MySQL vs SAP SQL Anywhere comparison

Oracle and SAP are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. Oracle is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.3, while SAP is ranked #18 with an average rating of 10.0. Oracle holds a 8.0% mindshare in SQL, compared to SAP’s 0.9% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Oracle users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 83% of SAP users who would recommend it.

MySQL

Read 149 MySQL reviews

10,838 Views
5,311 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

SAP SQL Anywhere

Read 6 SAP SQL Anywhere reviews

794 Views
770 Comparison Views

83% willing to recommend

MySQL

SAP SQL Anywhere

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

SAP SQL Anywhere and MySQL are both database management systems catering to different business needs, with MySQL often seen as superior due to its feature-rich offerings that justify its cost for a broader user base.

Features: SAP SQL Anywhere includes features like synchronization and mobile application support, making it ideal for remote and embedded environments. MySQL offers extensive scalability, data replication, and benefits from a strong community-driven development platform, making it broadly applicable.

Room for Improvement: SAP SQL Anywhere could improve its pricing model to be more competitive and expand its scalability options. It may also enhance community support as it relies on vendor support. MySQL, on the other hand, could simplify its deployment process for smaller setups, improve documentation for niche use cases, and enhance mobile app integration features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SAP SQL Anywhere provides an easier setup for smaller implementations, favoring those in need of lightweight databases. MySQL's complex architecture supports large-scale deployments, benefiting from an extensive community providing abundant resources. SAP offers direct vendor support, which is more tailored.

Pricing and ROI: SAP SQL Anywhere involves higher upfront costs but may offer better ROI for specialized deployments due to tailored support. MySQL, being open-source, usually incurs lower setup costs with its extensive features and scalability, resulting in efficient operations and potentially superior long-term ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed MySQL vs. SAP SQL Anywhere Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

MySQL vs. SAP SQL Anywhere

July 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 Relational Databases Tools

5th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

149

Ranking in other categories

Open Source Databases (2nd)

SAP SQL Anywhere

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

18th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of MySQL is 8.0%, down from 8.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP SQL Anywhere is 0.9%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Relational Databases Tools

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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Crewmem67

IT Consultant at College Notre Dame de Nazareth

Reliable and able to expand but needs to be more secure

It is not as good as a SQL Server. I prefer to work with the SQL Server for Microsoft or Oracle. These are better as there are some comments on SQL Anywhere that makes me feel that I'm blocked. We'd like to have them update to a new version. They should update more often. I find I can't move to a new version without running tests as there are chances of bugs that can get into my system. The initial setup is not simple or straightforward, and it took a while to deploy. It is not as secure as it could be. This is an aspect they need to improve. There needs to be more encryption.

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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

"It is a stable solution."

"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."

"My main reason for using MySQL for this small customer database company and for some kinds of scientific projects was that I had to do the installation myself. I didn't have a database administration team behind me. Therefore, I was looking for something very easy to handle. MySQL is easy to install, connect, and do all such things."

"It has a lot of features. The RDBMS, consistency, and multi-user features are valuable."

"It's a mature solution that's been around for decades."

"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."

"It is a very stable solution. I deployed the product six years ago, and it still works fine."

"This is a lightweight product that is not demanding on the resources, which is what I think gives it the edge."

More MySQL pros

"We've found the solution very reliable overall. It's very fast."

"The auto-backup replication is a perfect feature. That is the feature I liked the most."

"SAP SQL Anywhere is very helpful."

"The most valuable features of SAP SQL Anywhere are the ease of use and the user interface is intuitive."

"It works well in general."

Cons

"MySQL lacks a feature akin to Oracle's Real Application Clusters, which ensures continuous database availability within the same data center or nearby data centers."

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

"It should provide better customer experiences."

"Its scalability can be better. It is probably not as scalable as Oracle. I had some issues with connectors. I used it from a C++ program, and it required some work to make it run, but finally, it worked."

"The licensing cost of the solution is expensive, which MySQL needs to consider improving."

"Stability needs improvement and the backup needs to be enhanced."

"I would like to improve the solution’s pricing for licenses."

"MySQL's performance needs to be improved for enterprise-level applications compared to Oracle and Postgres."

More MySQL cons

"SAP SQL Anywhere needs to incorporate functionalities like SAP S/4HANA."

"We have had some stability issues with SAP SQL Anywhere, but I am not sure if it is an application or network issue. We sometimes have a large amount of data being queried and it cannot handle it."

"The interface is not easy in comparison to the SQL Server. It could be more user-friendly."

"It is not as secure as it could be."

"A problem we are experiencing now is when doing a backup in SQL 2012 and 14."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's free."

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

"My company uses MySQL's corporate licenses."

"The price of the solution is good because we have a good partner."

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

"There is no licensing fee."

"MySQL is released under an open-source license, so you have nothing to pay to use it."

"We do have a couple of clients who choose to use the paid, enterprise version of the solution and who take full advantage of it."

More MySQL pricing and cost advice

"SQL Anywhere cost us about $400."

"SAP SQL Anywhere is affordable."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

17%

Construction Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Government

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What do you like most about SAP SQL Anywhere?

SAP SQL Anywhere is very helpful.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP SQL Anywhere?

SAP SQL Anywhere is affordable.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SAP SQL Anywhere?

SAP SQL Anywhere needs to incorporate functionalities like SAP S/4HANA.

See all answers

Comparisons

Firebird SQL vs MySQL

Compared 25% of the time

PostgreSQL vs MySQL

Compared 13% of the time

SAP HANA vs MySQL

Compared 8% of the time

MariaDB vs MySQL

Compared 6% of the time

SQL Server vs MySQL

Compared 6% of the time

More MySQL Competitors

SQL Server vs SAP SQL Anywhere

Compared 31% of the time

Oracle Database vs SAP SQL Anywhere

Compared 20% of the time

SAP Adaptive Server Enterprise vs SAP SQL Anywhere

Compared 18% of the time

SAP HANA vs SAP SQL Anywhere

Compared 18% of the time

More SAP SQL Anywhere Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

MySQL

June 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Relational Databases Tools

July 2025

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Also Known As

No data available

Sybase SQL Anywhere

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

SAP SQL Anywhere enables companies to develop custom mobile and IoT application and rapidly design and deploy embedded database applications. The RDBMS solutions can provide secure, reliable data management and synchronization for thousands of mobile devices, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, and remote environments. They let business users work uninterrupted, even without a network connection.

SAP

Sample Customers

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

AOK Bundesverband, Surgutneftegas Open Joint Stock Company, Molson Coors Brewing Company, City of Buenos Aires, ASR Group, Citrix, EarlySense, Usha International Limited, Automotive Resources International, Wªrth Group, Takisada-Osaka Co. Ltd., Coelba, RZD Russian Railways, National Basketball Association, TALLY WEiJL

Buyer's Guide

MySQL vs. SAP SQL Anywhere

July 2025

Free Report: MySQL vs. SAP SQL Anywhere

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