MySQL vs PostgreSQL comparison

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MySQL

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

PostgreSQL and MySQL compete in the open-source database management system category. PostgreSQL appears to have the upper hand due to its advanced feature set and strong performance under high workloads.

Features: PostgreSQL offers comprehensive SQL compliance, advanced data types like JSONB, and support for complex queries and operations. It is recognized for superior scalability and extensibility. On the other hand, MySQL focuses on speed and compatibility, making it well-suited for small to medium-sized applications. It supports multi-threaded architecture, LAMP/WAMP integration, and provides excellent performance and stability in various environments.

Room for Improvement: PostgreSQL could benefit from improved documentation and support, as well as enhancements in multi-master replication and partitioning features. MySQL, while easy to use, faces challenges with scalability and lacks advanced analytical capabilities compared to enterprise solutions. It also needs to enhance support for complex data operations.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both PostgreSQL and MySQL are widely deployed across on-premises and cloud environments. PostgreSQL boasts a strong open-source community that offers extensive support, whereas MySQL, also backed by community forums, is noted for its ease of deployment. However, both lack centralized official support and primarily rely on community or third-party assistance.

Pricing and ROI: Both PostgreSQL and MySQL are open-source, minimizing software costs. PostgreSQL's rich features offer significant ROI for enterprises requiring advanced database functionalities, despite potentially higher personnel costs. MySQL, distributed under GPL, provides rapid ROI with lower overhead, appealing particularly to budget-constrained projects needing simple database solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed MySQL vs. PostgreSQL Report (Updated: November 2025).

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MySQL vs. PostgreSQL

November 2025

Helped 873,085 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

MySQL

Ranking in Open Source Databases

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

150

Ranking in other categories

Relational Databases Tools (4th)

PostgreSQL

Ranking in Open Source Databases

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

125

Ranking in other categories

Vector Databases (12th)

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2025, in the Open Source Databases category, the mindshare of MySQL is 8.8%, down from 13.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of PostgreSQL is 16.1%, down from 19.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Open Source Databases Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
MySQL	8.8%
PostgreSQL	16.1%
Other	75.1%

Open Source Databases

Featured Reviews

Prabir Kumar Kundu

SR AVP–Presales Cloud & Platform Management Services at Path Infotech ltd

Offers robust security and availability with impressive replication capabilities

Regarding their documentation and interface, there is room for improvement. Documentation is definitely required when running multiple databases on a cluster system. The load balancer, MySQL LB, which is used to connect to the application, lacks clear documentation. When there are multiple application servers connecting to the MySQL cluster and going through the MySQL load balancer, the documentation is not user-friendly. It's there, but only technical persons with deep knowledge of the MySQL database can implement it. Most of the community users or ISVs who use MySQL don't have many technical persons or DBA experts, so they face some challenges for the high availability of connecting high available databases from high available applications. That documentation should be simplified.

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AdityaSharma3

Vice President Business at Techmagnate: Digital Marketing Agency

Transaction processes are fast and good replication capability

Use cases include querying data warehouses and databases to fetch data for clients already working on PostgreSQL. We also use Postgres for building reports It's a transactional database, so we use Postgres for most of our reporting. That's where it's helping. The query speed is fast, and the…

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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

"The product is flexible and easy to use."

"The deployment process is pretty fast."

"MySQL is a scalable tool. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten...The solution's technical support is good. I rate the technical support a nine out of ten."

"I am totally satisfied with MySQL."

"A lot of the software components have been trialed and tested for often more than 10 years."

"The solution is great for small applications in particular."

"MySQL is easy and convenient for me. I don't need to rely on anyone. I can write the code and extract the information. It is fast if you know how to use it. The solution is not expensive, and most of the developers know how to use it. It is easy to create tables. The solution is stable and has good performance. The connection with AWS gives regular updates, which is manual otherwise and a nightmare."

"The way that MySQL has improved my organization is that it comes free and also works fine on the technical side."

More MySQL pros

"The solution has many valuable features such as it easy to use and the interface is intuitive."

"It is very simple to manage."

"The solution is scalable, it is very good."

"The PostgreSQL database is similar to the SQL Server but has a slightly different technology that has similar resources as well. If the customer has the confidence using SQL Server, they will be fairly comfortable using this solution."

"It's a useful solution, that can be widely used."

"Scalable, stable, and easy to manage database system, with a straightforward installation."

"Initial setup is simple."

"The built-in code procedural language is the most valuable. It has a built-in layer for code procedures. Its installation is very easy and quick, and it is free. It is also stable, and its performance is also good."

