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MySQL Reviews

Vendor: Oracle
4.1 out of 5
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What is MySQL?

MySQL is an open-source database known for its ease of use and high performance. It offers features like replication and clustering, making it ideal for diverse applications. Its cost-effectiveness and LAMP integration are key advantages for businesses.

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MySQL is the #1 ranked solution in top Open Source Databases and #4 ranked solution in top Relational Databases. PeerSpot users give MySQL an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. MySQL is most commonly compared to Teradata: MySQL vs Teradata. MySQL is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 53% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 11% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
MySQL
January 2026
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MySQL mindshare

Product category:
Open Source Databases
As of February 2026, the mindshare of MySQL in the Open Source Databases category stands at 9.7%, down from 12.1% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Open Source Databases Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
MySQL9.7%
PostgreSQL14.3%
Firebird SQL12.5%
Other63.5%
Open Source Databases

PeerResearch reports based on MySQL reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryOpen Source DatabasesFeb 1, 2026Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersFeb 1, 2026Download
ComparisonMySQL vs PostgreSQLFeb 1, 2026Download
ComparisonMySQL vs Firebird SQLFeb 1, 2026Download
ComparisonMySQL vs ClickHouseFeb 1, 2026Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
Teradata4.1N/A88%83 interviewsAdd to research
SQL Server4.2N/A93%272 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers
Last updated Feb 1, 2026

Valuable Features

MySQL is valued for its open-source nature, cost-effectiveness, and support for SQL standards. Users highlight its ease of use, cross-platform compatibility, and strong performance. It offers features like ACID compliance, scalability, and replication. Its integration with multiple programming languages, extensive community support, and reliability in handling large datasets are praised. The database's flexibility, security features, and strong relational management capabilities make it appealing to companies needing robust database solutions.
  • "As an RDBMS, MySQL provides us great capability, and for a product growing to large scale like ours, where we currently have around 10 lakh users but will grow to 20, 30, 40 million or more, having a strong database foundation is essential and MySQL provides that."
  • "My organization has experienced positive impacts from MySQL, as it provides exceptional capabilities."
  • "MySQL is a very useful database which is used by a lot of companies, so it should be really good."

Room for Improvement

MySQL could improve in areas such as replication, scalability, security, and integration with other platforms. Many users experience difficulties with its backup capabilities and complex installation process. The lack of robust development and debugging tools, as well as graphical interfaces, hinders user experience. Performance issues arise with large databases and transactions. Better documentation and support could enhance usability and ease of use. The absence of certain features compared to Oracle and missing IDE elements are noted concerns.
  • "MySQL has slow queries; sometimes when I run a query, it scans the whole table, and if the data is very large, it takes too much time to retrieve the data."
  • "I do not think MySQL's data security features were at an industrial level for my project, so I did not make use of them."
  • "Documentation is definitely required when running multiple databases on a cluster system."

ROI

Users find MySQL cost-effective due to its open-source nature, reducing licensing expenses. They report variable ROI, depending on deployment scale and environment, with estimates ranging from 40% to 60%. MySQL's free availability on platforms like Linux enhances its affordability. Operational productivity is improved, as users manage fewer resources. Although cost analysis can be complex, the absence of licensing fees and good foundational setups contribute to overall cost savings, especially with dedicated deployments on cloud infrastructure.

Pricing

MySQL offers both free and paid editions. The Community Edition is free and suitable for many use cases, but Enterprise Edition provides advanced features and Oracle support for a cost. Many users find the licensing affordable compared to alternatives like Microsoft SQL. Licensing costs can vary, especially for enterprise support or proprietary applications. The system's open-source nature under GNU Licence helps minimize setup costs, making it an attractive option for businesses.
  • "I rate the solution's pricing as four out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive. For our basic needs, it's quite affordable. However, the cost increases when we need to scale up or require high availability. Our developer team of about 600 people uses MySQL without much issue. The pricing becomes more of a concern on the business side, as we have more end users and need constant database availability and scaling. In those cases, the solution gets a bit more expensive, even though it provides good value for the business."
  • "MySQL is a cheap solution."
  • "My company uses MySQL's corporate licenses."

Popular Use Cases

MySQL is widely used for web applications, data management, and business intelligence. Organizations employ it for cloud deployments, internal systems, e-commerce, RDBMS, analytics, and databases for web services. It's a preferred choice due to its cost efficiency, ease of use, and compatibility with various platforms such as Linux, PHP, and WordPress. Users utilize MySQL for prototypes, data storage, metadata management, and to support applications, often incorporating cloud versions for flexibility.

Service and Support

Community resources and online documentation for MySQL are extensive and often eliminate the need for direct support. Those who have accessed professional services found them responsive but occasionally costly. Many users rely on community forums and internal teams for assistance, deeming these sufficient. Professional support, when utilized, is rated highly, though some find repetitive explanation to different representatives necessary. With 24/7 availability, Oracle support is typically satisfactory though not proactive according to some.

Deployment

Users found MySQL's initial setup generally straightforward and user-friendly, with many citing ease across different operating systems like Linux and Windows. Tools like MySQL Workbench aid in simplifying the process. While some configurations involve complexity, especially with clusters or specific requirements, most find sufficient documentation and community support helpful. Deployments often complete within minutes to a few hours. Various teams handle installation effortlessly, and many users rate the setup highly for simplicity.

Scalability

Experiencing mixed outcomes, users found MySQL generally scalable for various use cases, especially with smaller databases. Some highlighted challenges with scaling for large data volumes or high concurrency. Several utilized cloud platforms or clustering to enhance scalability while others turned to more robust databases like Oracle for extensive requirements. Instances of user adaptation through sharding, replication, and optimized configurations also contributed to handling scaled operations effectively. Despite certain limitations, scaling issues were often manageable with appropriate adjustments.

