure is best for a wide range of users, from individual developers to large enterprises.

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

Self-hosting infrastructure costs

Developer time for community support

Potential for vendor lock-in with Oracle

Additional tools for advanced analytics

How MySQL Compares to Competitors

Compared to PostgreSQL, which is entirely open-source and free, MySQL's paid tiers offer dedicated support and enterprise features that PostgreSQL typically requires third-party solutions for. MongoDB Atlas, a popular NoSQL database, offers a free tier but quickly scales up in cost for managed services, making MySQL's self-hosted paid editions potentially more cost-effective for specific use cases.

How MySQL's pricing compares

At $178.33/mo, MySQL is the most premium of its 2 direct competitors.

CockroachDB

$0.18

MariaDB

$65

MySQL

$178.33

Entry paid plan, monthly. Pricing checked Aug 26, 2026.

Reviews (1)

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Holston

Perfect for Mac Users with a need for relational data management

Pros: MySQL is the classic open-source relational database. It’s free, widely used, well-documented, and runs great on Mac via Homebrew (or Docker if you want containerization). Super easy install, easy to get going with first dBs.

Cons: The documentation is (like most) too “techy” and not really that accessible to a user who knows they need SQL but needs a little help getting going. Sometimes the docs lack real-world follow-along examples of usage in action. Mac users are often left to wade through “Linux-y” tech talk when they don’t really want or need that.

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Best MySQL Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

PostgreSQLFree

Advanced open source SQL database

4.5

MariaDBFree

Open-source relational database from MySQL creators

4.5

CockroachDBFreemium

Distributed SQL database built for cloud

4.3

See all data & databases tools →

Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

MySQL vs PostgreSQLHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins MySQL vs MariaDBHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins MySQL vs CockroachDBHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

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MySQL FAQ

How does MySQL support web applications?

MySQL is widely used for web applications due to its proven reliability and widespread familiarity among developers. It offers excellent read performance, which is beneficial for many web-based workloads.

Which teams benefit most from using MySQL?

Teams looking for a reliable, well-documented, and easy-to-start relational database, especially for web applications, will find MySQL a good fit. Its massive community and extensive hosting options also support various team sizes and needs.

How does MySQL compare to PostgreSQL in terms of features?

MySQL is generally considered less feature-rich than PostgreSQL. While both are robust relational databases, PostgreSQL offers a broader set of advanced features compared to MySQL.

Does MySQL include a free tier?

MySQL is free to use, as it is an open-source relational database. There is no paid plan required to utilize its core functionalities.

What kind of limitations should users be aware of with MySQL?

Users should be aware that MySQL is less feature-rich than some alternatives and has limited JSON support. Additionally, replication can experience lag under heavy write loads, and there are complexities related to storage engines.

Can MySQL be used in a serverless or managed database environment?

Yes, MySQL is categorized as both a serverless and managed database option. This indicates its adaptability for deployment in environments where infrastructure management is abstracted or handled by a service provider.

Source: mysql.com

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