MySQL vs SQL Server comparison

Oracle and Microsoft are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. Oracle is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.4, while Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.3. Oracle holds a 8.4% mindshare in SQL, compared to Microsoft’s 17.9% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Oracle users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

MySQL

Read 149 MySQL reviews

6,546 Views
5,078 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

SQL Server

Read 268 SQL Server reviews

16,970 Views
12,982 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

MySQL

SQL Server

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 20, 2025

SQL Server and MySQL are key competitors in the database management system category. SQL Server appears to have the upper hand for larger, enterprise-level applications, while MySQL excels in smaller, community-driven projects due to its open-source model.

Features: SQL Server offers dynamic resource allocation, the Graphical Query Analyzer for interactive query execution, and robust OLAP services. Additionally, it includes tools like SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS for comprehensive data management. MySQL, on the other hand, provides open-source flexibility, a multi-threaded architecture, and seamless integration with web development stacks like LAMP and WAMP.

Room for Improvement: SQL Server is limited by install prerequisites and platform compatibility, primarily supporting Windows and incurring high feature costs. MySQL lacks advanced IDEs and features such as robust replication capabilities and check constraints, requiring improvements in security, scalability, and enterprise-level features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SQL Server offers extensive documentation and a strong support community, though enterprise support can be costly and response times slow. It is widely adopted in on-premise and cloud setups. MySQL benefits from its open-source community support, making it highly flexible with platform compatibility, though expert support can be more limited.

Pricing and ROI: SQL Server's pricing is premium due to licensing fees, often bundled with other Microsoft products, offering substantial ROI in enterprise environments. MySQL, free for non-commercial use, presents significant cost savings, ideal for startups and smaller projects. Enterprises with fewer financial constraints may gain higher ROI from SQL Server's extensive features, whereas budget-conscious organizations benefit from MySQL's lower entry costs.

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

Buyer's Guide

MySQL vs. SQL Server

April 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

3rd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

149

Ranking in other categories

Open Source Databases (2nd)

SQL Server

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

268

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of MySQL is 8.4%, down from 8.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SQL Server is 17.9%, down from 23.0% 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.

Read full review

AhmadTalha

Product owner at Digitt Plus (AFT)

A robust and secure solution that helps to store data

The GUI needs improvement. From a technical perspective, it's quite complex, which may not be a problem for individuals with technical backgrounds like ours, especially since we've encountered similar interfaces. However, navigating the GUI can be challenging for newcomers or product owners without technical experience. For example, as someone transitioning from a developer role to a product management role, I find it relatively easy to use the GUI. But for those without a technical background, it's much more challenging to grasp what's happening.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Support for enterprise-grade features like clustering, master-slave replication, even Sharding (to some extent) which is an advanced feature."

"We are completely comfortable with the database’s performance and it is a mature product. My organization was looking for an open-source database for our smaller customers like the community edition. For bigger customers, we can scale into commercial and supported editions."

"It is a stable solution."

"MySQL's clustering features are very strong, and you can automate scripting, so that helps. We wrote a Terraform script and ran it."

"The relations in the database, the dynamic workflow, and the ability to connect with all columns. It's useful for e-commerce."

"SKIP LOCKED is a valuable feature."

"One of the most valuable features is MySQL's ability to run our email system. We use a system called Colab."

"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."

More MySQL pros

"SQL Server's Management Studio is very user friendly. I like their database and the additional features it offers. It's also easy to integrate SQL Server with things like CLR, PowerShell, and command shell"

"It's a very stable solution."

"The initial setup is easy, flawless."

"The most valuable features are programmability and reliability."

"SQL Server is very scalable because we use it across a couple of different types of applications, such as micro-infrastructure setup and server farm."

"The most valuable features of this solution are easy queries and straightforward programming for beginners."

"There is a lot of information about the solution readily available online."

"I like that it's a cloud solution, is simple to set up, and is simple to use."

More SQL Server pros

Cons

"MySQL could introduce more indexing strategies."

"Improvements are required in character set support, scalability, and big data sets."

"The GUI could improve in MySQL."

"It isn't as reliable as an SQL Server."

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

"We want to continue using MySQL but it merged with Oracle and the scalage changed."

"It is not as powerful as SQL Server. It can be more powerful. It is not scalable and has certain limitations, which is not the case with SQL Server."

"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."

More MySQL cons

"Regarding integration, the solution works well for different courses without any issues. However, if we want to add machine learning and AI capabilities for business analytics, that's an area where improvements could be made."

"Their datatypes need improvement."

"The licensing costs are very high."

"SQL Server could improve by having better usability or user guidance."

"The user interface and the reporting could also be improved."

"Better integration with other platforms would be an improvement."

"Occasionally the performance, as good as it is, is a bit off. We sometimes experience memory spiking. If they could maybe fix that aspect of the solution, that would be quite helpful for our organization."

"We need it to support Linux for better troubleshooting flexibility."

More SQL Server cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is no licensing fee."

"Can range from free to quite expensive, depending on the environments and requirements, so better to really set goals ahead of setting it up."

"It's an open-source database management system that can be used free of charge."

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

"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."

"MySQL Enterprise Support is not cheap, though might still be cheaper than Oracle or SQL Server. They may not have local support depending on where you’re based, but there are many smaller agencies out there that will readily provide support. You’ll need to spend some time looking around."

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

"There is a license needed for this solution."

More MySQL pricing and cost advice

"The licensing price could be better, more user-friendly."

