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MySQL alternatives: 3 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 1, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave MySQL: some features are reserved for paid Enterprise editions, and controlled by Oracle rather than a community foundation. We ranked 3 alternatives by how directly each one replaces MySQL, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. MariaDB currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1MariaDB logoMariaDBOpen sourceYesLinux, Windows, macOS +14 of 466.5
2PostgreSQL logoPostgreSQLOpen sourceYesLinux, macOS, Windows +15 of 562.6
3CockroachDB logoCockroachDBPaidNoWeb, Self-hosted4 of 452.6
  1. MariaDB logo

    1. MariaDBTop pick

    Best for: Teams running MySQL-style apps who want a community-governed, GPL database server.

    Open sourceSelf-hostableLinux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from MySQL

    Drop-in compatible fork run by a foundation, so most MySQL apps move over with little change.

    Pros

    • Largely MySQL-compatible, so migrations are usually easy
    • Governed by a foundation rather than a single vendor
    • Regular LTS releases and built-in vector search

    Cons

    • Has drifted from recent MySQL versions in some features
    • Several release tracks (LTS, rolling, preview) can confuse
    • Smaller extension ecosystem than PostgreSQL
    Visit MariaDB Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is MariaDB a good MySQL alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-2.0
    Checked Nov 1, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Origin
    Fork of MySQL by original MySQL team members
    Checked Nov 1, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    LTS releases
    Yes
    Checked Nov 1, 2026mariadb.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Vector search
    MariaDB Vector
    Checked Nov 1, 2026mariadb.org(opens source in a new tab)
  2. PostgreSQL logo

    2. PostgreSQL

    Best for: Developers and teams who want a free, standards-minded relational database that scales with their app.

    Open sourceSelf-hostableLinux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from MySQL

    Richer SQL features and types under a permissive licence with community governance.

    Pros

    • Strong SQL standards support and full ACID transactions
    • Rich types: JSONB, arrays, ranges, plus PostGIS for maps
    • Highly extensible with custom types and functions
    • Permissive licence and community governance, not one vendor

    Cons

    • Running replication, failover and major upgrades yourself takes expertise
    • Connection handling often needs a pooler under heavy load
    • No official GUI; you pick a separate client
    Visit PostgreSQL Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is PostgreSQL a good MySQL alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    PostgreSQL License (BSD/MIT-like)
    Checked Oct 29, 2026postgresql.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Origins
    1986, UC Berkeley POSTGRES project
    Checked Oct 29, 2026postgresql.org(opens source in a new tab)
    ACID-compliant
    Since 2001
    Checked Oct 29, 2026postgresql.org(opens source in a new tab)
    JSON support
    JSON/JSONB
    Checked Oct 29, 2026postgresql.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Linux, macOS, Windows, BSD, Solaris
    Checked Oct 29, 2026postgresql.org(opens source in a new tab)
  3. CockroachDB logo

    3. CockroachDB

    Best for: Teams running critical, multi-region workloads that need consistent SQL and high availability

    PaidSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    52.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from MySQL

    Distributed SQL for apps that have outgrown a single MySQL primary.

    Pros

    • Survives node, zone and region failures
    • Postgres wire compatibility for drivers and ORMs
    • Fine-grained control over where data lives

    Cons

    • Not every Postgres feature or extension is supported
    • Higher write latency than single-node databases
    • Costly compared with simple managed Postgres for small apps
    Visit CockroachDB Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.346
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is CockroachDB a good MySQL alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    30 days with $400 credit
    Checked Oct 29, 2026cockroachlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Standard tier
    $0.092 per vCPU-hour
    Checked Oct 29, 2026cockroachlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Postgres compatibility
    Yes
    Checked Oct 29, 2026cockroachlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Advanced tier SLA
    99.999% on AWS, GCP and Azure
    Checked Oct 29, 2026cockroachlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best MySQL alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

MariaDB logo

Best MySQL alternative for most people

MariaDB

Drop-in compatible fork run by a foundation, so most MySQL apps move over with little change.

PostgreSQL logo

Best MySQL alternative for a free option

PostgreSQL

Richer SQL features and types under a permissive licence with community governance.

MariaDB logo

Best MySQL alternative for open source

MariaDB

Drop-in compatible fork run by a foundation, so most MySQL apps move over with little change.

CockroachDB logo

Best MySQL alternative for self-hosting

CockroachDB

Distributed SQL for apps that have outgrown a single MySQL primary.

MariaDB logo

Best MySQL alternative for Mac

MariaDB

Drop-in compatible fork run by a foundation, so most MySQL apps move over with little change.

MariaDB logo

Best MySQL alternative for Windows

MariaDB

Drop-in compatible fork run by a foundation, so most MySQL apps move over with little change.

MariaDB logo

Best MySQL alternative for Linux

MariaDB

Drop-in compatible fork run by a foundation, so most MySQL apps move over with little change.

CockroachDB logo

Best MySQL alternative for working in the browser

CockroachDB

Distributed SQL for apps that have outgrown a single MySQL primary.

MySQL alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to MySQL?

MariaDB ranks first right now. Drop-in compatible fork run by a foundation, so most MySQL apps move over with little change. PostgreSQL and CockroachDB follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to MySQL?

Yes. MariaDB (open source) and PostgreSQL (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to MySQL?

Yes: MariaDB and PostgreSQL. MariaDB and PostgreSQL can also be self-hosted.

Which MySQL alternatives work on Linux?

MariaDB and PostgreSQL run on Linux.

Why do people switch from MySQL?

The complaints we hear most: some features are reserved for paid Enterprise editions; controlled by Oracle rather than a community foundation; fewer advanced data types and SQL features than PostgreSQL.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces MySQL, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.