Firebird SQL vs MariaDB comparison

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Firebird SQL

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 8, 2026

Firebird SQL and MariaDB compete in the database solutions category. MariaDB seems to have the upper hand due to its advanced features, scalability, and strong support infrastructure, although Firebird SQL offers cost-effectiveness.

Features: Firebird SQL offers a simple installation process, a small footprint, and seamless support for both embedded and enterprise-level applications. MariaDB boasts high performance, enhanced security features, and advanced replication capabilities.

Room for Improvement: Firebird SQL could benefit from enhancements in cryptography and scalability for larger data volumes. MariaDB may improve its initial setup complexity and further streamline its documentation for new users.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Firebird SQL provides straightforward deployment suitable for smaller projects with less complexity. MariaDB, although more complex, offers comprehensive deployment options and extensive support, making it suitable for larger enterprises.

Pricing and ROI: Firebird SQL presents a lower setup cost, appealing to budget-conscious projects, with favorable ROI in simpler environments. MariaDB, despite a higher initial investment, promises strong ROI through its feature-rich package, potentially leading to long-term benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed Firebird SQL vs. MariaDB Report (Updated: February 2026).

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Firebird SQL vs. MariaDB

February 2026

Helped 882,260 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Firebird SQL

Ranking in Open Source Databases

3rd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Embedded Database (3rd)

MariaDB

Ranking in Open Source Databases

8th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Relational Databases Tools (8th)

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Open Source Databases category, the mindshare of Firebird SQL is 12.5%, down from 18.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MariaDB is 6.2%, down from 6.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Open Source Databases Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Firebird SQL	12.5%
MariaDB	6.2%
Other	81.3%

Open Source Databases

Featured Reviews

reviewer1991775

Chapter Lead at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees

An open-source database to hold customer data, but its performance should be improved

Firebird SQL significantly improved our data management in many parts of our self-developed ERP system. I rate the solution's performance and speed a six out of ten. Two or three database administrators are needed to maintain the solution. A few years ago, migrating data to or from Firebird SQL was a little bit difficult because the identifier names for tables or stored procedures were limited to 20 to 30 characters. Transferring the structure to Firebird SQL was difficult, but they fixed it in version 3, which was much easier. We are developing software with Delphi, and Delphi is also by Embarcadero. Using InterBase or Firebird SQL databases is very common, and you have some good tools for developing with Firebird SQL. Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

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Anand Bandi

Co-Founder at Vsigma IT Labs Pvt Ltd

Has supported web application data needs but requires design adjustments to manage complex queries efficiently

Complex queries in MariaDB where the query needs to parse thousands of lines or data values face some performance issues. For small and medium-size volume, it is pretty good. If it goes beyond certain data and complex queries, we see performance issues. We tried the advanced replication feature between different regions, replicating data specifically residing on MariaDB to two different regions of MariaDB data, and there were some technical snags in terms of slowness and longer processing time. Point-in-time recovery in MariaDB is good for small databases. When data volume increases beyond 5 GB or 10 GB per day or runs into double-digit GBs, we found some performance issues. For data below 10 GB, it works fine. Performance is the primary focus area for MariaDB, particularly during transactions or complex query jobs where slow performance is observed. MariaDB is scalable and easy to scale.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"I like that we don't have to pay external fees to migrate this data. So, we are looking to relocate from Postgres or EDB."

"The reliability and ease of management are very valuable."

"I can deploy it on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows — it's very easy."

"The most valuable feature of Firebird SQL is the creation of databases."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is reliable, offers good performance, and is easy to use."

"It helps us in detecting all kinds of problems in the code, such as bad quality, unclear code, or any violation in the code or best practices."

"The product was easy to use."

"I find the ease of deployment to be the most valuable aspect of this solution."

More Firebird SQL pros

"From the user's perspective, the performance of the columnar queries is very good in terms of the database when comparing it to the Oracle, and MySQL."

"The most valuable feature of MariaDB is the power it provides. It is a powerful solution."

"The initial setup of MariaDB is simple enough."

"It's open source."

"MariaDB has a straightforward initial setup with easy-to-understand documentation."

"We like the easy way that we can collect data from other databases."

"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is an open-source product and offers its users great online community support."

"The solution is very easy to implement."

More MariaDB pros

Cons

"On large databases, we have some difficulties."

"The main feature I expect is to be able to work with different databases at the same time because that's a wishlist item for me."

"It would be interesting if they added functionality with redundancy, reputation, and variability."

"The solution could improve by providing partitioning and encryption. It is not at the higher level of database solution but it could be with some upgrades."

"We would like to improve the management of very large databases."

