MySQL vs MariaDB
Both servers are free under GPLv2, so the real split is who stands behind the code. MySQL is released by Oracle, which also sells the paid editions and the HeatWave cloud service. MariaDB's server sits with a non-profit foundation that states it will stay independent of commercial entities, while a separate company sells MariaDB Cloud with published hourly tiers.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Choose MySQL ifyou run a widely supported web stack, accept Oracle as the owner, and are happy to ask for a quote if you need a paid edition.
Choose MariaDB ifyou want GPLv2 terms with foundation governance and a cloud option whose tiers and limits are published.
MySQL and MariaDB side by side
| MySQL | MariaDB | |
|---|---|---|
| Our database management system rank | #9 of 19 | #2 of 19 |
| Established in | United States | United States |
| List price, 2 November 2026 | Community Server free under GPLv2; HeatWave metered per ECPU per hour; Enterprise Edition prices not listed on the products page we read | Server free under GPLv2; MariaDB Cloud Foundation tier free to start, Power and PowerPlus billed per hour |
| Free tier | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Teams running widely supported web stacks who accept Oracle as owner | Teams moving from MySQL who want GPL terms and foundation governance |
| Not for | Buyers who want vendor-neutral governance of the code | Buyers who need one organisation to run and support it |
Both are reviewed in full in our database management system ranking: MySQL and MariaDB.
Where they differ
MySQL 1 · MariaDB 2 · open 2- 01
Governance of the code
MySQL's GitHub repository shows copyright held by Oracle and/or its affiliates, and the Community Server licence comes from the MySQL team at Oracle. MariaDB's foundation says the server will remain GPLv2 and independent of any commercial entities. Its board does list a chief architect from MariaDB Corporation, so the separation is not total.
Edge: MariaDB
- 02
Cost of running it yourself
Neither charges for the engine. MySQL Community Server is GPLv2, and the MariaDB server is GPLv2 on its official GitHub organisation. Self-hosting means backups, replication and patching fall to your staff in both cases.
Depends on the buyer
- 03
Published cloud pricing
Oracle's cloud price list meters MySQL HeatWave Service per ECPU per hour and includes a free tier line. MariaDB's pricing page shows Foundation (free to start), Power and PowerPlus tiers, billed per hour, with the Foundation tier reaching 16 vCPU, 128 GB RAM and 1000 GB storage. MariaDB spells out its ceilings on one page, so a buyer can size before asking anyone.
Edge: MariaDB
- 04
Paid editions and where they run
MySQL lists Enterprise Edition, Embedded, Standard, Classic and NDB Cluster editions, with HeatWave on OCI, AWS and Azure. The products page states no prices for them. MariaDB's page lists no comparable edition menu in the facts we read. If you want a menu of supported editions and clouds, MySQL has more to choose from.
Edge: MySQL
- 05
Vendor country
Oracle America, Inc. is named in the free-use terms Oracle publishes, which places MySQL in the United States. The MariaDB Foundation is a non-profit incorporated in Delaware, USA. On this point they match.
Depends on the buyer
When neither fits
If you want an engine with no owning company at all, or a masterless store for large write volumes, look at PostgreSQL or Apache Cassandra.
MySQL or MariaDB: questions
3 answersAre MySQL and MariaDB both free?
Yes for the servers: MySQL Community Server and MariaDB Server are both GPLv2. Paid items are MySQL Enterprise Edition and HeatWave, and MariaDB Cloud tiers from Power upward.
Does MySQL publish Enterprise prices?
The MySQL products page we read lists the editions but states no prices, so you need a quote from Oracle.
Who governs MariaDB?
The MariaDB Foundation, a non-profit incorporated in Delaware. The hosted cloud service comes from the separate MariaDB company.
Sources
Checked 2 November 2026- MySQL Community Server licence: GPLv2, released by the MySQL team at Oracle.
- MySQL products page: editions list with no prices.
- MySQL on Oracle: HeatWave on OCI, AWS and Azure.
- Oracle cloud price list: HeatWave metered per ECPU per hour, free tier line.
- MySQL server repository: copyright Oracle and/or its affiliates.
- Oracle free-use terms: Oracle America, Inc., United States.
- MariaDB Foundation about page: GPLv2 and independence statement, Delaware non-profit, board seat.
- MariaDB pricing: Cloud tiers billed per hour and tier limits.
- MariaDB server repository: GPL-2.0 licence.