Cons

"Scalability could be improved."

"The user interface could be more user friendly. Mainly because most of the times we see black and white digital lines. Something like Python."

"Could use some additional JSON query support in the solution."

"There are some issues with compatibility with Java environments that need to be improved. When Oracle bought this solution there were some driver changes that caused some issues with operations."

"MySQL is not easily scalable on cost effective consumer grade hardware."

"Rather than going in-depth about the technical features, which a technical person can directly tell, I would say that MySQL should be able to adapt to the next framework. The 5G framework means an unstructured framework. So if MySQL becomes smoother and more adaptable, it'll be easier."

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

"The solution is expensive."

More MySQL cons

"The scalability is limited."

"The pricing could be better."

"PostgreSQL’s performance could be improved."

"It needs more integration."

"We have to set up event API, which takes a lot of events from the user."

"The solution needs to improve the query, documentation, and JSON data functionality."

"They need to have a better graphical interface. There is a tool called pgAdmin 4 that they use, which is free. It is written in Java, and it is slow. They need to have a better product that is similar to Toad for Oracle, but, of course, it is hard to get something that's really great and free. Other than that, it is great."

"Instead of the installation agent downloading all the packages for the install, it should allow the user to download the packages separately on their own to do the install."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"My company uses MySQL's corporate licenses."

"We are using the free community version of the solution."

"I don't pay for a license."

"It is an open source platform."

"This product has a good price point."

"There is not a license required for this solution."

"It's cheaper than other solutions."

"There is a licensing cost because we are going for a proprietary product. There are some other versions for which there is no licensing cost."

More MySQL pricing and cost advice

"It is free. There is no license on it."

"It is free. In terms of operating costs, it basically needs the same platform on which Oracle runs."

"It is open-source. If you use it on-premise, it is free. It also has enterprise or commercial versions. If you go for the cloud version, there will be a cost, but it is lower than Oracle or Microsoft."

"PostgreSQL is a free and open-source database."

"The community version of Postgre is basically free."

"It is an open-source platform."

"The need for our customers to pay for licences is contingent on their projects and budgets."

"This solution can offer a cheaper choice for customers since it is open-source."

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	73
Midsize Enterprise	31
Large Enterprise	61

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	58
Midsize Enterprise	26
Large Enterprise	45

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...

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...

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...

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 PostgreSQL?

It's a transactional database, so we use Postgres for most of our reporting. That's where it's helping.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PostgreSQL?

The tool is free of cost. For now, it's not about making money. But once we perfect it, we can offer it to customers willing to pay for support and other services. Most of my deployments are free.

Firebird SQL vs PostgreSQL

Comparisons

Firebird SQL vs MySQL

Compared 21% of the time

SQL Server vs MySQL

Compared 6% of the time

MariaDB vs MySQL

Compared 6% of the time

SAP HANA vs MySQL

Compared 6% of the time

Oracle Database vs MySQL

Compared 5% of the time

More MySQL Competitors

Compared 30% of the time

MariaDB vs PostgreSQL

Compared 8% of the time

Chroma vs PostgreSQL

Compared 6% of the time

EDB Postgres Advanced Server vs PostgreSQL

Compared 6% of the time

LanceDB vs PostgreSQL

Compared 4% of the time

Product Reports

Download MySQL product report

MySQL

October 2025

Download PostgreSQL product report

October 2025

Overview

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.

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.

Oracle

PostgreSQL is a versatile and reliable database management system commonly used for web development, data analysis, and building scalable databases.

It offers advanced features like indexing, replication, and transaction management. Users appreciate its flexibility, performance, and ability to handle large amounts of data efficiently. Its robustness, scalability, and support for complex queries make it highly valuable.

Additionally, PostgreSQL's extensibility, flexibility, community support, and frequent updates contribute to its ongoing improvement and stability.

Sample Customers

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

1. Apple 2. Cisco 3. Fujitsu 4. Instagram 5. Netflix 6. Red Hat 7. Sony 8. Uber 9. Cisco Systems 10. Skype 11. LinkedIn 12. Etsy 13. Yelp 14. Reddit 15. Dropbox 16. Slack 17. Twitch 18. WhatsApp 19. Snapchat 20. Shazam 21. SoundCloud 22. The New York Times 23. Cisco WebEx 24. Atlassian 25. Cisco Meraki 26. Heroku 27. GitLab 28. Zalando 29. OpenTable 30. Trello 31. Square Enix 32. Bloomberg