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Database & Data Management · head to head

Amazon Aurora vs MicroStrategy

Amazon Aurora logo

Amazon Aurora

Database & Data Management

MySQL and PostgreSQL-compatible relational database built for the cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MicroStrategy logo

MicroStrategy

Business Intelligence

Enterprise analytics and mobility platform

From
$600/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Amazon Aurora has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Amazon Aurora aurora requires AWS ecosystem knowledge and integration with other AWS services; MicroStrategy microStrategy has rebranded to Strategy and microstrategy.com/pricing now redirects to software.strategy.com, which is a product page with no pricing on it
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon Aurora covers MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible, MicroStrategy covers Enterprise Reporting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon Aurora and MicroStrategy actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon Aurora and MicroStrategy differ
AttributeAmazon AuroraMicroStrategy
Starting priceFree$600/month
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsAWS CloudWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryDatabase & Data ManagementBusiness Intelligence
Founded20061989

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Amazon Aurora

  • MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible
  • 5x MySQL Performance
  • Auto-scaling Storage
  • Global Database
  • Serverless v2
  • Multi-master
  • Fault Tolerant
  • AWS Lambda

Only in MicroStrategy

  • Enterprise Reporting
  • Mobile Analytics
  • HyperIntelligence
  • Federated Analytics
  • AI/ML
  • SAP
  • Oracle
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Amazon Aurora

  • Transaction processingnot MicroStrategy
  • Data storagenot MicroStrategy
  • Application backendnot MicroStrategy
  • Reportingnot MicroStrategy
  • Data analyticsnot MicroStrategy

MicroStrategy

  • A governed universal semantic layer defining metrics once across BI tools and AI agentsnot Amazon Aurora
  • Enterprise reporting and dashboards at Fortune 500 user countsnot Amazon Aurora
  • Connecting multiple warehouses and lakehouses under one set of business definitionsnot Amazon Aurora

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Amazon Aurora

  • Aurora requires AWS ecosystem knowledge and integration with other AWS services
  • Pricing can become expensive with high-traffic applications using many read replicas
  • Limited support for non-relational data types compared to NoSQL alternatives

MicroStrategy

  • MicroStrategy has rebranded to Strategy and microstrategy.com/pricing now redirects to software.strategy.com, which is a product page with no pricing on it
  • No rate, no per-user price, no minimum and no named cost driver is published anywhere on the destination page
  • The only routes offered are a custom ROI analysis, a demo request or a proof-of-value pilot
  • The product is positioned around a proof-of-value pilot and an approved architecture, implying a scoped implementation rather than self-serve purchase

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon Aurora

Free
  • Serverless v2$0.12/hour
    • Auto-scaling
    • Pay per ACU
    • Instant scaling
  • Provisioned$29/month
    • Dedicated instances
    • Predictable performance
    • Reserved capacity

MicroStrategy

$600/month
  • Cloud$600/month
    • Full BI Platform
    • Mobile Apps
    • Cloud Deployment
  • EnterpriseFree
    • On-premise
    • Advanced Security
    • Custom SLA

Which should you pick?

Choose Amazon Aurora if

  • You need mysql/postgresql compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS Cloud.
  • You also want 5x mysql performance.
Amazon Aurora review

Choose MicroStrategy if

  • You need enterprise reporting.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want mobile analytics.
MicroStrategy review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon Aurora or MicroStrategy better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon Aurora starts at Free and MicroStrategy at $600/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon Aurora or MicroStrategy?
Amazon Aurora has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Amazon Aurora and $600/month for MicroStrategy.
Does Amazon Aurora or MicroStrategy run on more platforms?
Amazon Aurora runs on AWS Cloud. MicroStrategy runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Amazon Aurora for free?
Yes. Amazon Aurora has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MicroStrategy starts at $600/month.
What is Amazon Aurora best used for?
Amazon Aurora is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting. Of those, transaction processing and data storage are not what MicroStrategy is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon Aurora do that MicroStrategy cannot?
Amazon Aurora covers MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible, 5x MySQL Performance, Auto-scaling Storage, Global Database. MicroStrategy covers Enterprise Reporting, Mobile Analytics, HyperIntelligence, Federated Analytics. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amazon Aurora: Is Amazon Aurora compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL?

Yes, Amazon Aurora offers MySQL and PostgreSQL compatibility with full compatibility to their open-source counterparts, allowing you to migrate existing databases with standard tools.

Source
Amazon Aurora: What uptime SLA does Amazon Aurora provide?

Aurora is designed for up to 99.99% single-region uptime and 99.999% multi-region uptime with automatic failover.

Source
Amazon Aurora: How much does Amazon Aurora cost?

Aurora uses serverless, usage-based pricing where you pay only for consumed capacity. Typical pricing ranges from $50-70 per month for minimal setups to $400-600 per month for small production clusters.

Source
Amazon Aurora: Can Amazon Aurora scale automatically?

Yes, Aurora automatically scales to match workload demands without performance degradation, supporting both read and write scaling.

Source
Amazon Aurora: How many read replicas does Aurora support?

Aurora supports up to 15 low-latency read replicas for distributing read traffic across your application.

Source
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