IBM Db2 Database vs MySQL comparison

IBM and Oracle are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. IBM is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.3, while Oracle is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.3. IBM holds a 7.4% mindshare in SQL, compared to Oracle’s 8.1% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Oracle users who would recommend it.

IBM Db2 Database

Read 74 IBM Db2 Database reviews

5,504 Views
2,309 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

MySQL

Read 149 MySQL reviews

5,915 Views
2,444 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

IBM Db2 Database

MySQL

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 20, 2025

IBM Db2 and MySQL are prominent players in the database management system category. IBM Db2 holds the upper hand due to its advanced features and scalability, while MySQL is noted for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

Features: IBM Db2 is respected for its robust SQL dialect and platform flexibility, enabling use across multiple platforms. It has self-tuning memory management for optimized performance and offers extensive integration capabilities and a secure environment. MySQL is favored for its open-source availability, multi-threaded architecture, cross-platform support, and ease of integration with web technologies, making it particularly ideal for web applications.

Room for Improvement: IBM Db2 requires enhancements in user-friendly interfaces, simplified licensing processes, and better integration. It also struggles with web enablement and upgrade complexities. MySQL faces performance limitations with InnoDB, lacks robust replication, and does not offer advanced features like check constraints or strong scalability for heavier installations.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Db2 primarily supports on-premises deployments with strong technical support, though its responsiveness can vary. MySQL is widely used across both on-premises and cloud environments, with robust community support, though official support requires additional purchase.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Db2's comprehensive features and mainframe compatibility contribute to its higher cost, offering high ROI for enterprise-grade applications. MySQL offers extensive cost savings through its open-source model, suitable for startups and smaller projects, though enterprise support comes with extra costs.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Db2 Database vs. MySQL Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Db2 Database vs. MySQL

June 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score

7.8

IBM Db2 Database delivers substantial ROI, praised for boosting performance and efficiency, and generating significant long-term financial benefits.

Sentiment score

6.6

MySQL offers cost-effective implementation with high ROI potential, enhancing productivity despite potential higher commercial version costs.

No quotes available

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No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the MySQL report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.5

IBM Db2 support is reliable, efficient, and varies by region, scoring 7-9, with room for documentation improvement.

Sentiment score

6.8

MySQL's open-source model encourages users to rely on community resources, though official support is valued for complex issues.

We normally receive substantial discounts on the price.

reviewer2708292

Associate Director, Data Architecture at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

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We have no issues and usually receive timely responses.

Muzzamil Hussain

Assistant Vice President at National Bank of Pakistan

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Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.2

IBM Db2 Database excels in scalability and performance but may have cost and horizontal scaling limitations compared to Oracle.

Sentiment score

6.8

MySQL scales well for small to medium apps, but larger databases require manual effort and third-party solutions for scalability.

No quotes available

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Meeting scalability requirements through cloud computing is an expensive affair.

Ravi Kant-Sharma

Technical Architect at HCLSoftware

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Stability Issues

Sentiment score

7.9

IBM Db2 Database is highly stable and reliable, frequently scoring eight to ten out of ten for stability.

Sentiment score

7.7

MySQL is praised for its stability and reliability, suitable for small to medium applications, despite some memory concerns.

No quotes available

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We face certain integration issues, especially when we integrate the database with security solutions like IBM QRadar.

Muzzamil Hussain

Assistant Vice President at National Bank of Pakistan

For more quotes and insights, download the MySQL report

Room For Improvement

IBM Db2 requires improved UI, competitive pricing, better integration, cloud readiness, simplified management, and enhanced performance monitoring.

MySQL users seek better scalability, cloud integration, advanced features, improved performance, reliable clustering, and enhanced security and backup processes.

It might be slightly slower than other database vendors, but it works well since banks typically do not move quickly with leading-edge technology.

reviewer2708292

Associate Director, Data Architecture at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the IBM Db2 Database report

Oracle could improve on scalability.

Ravi Kant-Sharma

Technical Architect at HCLSoftware

It could be more beneficial if MySQL can enhance its data masking functionality in the same way it has improved data encryption.

Muzzamil Hussain

Assistant Vice President at National Bank of Pakistan

For more quotes and insights, download the MySQL report

Setup Cost

IBM Db2 Database offers cost-effective enterprise solutions but experiences complex licensing, often less costly than Oracle and pricier than SQL Server.

MySQL provides cost-effective solutions, appealing to enterprises with open-source options and commercial licenses based on business needs.

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the IBM Db2 Database report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the MySQL report

Valuable Features

IBM Db2 Database impresses with powerful SQL, security, and scalability, ideal for enterprises due to its versatility and resilience.

MySQL's open-source, cross-platform compatibility and ease of use make it ideal for startups due to scalability and cost-effectiveness.

IBM Db2 Database, because of enterprise performance and support, is why banks still maintain their relationship with it.

reviewer2708292

Associate Director, Data Architecture at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the IBM Db2 Database report

With Oracle, we have to buy another solution for encryption and masking, but MySQL supports native encryption, which enhances our return on investment.

Muzzamil Hussain

Assistant Vice President at National Bank of Pakistan

It allows programming, writing stored procedures, creating views, constraints, and triggers easily.

