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MariaDB

Community-developed open-source fork of MySQL, stewarded by the MariaDB Foundation.

Open sourceSelf-hostableDatabase management systems
Visit MariaDBSee 3 alternatives
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4 of 4
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About MariaDB

MariaDB Server is an open-source relational database that began as a fork of MySQL, started by core members of the original MySQL team after Oracle acquired it. It aims to stay largely compatible with MySQL, so many apps, drivers and tools work with it unchanged, and it is the default MySQL-family database on several Linux distributions. The MariaDB Foundation looks after the project, and development happens in the open on GitHub under the GPL v2. It ships regular long-term-support releases alongside rolling and preview versions, and has added features of its own, such as vector search for AI workloads. MariaDB plc sells enterprise support and a hosted service, but the server itself is free. It runs on Linux, Windows and macOS. Over time it has diverged from newer MySQL versions in places, so a move between the two isn't always seamless, especially for replication or JSON features.

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

Pros and cons

What works

  • 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

Why people leave

  • Has drifted from recent MySQL versions in some features
  • Several release tracks (LTS, rolling, preview) can confuse
  • Smaller extension ecosystem than PostgreSQL

Top MariaDB alternatives

See all 3
  1. 1MySQL logo
    MySQL

    The original upstream, with Oracle's backing and the broadest hosting support.

    66.5
  2. 2PostgreSQL logo
    PostgreSQL

    Community-governed like MariaDB but with richer SQL features and extensions.

    62.6
  3. 3CockroachDB logo
    CockroachDB

    Distributed SQL with automatic replication, for scaling past one server.

    52.6

Why people left MariaDB

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

No switching stories yet. If you moved away from MariaDB, review the app you switched to and tell us why.

Reviews

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MariaDB: common questions

Is MariaDB free?

Yes. MariaDB is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is MariaDB open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at MariaDB/server. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does MariaDB run on?

MariaDB is available for Linux, Windows, macOS and Self-hosted.

What are the best alternatives to MariaDB?

The highest-ranked MariaDB alternatives right now are MySQL, PostgreSQL and CockroachDB. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 3 MariaDB alternatives