MySQL vs Percona Server comparison

Oracle and Percona are both solutions in the Open Source Databases category. Oracle is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.2, while Percona is ranked #17. Oracle holds a 8.9% mindshare in OSD, compared to Percona’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Oracle users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Percona users who would recommend it.

MySQL

Read 150 MySQL reviews

8,912 Views
5,080 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

Percona Server

Read 2 Percona Server reviews

731 Views
731 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: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

MySQL vs. Percona Server

September 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

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

150

Ranking in other categories

Relational Databases Tools (4th)

Percona Server

Ranking in Open Source Databases

17th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Open Source Databases category, the mindshare of MySQL is 8.9%, down from 14.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Percona Server is 1.9%, down from 2.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Open Source Databases Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
MySQL	8.9%
Percona Server	1.9%
Other	89.2%

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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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

"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."

"This product is a good teaching tool for students who want to learn about networked databases."

"The product is flexible and easy to use."

"MySQL solution is overall stable."

"The most valuable features are that it's free and the documentation is good."

"The fact that it is free is what appeals to me the most."

"The easy access to the data and the ability to sort the data with multiple methods are very valuable features."

"The solution is easy to use."

More MySQL pros

"We find the product mostly stable."

Cons

"When working with a cluster wide, I have to use the MySQL cluster version."

"Sometimes, I get lost in the toggles and buttons, and a better visual design would be nice. The layout is not user-friendly or efficient."

"Oracle should start putting in some of the enterprise features in the standard feature. There are some key features that should be part of the standard."

"It does not stand out regarding scalability. When the company size increases, the user base having actual experience with (very) large MySQL solutions is reduced."

"It requires a training platform."

"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 solution could be more secure."

"I would like to have the ability to cancel a query in SQL Developer."

More MySQL cons

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

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

"I use a free version at present."

"It's cheaper than other solutions."

"I use the open-source free community version."

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

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

"It is an open source platform."

"We pay a yearly subscription fee."

More MySQL pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Computer Software Company

23%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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

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 22% of the time

PostgreSQL vs MySQL

Compared 14% of the time

SAP HANA vs MySQL

Compared 7% of the time

MariaDB vs MySQL

Compared 6% of the time

IBM Db2 Database vs MySQL

Compared 3% of the time

More MySQL Competitors

MariaDB vs Percona Server

Compared 34% of the time

PostgreSQL vs Percona Server

Compared 27% of the time

EDB Postgres Advanced Server vs Percona Server

Compared 13% of the time

More Percona Server Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

MySQL

September 2025

Download MySQL product report

Buyer's Guide

Open Source Databases

August 2025

Download Percona Server product report

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

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

September 2025

Free Report: MySQL vs. Percona Server

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