"It would be nice to have a graphical user interface to handle the product."

"Technical support and performance could be better. We have some problems with this solution, but we don't know if the problem is with the database or the configuration. For example, sometimes, the users can't access the database."

"I don't think the solution is very scalable, because the scalability of the performance when using more than one process is not very good."

More Firebird SQL cons

"The only potential area for improvement could be the pricing model, which might benefit from being more flexible or a bit cheaper."

"Lacks time series data and additional driving support would be helpful."

"There could be a command-line prompt for repairing the database and fixing indexes, similar to what was available in the old MyISAM storage engine."

"Replication could be better, and it's not so simple. It would be better if they had a replication server. It would make things a lot easier. You need to have that replication server, but not in the same server farm. Then there will be a bit of latency between both because you should have one in one city and another one in a different city. That kind of solution should be more baked into every single database today. Mirroring the database in a live environment where any record written on the production server replicates instantly across the fiber on the other server wasn't easy. Many people don't even bother with that, and they just run one server."

"The customer service and support are okay. But the response time is slow. Moreover, the material is not available freely."

"The difficult part related to the product stems not from the tool itself but is related to learning how to implement the product in the right way without creating any wrong configuration that could cause security issues or performance issues."

"It doesn't have the same level of maturity metrics as Postgres."

"I'd like to see improved materialized views, like the ability to save select queries. This feature is missing in MariaDB compared to other relational databases like Oracle and SQL Server."

More MariaDB cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I was using the free version of Firebird SQL."

"There is no licensing cost for this solution, as it is open-source."

"It is okay."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is freely available."

"It's open-source and free."

"It is a public domain system as every customer can install it on their system without paying any license fee."

"We are using the free solution, so there is no cost involved."

"Firebird SQL is an open-source solution, which means it is a free product."

More Firebird SQL pricing and cost advice

"MariaDB is an open-source software, meaning I don't need to pay for the product."

"The licensing cost is approximately $4000.00 per year and the licensing is based on the software and the number of posts that you make."

"My company uses the free version of the solution."

"I rate the product's price a three on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price, and ten is high price since there are some support costs involved, even though it isn't an open-source solution."

"When it comes to MariaDB, it should have a more cost-effective license."

"The price of this solution represents a very good compromise between the cost and what it offers."

"The cost is quite good. You can have the open source, free version, which has adequate capacity."

"The product is not expensive."

More MariaDB pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Open Source Databases solutions are best for your needs.

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882,260 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Comms Service Provider

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Midsize Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	27
Midsize Enterprise	12
Large Enterprise	26

Questions from the Community

How does Firebird SQL compare with PostgreSQL?

PostgreSQL was designed in a way that provides you with not only a high degree of flexibility but also offers you a cheap and easy-to-use solution. It gives you the ability to redesign and audit yo...

What do you like most about Firebird SQL?

Firebird SQL is an open-source solution.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Firebird SQL?

It's open-source and free.

What do you like most about MariaDB?

The integration with other products is seamless.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MariaDB?

MariaDB is in the pricey range, especially for huge databases handling terabytes of data. The cost depends on the volume of data and different features enabled during configuration, such as backup ...

What needs improvement with MariaDB?

Sometimes, complex queries that were supported in Oracle are not available in MariaDB. Advanced indexing is not available. Oracle is very advanced compared to MariaDB, and those advanced features a...

PostgreSQL vs Firebird SQL

Comparisons

MySQL vs Firebird SQL

Compared 32% of the time

Compared 31% of the time

SQLite vs Firebird SQL

Compared 12% of the time

DuckDB vs Firebird SQL

Compared 4% of the time

InterBase vs Firebird SQL

Compared 2% of the time

More Firebird SQL Competitors

SQL Server vs MariaDB

Compared 15% of the time

PostgreSQL vs MariaDB

Compared 12% of the time

MySQL vs MariaDB

Compared 9% of the time

Oracle Database vs MariaDB

Compared 5% of the time

Percona Server vs MariaDB

Compared 4% of the time

More MariaDB Competitors

Product Reports

Download Firebird SQL product report

Embedded Database

January 2026

Download MariaDB product report

January 2026

Overview

Firebird SQL is an open-source, cross-platform relational database management system that offers an enterprise-level database solution. The solution is designed to be highly secure, efficient, and compatible with various platforms and programming languages. Firebird can operate in both embedded and server modes.

Firebird is an open-source project with an active community of developers and users. It is released under the Initial Developer's Public License (IDPL) and the InterBase Public License, allowing for free use, modification, and distribution.

The Firebird solution requires minimal configuration and its architecture allows it to efficiently handle databases ranging from a few KB to multiple terabytes. It is available for various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, macOS, and several Unix-like platforms.

