Top 6 Free MySQL Alternatives in 2025

MySQL has been a reliable database for decades, powering everything from small blogs to massive web applications. However, it has limitations that might not work for everyone: restrictive licensing under Oracle's ownership, lacking advanced features found in modern databases, and performance constraints at scale. The good news is there are powerful open-source alternatives that can address these gaps.

This article ranks the top six free MySQL alternatives based on performance, feature set, and overall value for developers and organizations.

MySQL's role in modern development

MySQL remains popular because it's straightforward to set up and works well for traditional web applications. It handles standard CRUD operations efficiently, supports replication for high availability, and has extensive community documentation. Most developers can get a MySQL database running in minutes, and its widespread adoption means finding help or hosting options is never difficult.

The top 6 free MySQL alternatives in 2025

Before we examine each database in detail, here's how they compare across key capabilities:

1. PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL stands out as the most feature-rich open-source relational database available today. It handles complex queries with ease, supports advanced data types including JSON and arrays, and provides robust transactional guarantees. PostgreSQL 18, released on September 25, 2025, introduced significant performance improvements that make it even more compelling.

🌟 Key features

• Advanced SQL standards compliance with window functions, CTEs, and materialized views
• Native JSON and JSONB support for semi-structured data
• Extensible architecture with custom functions, operators, and data types
• Powerful full-text search capabilities built into the core engine
• PostgreSQL 18's asynchronous I/O using io_uring on Linux systems

➕ Pros

• PostgreSQL 18 brings asynchronous I/O through the io_method parameter (set to io_uring on supported Linux kernels), delivering up to 3× performance improvements for I/O-heavy workloads compared to MySQL's synchronous approach
• Supports parallel query execution across multiple CPU cores, while MySQL's parallelism is limited to specific operations like index creation
• The effective_io_concurrency setting in PostgreSQL 18 allows fine-tuning of concurrent I/O operations, giving you more control over performance characteristics than MySQL's simpler configuration model
• Offers proper support for complex data types like arrays, hstore, and custom composite types that would require workarounds in MySQL
• Logical replication allows selective table-level replication instead of MySQL's all-or-nothing binary log replication
• Extensions like PostGIS for geospatial data and TimescaleDB for time-series data extend functionality without forking the codebase

➖ Cons

• Initial configuration requires more tuning than MySQL's defaults, though PostgreSQL 18's improved backend_flush_after and maintenance_io_concurrency settings make optimization more straightforward
• Fewer managed hosting options compared to MySQL, though major cloud providers now offer robust PostgreSQL services

2. MariaDB

MariaDB was created by MySQL's original developers after Oracle acquired MySQL. It maintains compatibility with MySQL while adding features that Oracle refused to implement. MariaDB has evolved into a distinct database that often outperforms MySQL in real-world scenarios. The latest long-term support release is MariaDB 11.8, released in June 2025.

🌟 Key features

• Drop-in replacement for MySQL with improved performance
• Galera Cluster for synchronous multi-master replication
• ColumnStore engine for analytical workloads
• Vector search capabilities for AI applications (introduced in 11.8 LTS)
• Thread pool implementation for better concurrency

➕ Pros

• Switching from MySQL to MariaDB typically requires no application code changes, making migration straightforward
• The Aria storage engine provides crash-safe tables that don't sacrifice performance like MySQL's InnoDB can in certain scenarios
• Galera Cluster offers true multi-master replication where all nodes can accept writes, unlike MySQL's single-master topology
• MariaDB's query optimizer makes different decisions than MySQL's, often resulting in faster execution plans for complex joins
• Development happens in the open without corporate control, ensuring features benefit users rather than serving commercial interests
• MariaDB 11.8 LTS introduced integrated vector search for AI-driven applications, eliminating the need for separate vector databases

➖ Cons

• Divergence from MySQL increases over time, so staying current with both codebases requires effort if you're maintaining compatibility
• Some MySQL 8.0 features like document store APIs aren't available in MariaDB, creating gaps if you rely on those specific capabilities
• Enterprise support options are fewer compared to Oracle's MySQL offerings, though the community remains active and helpful

3. SQLite

SQLite takes a completely different approach. It's a database that runs inside your application rather than as a separate server. This serverless architecture makes SQLite perfect for embedded systems, mobile apps, and local-first applications where simplicity matters more than concurrent write scalability.

🌟 Key features

• Zero-configuration serverless database engine
• Single file storage format
• ACID-compliant transactions
• Cross-platform compatibility
• Public domain licensing with no restrictions

➕ Pros

• No server setup means you can start using SQLite by including a single library file in your project, whereas MySQL requires installation and configuration
• Reads are extremely fast because there's no network overhead or inter-process communication
• The entire database lives in a single file that you can copy, backup, or version control like any other file
• SQLite uses less memory than MySQL and has no separate processes to manage, making it ideal for resource-constrained environments
• Public domain licensing means you can do absolutely anything with SQLite without worrying about license compliance

➖ Cons

• Multiple concurrent writers will block each other because SQLite locks the entire database file, making it unsuitable for high-write applications that MySQL handles easily
• Network access requires building your own server layer since SQLite has no client-server capabilities
• Maximum database size of 281 terabytes sounds large but isn't practical for truly big datasets where MySQL's distributed architecture works better

4. CockroachDB

CockroachDB was built specifically to solve distributed database problems. It provides PostgreSQL wire compatibility while automatically handling replication, sharding, and failover across multiple data centers. If you need global distribution with strong consistency guarantees, CockroachDB delivers what MySQL can't. As of November 2024, CockroachDB uses the proprietary CockroachDB Software License rather than an open-source license.