"Since we are a cloud-based company, there is AWS pricing on top of the SQL Server pricing. The Enterprise Edition can typically sell from around $1000 dollars a month, which is not cheap. Then, there is an additional one-time Windows cost, based on the code, which can go anywhere from $30,000 to $40,000 for the license."

"SQL Server has the best licensing price."

"SQL Server is an expensive solution."

"The product’s price depends on the specific server requirements."

"The price of SQL Server could be reduced, the license is expensive. We have an annual subscription."

"The price has been going higher and higher. The market is quite price sensitive."

"Some of the licensing are very expensive, such as the Enterprise license."

More SQL Server pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

47%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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...

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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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Would you say the price of SQL Server is high compared to that of similar products?

SQL Server is fairly priced because it has various editions, depending on the number of users, servers, or core packs you are using. If you compare the product to others in this category, the price...

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Has using SQL Server helped your organization in any way?

SQL Server has helped my organization through partitioning to distribute the workload, as it splits them up into smaller pieces so the machines can easily deal with it. However, this comes with a h...

See all answers

Which authentication mode is best for SQL Server?

My company connects through SQL Server authentication. We have company Windows accounts, but we do not want to connect the two, out of security concerns and to keep things separated for our own pur...

See all answers

Comparisons

Firebird SQL vs MySQL

Compared 27% 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

Oracle Database vs MySQL

Compared 5% of the time

More MySQL Competitors

SAP HANA vs SQL Server

Compared 14% of the time

MariaDB vs SQL Server

Compared 14% of the time

IBM Db2 Database vs SQL Server

Compared 12% of the time

Oracle Database vs SQL Server

Compared 9% of the time

Tableau vs SQL Server

Compared 3% of the time

More SQL Server Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

MySQL

April 2025

Download MySQL product report

Buyer's Guide

SQL Server

March 2025

Download SQL Server product report

Also Known As

No data available

Microsoft SQL Server, MSSQL, MS SQL

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

SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) by Microsoft. The product's main purposes are to store data and retrieve it as requested by other software applications - on the same computer or on another computer across a shared network. The solution is built on top of Structured Query Language (SQL), which is a standardized programming language used for relational database management.

The product is tied to Transact-SQL (T-SQL), which is an implementation of SQL from Microsoft that adds several proprietary programming extensions to the standard language. SQL Server is built similarly to other RDBMS products, as its structure is a row-based table that connects related data elements in different tables to one another. One of its most important components is the SQL Server Database Engine, as it controls data processing, storage, and security. Beneath the Database Engine is the SQL Server Operating System, which is used for memory and I/O management, locking data to avoid unneeded upgrades, and job scheduling.

The solution has four editions with different sets of services and tools. They include:

SQL Server Developer
SQL Server Expression
SQL Server Standard
SQL Server Enterprise

The first two are available for free and are typically utilized by smaller companies, as they work with fewer functions and storage. The second two editions are generally used by bigger organizations and enterprises and offer more features.

The solution has several functions through which users can facilitate different data-related processes. These include:

Aggregate functions: These functions are used to calculate one or more values and return a single value.
Window functions: Window functions calculate an aggregate value based on a group of rows and return multiple rows for each involved group.
Date functions: These functions allow clients to handle data and time data efficiently.
String functions: Through the string functions, SQL Server processes an input string and returns a string or numeric value.
System functions: The system functions of the product return objects, values, and settings.

SQL Server Services

SQL Server has a wide range of add-on services that provide additional benefits beyond database management. These services include:

Machine learning: SQL Server machine learning services allow users to do machine learning and data analytics within the product.
Service broker: This feature is a part of the database engine and offers messaging and message queuing for applications on the platform.
Replication: This feature consists of transaction replication, merge replication, and snapshot replication.
Analysis: SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) adds online analytical processing (OLAP) and data mining capabilities to SQL Server databases.
Reporting: This feature supports the development of custom reporting applications.
Notifications: This feature generates data-driven notifications which are sent to subscribers of Notification Services.
Integration: This SQL Server feature provides capabilities for data integration, data import, and data warehousing.
Full-text search: Through this feature, users can utilize specialized indexing and query for unstructured text stored in the solution.
Visual studio: This feature supports data programming with SQL Server.
Azure Data Studio: This is a cross-platform query editor that can be downloaded and used alongside SQL Server.

SQL Server Benefits

The solution has many benefits for users. These include the following:

The platform ensures a consistent experience across other platforms while being fast and agile.
Through the built-in intelligence features, users can understand their data better.
The solution has enterprise-level security, which ensures the smooth and safe performance of users' data.
SQL Server offers the ability to retrieve large amounts of data quickly and efficiently.
The product installation process is fairly easy, and it offers a user-friendly interface.
SQL Server offers improved data storage and retrieval functions through frequent upgrades.
The solution reduces the risk of database server attacks, since it is not an open-source database.

Reviews from Real Users

A president at a consultancy evaluates SQL Server as a veteran solution with critical log shipping feature.

Harkamal S., a user at a manufacturing company, rates SQL Server with a high mark because it is a stable, scalable, and easy-to-deploy solution that pretty much covers everything.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

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

Microsoft SQL Server is used by businesses in every industry, including Great Western Bank, Aviva, the Volvo Car Corporation, BMW, Samsung, Principality Building Society, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.

Buyer's Guide

MySQL vs. SQL Server

April 2025

Free Report: MySQL vs. SQL Server

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