What are the key features of Firebird SQL?

ACID Compliance: Firebird provides full support for ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) transactions, ensuring data integrity and consistency, even in the event of system failures or concurrent access.
SQL Language Support: Firebird SQL provides extensive support for ANSI SQL, which is the standard SQL language, making it compatible with a wide range of applications and tools.
Multi-Generational Architecture: Firebird employs a multi-generational architecture, which allows multiple versions of the same data to coexist within the database.
Concurrency and Performance: Firebird offers efficient concurrency control mechanisms, including multi-version concurrency control (MVCC), which allows multiple transactions to access and modify data simultaneously without locking or blocking each other, improving overall performance.
Embedded mode: In the embedded mode, the database engine is integrated directly into the application.
Security Features: Firebird provides user authentication, role-based access control, and encryption capabilities. It supports various authentication methods, such as native Firebird user accounts, external authentication sources (e.g., Windows domains), and single sign-on (SSO) mechanisms.
Backup and Restore: Firebird offers built-in backup and restore utilities, allowing users to create full or incremental backups of the database, as well as restore from these backups when needed.

As part of being a commonly used open-sourced solution, Firebird boasts a vibrant community of developers and users. The community provides extensive documentation, third-party tools, and active forums for support. Businesses can also opt for professional support services offered by third-party vendors for added assurance.

To summarize, Firebird SQL is a robust, scalable, and cost-effective database solution suitable for a wide range of applications and business sizes. Its comprehensive SQL support, security features, and cross-platform compatibility, combined with the active community support, make it a compelling choice for businesses looking to leverage the power of open-source software without compromising on performance or security.

Firebird

MariaDB is an open source relational database created by the original founders of MySQL. It is considered one of the most popular and trusted database servers throughout the world. MariaDB is a valued component found in most cloud offerings and is the default in many Linux tools. It is also widely used by Wikipedia, WordPress, and Google, among other well-known sites. Maria DB easily melds data into concise information from a vast array of applications, such as banking, online shopping, websites, and more.

MariaDB was originally created to improve MySQL performance. It is the most widely chosen database server due to the solution being super fast, robust, user-friendly, and easily scalable. MariaDB also offers a substantial ecosystem of plugins, storage engines, and numerous other valuable tools that make it very attractive for a significant offering of use cases.

The solution’s newest functionalities include compatibility with Oracle Database and Temporal Data Tables, and advanced clustering with Galera Cluster 4, which make it easier for users to research data history from any point in the past. Additionally, the most recent versions include JSON and GIS features. MariaDB is committed to staying an open source solution.

MariaDB Features

More storage: MariaDB works with more storage engines than MySQL and most other database servers available. Some storage options include, but are not limited to ARCHIVE, MERGE, CSV, MEMORY, BLACKHOLE, MyISAM, ColumnStore, MyRocks, and Cassandra.
Super fast: MariaDB offers faster authentication checks. The FlushSSL permits SSL certificates to be reloaded without a server restart, resulting in huge time savings.
Improved testing: MariaDB offers an extending testing suite that runs faster and can test more than ever before. Bugs can be easily fixed and invalid tests removed.
Genuinely open source: Every code in MariaDB is GPL, LGPL, or BSD. Client libraries [for Windows (ODBC), Java (JDBC), or C] allow linking to closed source software. All fixed bug cases and development plans are completely public. MariaDB is a community-developed solution representing the true spirit of open source products.

Reviews from Real Users

Faustine C., Engineering Supervisor- Corporate Data Solutions and Services at TZ Telecoms Corporation, shares, “The software provides a lot of information on what is happening inside the database. For most performance parameters it is easy to know if something is not right in the configuration or optimization which helps engineers take remedial fine-tuning measures. For example, if the database is underperforming it is easy to know which performance parameter can be adjusted to handle the workload. It is difficult to troubleshoot database issues if many performance parameters can not be monitored or debugged which is the case with some database management systems. It provides great monitoring of data storage, processing, and performance stability which is really important for real-time data storage and processing. It's a user-friendly product.”

A PeerSpot user who is a Senior Engineer at a tech services company relates, “ The solution's high availability is its most valuable aspect. We have found the product to be stable and the initial setup is pretty simple. I'd rate the solution at a ten out of ten. I'm very happy with it overall. I would recommend the solution to others. It's easy to find details about the product online and to learn about it.”

Sample Customers

Elekt Labs, Streamsoft, wobe-systems GmbH, DRB Systems, Moscow City Hospital #31

Google, Wikipedia, Tencent, Verizon, DBS Bank, Deutsche Bank, Telefónica, Huatai Securities