Stability

MySQL is largely praised for its stability, with many citing it as reliable and stable under various conditions. Most experiences indicate no significant stability issues. However, some situations, such as data corruption during replication and issues with large databases, have been mentioned. Proper configuration and maintenance are advised to ensure optimal performance. While some believe it could be more stable, many rate its stability highly, often scoring it between seven to ten out of ten.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our MySQL Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business59
Midsize Enterprise27
Large Enterprise48
By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews
Company SizeCount
Small Business293
Midsize Enterprise118
Large Enterprise467
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
6%
Healthcare Company
5%
Comms Service Provider
5%
University
5%
Educational Organization
5%
Retailer
4%
Transportation Company
3%
Real Estate/Law Firm
3%
Outsourcing Company
3%
Marketing Services Firm
3%
Hospitality Company
2%
Construction Company
2%
Media Company
2%
Wholesaler/Distributor
2%
Performing Arts
2%
Consumer Goods Company
2%
Non Profit
2%
Insurance Company
2%
Pharma/Biotech Company
2%
Legal Firm
1%
Energy/Utilities Company
1%
Logistics Company
1%
Recreational Facilities/Services Company
1%
Aerospace/Defense Firm
1%
Renewables & Environment Company
1%

Compare MySQL with alternative products

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Learn more about MySQL

MySQL supports a variety of languages and platforms, providing reliable, scalable data management. Its graphical interface and LAMP architecture integration enhance its usability, while community support further strengthens its appeal. Challenges include scalability issues with large databases, lack of advanced clustering, and limited high-availability features. Complex queries may affect performance, and integration can pose difficulties. The outdated interface and insufficient documentation are also concerns, along with replication and backup reliability issues.

What are MySQL's key features?
  • Open-source nature: Freely available and customizable.
  • Cross-platform compatibility: Supports multiple operating systems.
  • Scalability: Capable of handling large volumes of data.
  • Replication and clustering: Ensure data redundancy and load balancing.
  • Full-text search: Provides powerful search capabilities.
  • LAMP integration: Seamlessly integrates with Linux, Apache, and PHP.
What benefits should users consider?
  • Cost-effectiveness: Reduces expenses due to its open-source nature.
  • High performance: Efficiently processes large volumes of data.
  • Active community support: Access to a wide range of resources and expertise.
  • Versatile use cases: Suitable for varied applications including web development and IoT.

MySQL is widely implemented in industries such as web development, e-commerce, and finance. It's used for managing dynamic websites, powering e-commerce platforms, and supporting financial applications. Its compatibility with PHP and cost-effectiveness make it suitable for CMS platforms like WordPress. With cloud services integration, MySQL is a backend choice for scalable applications in various sectors.

MySQL customers

Facebook, Tumblr, Scholastic, MTV Networks, Wikipedia, Verizon Wireless, Sage Group, Glassfish Open Message Queue, and RightNow Technologies.

Related questions

  • 21
Which solution do you recommend for embedding reporting? Why?
  • 43
Did you switch from a different solution to MySQL? Can you list a few pros and cons for making the move?
  • 31
Why are MySQL connections encrypted and what is the biggest benefit of this?
  • 55
Considering that there is a free version of MySQL, would you invest in one of the paid editions?
  • 56
What is one thing you would improve with MySQL?
  • 47
How does MySQL compare with Firebird SQL?
  • 49
When evaluating Open Source Databases, what aspect do you think is the most important to look for?
  • 43
Did you switch from a different solution to MySQL? Can you list a few pros and cons for making the move?
  • 93
Which database is the best for session cashing?
  • 40
Why is Open Source Databases important for companies?

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MySQL Reviews Summary
Author infoRatingReview Summary
Software Developer at US tech company4.5I've found MySQL to be fast, reliable, and well-suited for large-scale applications, though it has some issues with slow queries, error messages, and documentation. When implemented correctly, it scales well and provides a strong database foundation.
SR AVP–Presales Cloud & Platform Management Services at Path Infotech ltd4.5My experience with MySQL has been very positive, especially for secure and highly available databases, though documentation for clustering could be improved; overall, it's cost-effective, stable, and feature-rich, and I’d rate it nine out of ten.
Student at a university with 10,001+ employees4.5I used MySQL for college projects and found it stable, easy to learn due to strong documentation, and suitable for basic needs, though I didn’t explore advanced features like replication or ACID transactions. My overall experience was positive.
Software Developer at 8 Gallery India4.5I've used MySQL for years in energy data analytics projects; it's stable, easy to manage, and handles our growing device data well. Materialized views are especially useful, and it's been a cost-effective choice for our small team.
Assistant Vice President at National Bank of Pakistan4.0In our organization, we choose MySQL for in-house business applications due to its valuable on-premises data encryption, which enhances ROI. However, improvements are needed in data masking functionality compared to Oracle, although MySQL's native encryption remains superior.
Technical Architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees4.5I'm part of a data science team analyzing customer purchase patterns on platforms like Amazon. MSSQL is user-friendly for data access, but Oracle needs scalability improvement, which is costly compared to the increasingly popular PostgreSQL.
Founder & Director at Hiindsight Group4.0I've worked with MySQL for many years, appreciating its cost-effectiveness and speed for structured data. However, performance diminishes with massive data volumes, with Oracle managing larger datasets better. Improvements in MySQL's performance are needed for optimal efficiency.
Lead Data Analyst at Ernst & Young3.5I use MySQL primarily for report preparation because the code is easy to write and understand. While the queries are simple, the user interface needs to be more user-friendly, similar to Python's, to improve usability.