🌟 Key features

• Distributed SQL with automatic sharding
• Multi-region deployment with configurable data locality
• Survivability guarantees with automatic rebalancing
• PostgreSQL compatibility for easy migration
• Consensus-based replication using Raft protocol

➕ Pros

• Survives datacenter failures automatically by maintaining replicas across regions, eliminating the manual failover procedures MySQL requires
• Scales horizontally by adding nodes without application changes, whereas MySQL's scaling typically involves complex sharding at the application layer
• Provides serializable isolation by default, which is stronger than MySQL's repeatable read and prevents anomalies that can occur in distributed systems
• Data locality features let you specify where data lives geographically for compliance with regulations like GDPR
• PostgreSQL compatibility means most tools and libraries work without modification

➖ Cons

• Distributed consensus adds latency to writes compared to single-node MySQL, though CockroachDB optimizes this heavily
• CockroachDB now uses the proprietary CockroachDB Software License, which requires license keys for production use (free licenses available for revenue under $10 million annually) and includes mandatory telemetry
• Operating a distributed database requires understanding concepts like quorum and replication zones that simple MySQL setups avoid

5. Percona Server

Percona Server improves upon MySQL by adding enterprise features and performance optimizations. It maintains complete compatibility with MySQL while providing better instrumentation, additional storage engines, and scalability improvements that Oracle keeps in MySQL Enterprise.

🌟 Key features

• Enhanced performance monitoring and diagnostics
• ThreadPool for improved concurrency
• Backup locks for hot backups without blocking
• PAM authentication for enterprise security
• InnoDB performance improvements

➕ Pros

• Acts as a true drop-in replacement for MySQL with zero application changes required, yet provides significant performance gains
• ThreadPool implementation handles connection spikes better than MySQL's one-thread-per-connection model, reducing context switching overhead
• Includes tools like pt-query-digest and Percona Monitoring and Management that MySQL users need to source separately
• Backup functionality through xtrabackup creates consistent snapshots without locking tables like MySQL's logical backups do
• All improvements are open source under GPL, unlike MySQL Enterprise features that require licensing

➖ Cons

• Tracking both Percona and Oracle MySQL changes means more work if you want to understand which features come from which upstream
• Some optimizations require configuration changes to realize their benefits rather than working automatically like MySQL's simpler tuning model

6. TiDB

TiDB combines the best of traditional SQL databases with modern distributed architecture. It speaks the MySQL protocol while providing horizontal scalability and hybrid transactional-analytical processing. TiDB shines when you outgrow single-server MySQL but want to keep using familiar tools.

🌟 Key features

• MySQL protocol compatibility
• Horizontal scalability with automatic sharding
• Hybrid OLTP and OLAP capabilities
• Distributed transactions with strong consistency
• Cloud-native architecture with storage/compute separation

➕ Pros

• MySQL compatibility means existing applications connect to TiDB using standard MySQL drivers without code changes
• Separates storage and compute layers, allowing you to scale each independently based on workload characteristics
• TiFlash columnar storage engine handles analytical queries on the same data used for transactions, eliminating the ETL pipelines MySQL requires
• Grows from a single node to hundreds of nodes without downtime or manual resharding like MySQL's horizontal scaling demands
• Raft consensus ensures data safety across failures without the complex replication topologies MySQL administrators configure
• Released under the Apache 2.0 license, making it truly open source without restrictions

➖ Cons

• Learning curve for distributed concepts is steeper than MySQL's straightforward master-replica setup
• Small deployments don't benefit from TiDB's distributed architecture and would run more efficiently on simple MySQL
• The ecosystem around TiDB is smaller than MySQL's decades of accumulated tools and knowledge

Final thoughts

Choosing the right MySQL alternative depends on what you're building and where MySQL falls short for your use case. PostgreSQL offers the most complete feature set with PostgreSQL 18's asynchronous I/O making it faster than ever, while MariaDB provides an easy migration path with improved performance and modern features like vector search. SQLite works perfectly for embedded applications where simplicity trumps scalability.

For distributed systems, CockroachDB handles multi-region deployments that would require significant custom engineering with MySQL, though you should be aware of its proprietary licensing. TiDB provides similar distributed capabilities while remaining truly open source under Apache 2.0. Percona Server gives you MySQL compatibility with enterprise features that Oracle gates behind licensing fees.

If you're starting a new project today, PostgreSQL 18 delivers the best combination of features, performance, and freedom from vendor lock-in. Its io_uring support and improved concurrency settings make it competitive with MySQL's speed while offering far more advanced capabilities for complex applications.

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