Ravi Kant-Sharma

Technical Architect at HCLSoftware

For more quotes and insights, download the MySQL report

Categories and Ranking

IBM Db2 Database

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

6th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

MySQL

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

5th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

149

Ranking in other categories

Open Source Databases (3rd)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of IBM Db2 Database is 7.4%, up from 6.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MySQL is 8.1%, down from 8.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Relational Databases Tools

Featured Reviews

ArpitKhare

Database Admin Senior Consultant at Capgemini

Offers optimizer plan and ALSM features along with exceptional stability

The TSA version of IBM Db2 Database doesn't meet my stability expectations. Every time when a switch over occurs, some stability issues can be noticed. The vendor should offer a free version of IBM Db2 Database. For instance, if our company wants to train new individuals on all the features of IBM Db2 Database, they can only be trained after purchasing the paid version of the solution. About ten years ago, a trial version was available for the solution that was highly beneficial for companies. The vendor can add AI or ML features in the future version of IBM Db2 Database.

Read full review

Muzzamil Hussain

Assistant Vice President at National Bank of Pakistan

Native encryption ensures secure data management with a simple deployment

The most valuable feature is the on-premises data encryption facilities. By default, we can provide encryption, and this feature in MySQL is why we prefer it over other databases. The native encryption in MySQL encourages us to use this database model more frequently compared to Oracle and other databases. With Oracle, we have to buy another solution for encryption and masking, but MySQL supports native encryption, which enhances our return on investment. It perfectly supports our ROI, and we have no issues with its functionality.

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

45%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Db2 Database?

Db2 database scalability and performance capabilities match our database needs. It covers pretty much everything a database administrator or engineer might need.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Db2 Database?

IBM Db2 is an expensive solution. While I am not heavily involved with pricing, additional companies provide capabilities or products like those from BMC, which many installations might also purchase.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Db2 Database?

IBM is implementing some release improvements. It might be slightly slower than other database vendors, but it works well since banks typically do not move quickly with leading-edge technology.

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Why are MySQL connections encrypted and what is the biggest benefit of this?

MySQL encrypts connections to protect your data and the biggest benefit from this is that nobody can corrupt it. If you move information over a network without encryption, you are endangering it, m...

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Considering that there is a free version of MySQL, would you invest in one of the paid editions?

I may be considered a MySQL veteran since I have been using it since before Oracle bought it and created paid versions. So back in my day, it was all free, it was open-source and the best among sim...

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What is one thing you would improve with MySQL?

One thing I would improve related to MySQL is not within the product itself, but with the guides to it. Before, when it was free, everyone was on their own, seeking tutorials and how-to videos onli...

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Comparisons

SQL Server vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 33% of the time

Oracle Database vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 18% of the time

SAP HANA vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 15% of the time

Teradata vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 13% of the time

IBM Informix vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 2% of the time

More IBM Db2 Database Competitors

Firebird SQL vs MySQL

Compared 26% of the time

PostgreSQL vs MySQL

Compared 14% of the time

SAP HANA vs MySQL

Compared 9% of the time

MariaDB vs MySQL

Compared 6% of the time

SQLite vs MySQL

Compared 2% of the time

More MySQL Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Db2 Database

June 2025

Download IBM Db2 Database product report

Buyer's Guide

MySQL

May 2025

Download MySQL product report

Also Known As

DB2

No data available

Overview

DB2 Enterprise for Linux, UNIX, and Windows is the ideal data server for the most demanding workloads. New XML support is designed to help firms minimize the time and effort it takes to persist and use their XML data reducing development costs and improving business agility.

IBM

MySQL is a cost-efficient and scalable relational database management system widely used in web, mobile applications, and academic projects.

MySQL is utilized for backend operations, data analysis, reporting, financial transactions, and ERP databases. It supports deployment on local servers, Cloud, and Kubernetes. Its free, open-source nature along with strong community support make it popular among companies. MySQL's compatibility with multiple platforms and programming languages enhances its appeal. While it remains stable and easy to use, areas such as replication, clustering, and backup require improvement to better serve enterprise applications. Enhanced security, error messages, and monitoring tools are also desired for a better user experience.

What are the most important features of MySQL?

Free and Open-Source: No licensing costs, perfect for budget-conscious projects.
Compatibility: Works with multiple platforms and programming languages.
High Performance: Efficient performance across large datasets.
Scalability: Easily scales to meet growing business needs.
Clustering and Replication: Ensures data availability and redundancy.
Easy Installation: Quick setup process on various operating systems.
Community Support: Extensive resources and community assistance.
Cross-Platform: Operates seamlessly on different operating systems.
Data Management Interface: Simplifies data handling and manipulation.

What are the benefits of using MySQL?

Cost Efficiency: Reduce expenses with a free, open-source database.
Scalability: Adapt to increasing data demands effortlessly.
Performance: Handle large datasets with ease and speed.
Community Support: Access a vast pool of knowledge and resources.
Flexibility: Integrate with various platforms and languages for diverse use cases.
Data Reliability: Clustering and replication for high data availability.

In multiple industries, MySQL supports internal applications, billing systems, academic teaching purposes, and ERP databases. Companies leverage MySQL for Cloud and local deployments, ensuring effective data manipulation and backend operations in diverse projects. Its role in financial transactions and reporting further emphasizes its versatility.

Oracle

Sample Customers

Knorr-Bremse, Mizuho Bank Ltd., Australian Government Department of Defence, SCHWENK Zement, Friedhelm Loh Group, YAZAKI Europe Limited, Ekornes ASA, Baldor Electric, VSN Systemen BV, Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC, PLANSEE Group, TE Connectivity, Hansgrohe SE, Openmatics, University of Toronto

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

Buyer's Guide

IBM Db2 Database vs. MySQL

June 2025

Free Report: IBM Db2 Database vs. MySQL

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Db2 Database vs. MySQL and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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