MySQL vs Percona Server comparison

Oracle and Percona are both solutions in the Open Source Databases category. Oracle is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.3, while Percona is ranked #16. Oracle holds a 10.4% mindshare in OSD, compared to Percona’s 1.7% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Oracle users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Percona users who would recommend it.

MySQL

Read 149 MySQL reviews

6,507 Views
2,404 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

Percona Server

Read 2 Percona Server reviews

992 Views
884 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

MySQL

Percona Server

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 23, 2025

MySQL and Percona Server are competitive solutions in the database market. Although MySQL offers a straightforward and widely adopted platform, Percona Server edges ahead with advanced features and superior performance and scalability.

Features: MySQL provides user-friendliness and strong performance for general needs, with key features like data replication and robust security options. Percona Server enhances performance with optimized storage engines and advanced replication, offering flexibility and superior capabilities for developers.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: MySQL is easily deployed and backed by widespread community support, enabling smooth integration. Percona Server demands more technical expertise but offers notable flexibility and scalability, complemented by dedicated support and premium service for complex deployments.

Pricing and ROI: MySQL presents a low-cost entry, appealing to small and medium enterprises with a strong ROI in general cases. Percona Server, while potentially requiring higher initial investment for support and advanced features, ensures significant ROI with enhanced performance and scalability, making it valuable for high-performance environments.

To learn more, read our detailed MySQL vs. Percona Server Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

MySQL vs. Percona Server

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:

Categories and Ranking

MySQL

Ranking in Open Source Databases

3rd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

149

Ranking in other categories

Relational Databases Tools (5th)

Percona Server

Ranking in Open Source Databases

16th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Open Source Databases category, the mindshare of MySQL is 10.4%, down from 17.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Percona Server is 1.7%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Open Source Databases

Featured Reviews

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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Umair Hassan

Database Administrator at Systems Limited

Open-source and free to use with a good community

I would love to see the flashback in Percona MySQL or even in Percona PostgreSQL. It's available in Oracle, the flashback. In Oracle, there's the utility of a flashback. It stores all the information in the tables for a few days. That way, if I accidentally delete my records from the table or I need to check the value of a column or row two days back, I can. If Percona had flashback capabilities, it would be ideal. I would love to see training be easier to find. I had some complications finding the training that Percona provides. It is not displayed on the website. For example, if I want to train myself via a Percona expert through virtual files or through recorded videos or something like that, it's really difficult to find any sort of course. You have to email them first, and they will ask you whether it is for yourself or it is for the corporate sector. The course content should just be readily available and not hidden.

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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

"When comparing MySQL to other solutions it is easier to use and boots up faster. Additionally, when you want to query a lot of data, MySQL is better in performance."

"For sure, the solution is very stable."

"It is free, which is probably its most valuable feature. It is a pretty full-featured relational database. It really does everything we need it to do."

"The most valuable feature of MySQL is auto-scaling."

"I like MySQL because of its community."

"Table partitioning is most valuable. It is easy to use."

"We use the basic features of MySQL. The interface that allows us to see the parameters of the server is good."

"The feature that I have found most valuable is its ubiquity. MySQL is everywhere, so if I need to find a developer to do things to it that I don't know, it's very easy to find someone who has expertise in it."

More MySQL pros

"We find the product mostly stable."

Cons

"We have encountered some performance issues, and the solution takes time for performing complex queries."

"If the customer is already using or has already used Oracle for a long time they will know the look and feel and the character of this database that can fit into their business."

"Some problems with big table operations, and a struggle to keep the servers responding in peak situations."

"I would like to see some improvements in the solution’s integration aspects."

"The availability of tools could be improved in the MySQL open-source platform. They can provide more analytical tools. I haven't had any particularly difficult issues to troubleshoot on MySQL, but in the past, on Microsoft SQL Server, I had to troubleshoot some difficult issues, and better tools were in place to see what was going on in real-time on the server. So, that's the bit that is lacking on the MySQL open-source platform."

"The interface could be improved."

"The only service which could be improved is its usability. The entire user experience needs to be revamped to meet the 2018 design standards."

"I would like to see the automatic backup feature in the solution as well. Data is very important and we need to preserve it in a safe place. It would be good if MySQL can back up the data automatically."

More MySQL cons

"If Percona had flashback capabilities, it would be ideal."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is open source. We prefer it for POCs because it saves the license cost."

"I am not paying, but I am not sure about the exact licensing requirements."

"This product has a good price point."

"The solution’s pricing depends on customer requirements. A license is not required for the community edition."

"When you know the setup will continue to grow, make sure you have the paid support."

"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."

"We are using the free version of MySQL. We prefer paying for a yearly license."

"It is an open source platform."

More MySQL pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

25%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

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...

See all answers

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

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

SurrealDB vs MySQL

Compared 3% of the time

More MySQL Competitors

MariaDB vs Percona Server

Compared 35% of the time

PostgreSQL vs Percona Server

Compared 26% of the time

EDB Postgres Advanced Server vs Percona Server

Compared 12% of the time

More Percona Server Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

MySQL

May 2025

Download MySQL product report

Buyer's Guide

Open Source Databases

May 2025

Download Percona Server product report

Overview

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

Percona Server for MySQL is a free, fully compatible, enhanced, open source drop-in replacement for MySQL that provides good performance, scalability and instrumentation. With over 3,000,000 downloads, Percona Server for MySQL's self-tuning algorithms and support for extremely high-performance hardware delivers excellent performance and reliability.

Percona

Sample Customers

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

Pricefalls Marketplace, Micpoint, Rent the Runway, Transmart, Wattpad, Singular Group, Invoca, 3E

Buyer's Guide

MySQL vs. Percona Server

June 2025

Free Report: MySQL vs. Percona Server

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