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Databases · head to head

Amazon RDS vs MySQL

Amazon RDS logo

Amazon RDS

Databases

Set up, operate, and scale a relational database in the cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MySQL logo

MySQL

Web Development

The world's most popular open source database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Amazon RDS no super-user access or direct host connectivity limits advanced customization; MySQL hot online backup is not in the free Community Server; MySQL Enterprise Backup is a paid Enterprise Edition component
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon RDS covers Multiple DB Engines, MySQL covers ACID compliance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon RDS and MySQL actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon RDS and MySQL differ
AttributeAmazon RDSMySQL
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
PlatformsAWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-regionWindows, Macos, Linux, Unix
CategoryDatabasesWeb Development
Founded20061995

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 RDS

  • Multiple DB Engines
  • Automated Backups
  • Multi-AZ Deployment
  • Read Replicas
  • Encryption
  • Performance Insights
  • Automatic Scaling
  • MySQL

Only in MySQL

  • ACID compliance
  • SQL support
  • Multi-version concurrency control
  • Replication
  • Partitioning
  • Stored procedures
  • Triggers
  • Views

What people use each for

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

Amazon RDS

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

MySQL

  • Web application backendnot Amazon RDS
  • E-commerce platformsnot Amazon RDS
  • Content management systemsnot Amazon RDS
  • Data warehousingnot Amazon RDS
  • Business applicationsnot Amazon RDS

Where each one falls short

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

Amazon RDS

  • No super-user access or direct host connectivity limits advanced customization
  • Pricing unpredictable and expensive compared to GCP alternatives with equivalent features
  • Limited access to system procedures and tables requiring advanced permissions
  • No Oracle RAC (Real Application Clusters) support for high-availability Oracle deployments

MySQL

  • Hot online backup is not in the free Community Server; MySQL Enterprise Backup is a paid Enterprise Edition component
  • Transparent Data Encryption, data masking and de-identification are Enterprise Edition only
  • MySQL Enterprise Firewall, which guards against SQL injection, and MySQL Enterprise Audit are both paid components
  • External authentication against PAM or Windows Active Directory requires MySQL Enterprise Authentication
  • The thread pool ships as MySQL Enterprise Scalability rather than in the community build

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon RDS

Free
  • On-Demand Instances$undefined/per second
  • Reserved Instances$undefined/mo
  • Database Savings Plans$undefined/mo

MySQL

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Open source license
    • Full SQL support
    • InnoDB storage engine
  • Standard Edition$2000/year
    • Commercial license
    • Oracle Premier Support
    • MySQL Enterprise backup
  • Enterprise Edition$5000/year
    • Advanced security
    • MySQL Enterprise Monitor
    • High Availability

Which should you pick?

Choose Amazon RDS if

  • You need multiple db engines.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-region.
  • You also want automated backups.
Amazon RDS review

Choose MySQL if

  • You need acid compliance.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix.
  • You also want sql support.
MySQL review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon RDS or MySQL better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon RDS starts at Free and MySQL at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon RDS or MySQL?
Amazon RDS starts at Free and MySQL at Free.
Does Amazon RDS or MySQL run on more platforms?
Amazon RDS runs on AWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-region. MySQL runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix.
Can I use Amazon RDS for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Amazon RDS best used for?
Amazon RDS is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting. Of those, transaction processing and data storage are not what MySQL is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon RDS do that MySQL cannot?
Amazon RDS covers Multiple DB Engines, Automated Backups, Multi-AZ Deployment, Read Replicas. MySQL covers ACID compliance, SQL support, Multi-version concurrency control, Replication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amazon RDS: What is included in the AWS Free Tier for RDS?

For signups before July 15, 2025: 750 hours per month of single-AZ database instance usage (12 months), 20 GB General Purpose SSD storage monthly, 20 GB automated backup storage monthly, available engines include MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQL Server Express Edition. For signups after July 15, 2025: choice between Free Plan or Paid Plan, $100 in credits plus up to $100 additional credits for activating foundational services, credits valid 12 months. Free Tier unavailable in AWS GovCloud (US) and China (Beijing) regions.

Source
MySQL: Does MySQL cost money?

MySQL is primarily open-source and free to use. Commercial editions and support services are available but pricing is not published on the main website.

Source
Amazon RDS: How is data transfer priced in RDS?

Same Availability Zone (EC2 to RDS) is free. Multi-AZ replication is free. Cross-AZ within same region is 0.01 USD per GB in and out. Cross-region snapshots and backups follow standard data transfer charges.

Source
MySQL: How do I get MySQL pricing information?

For MySQL commercial editions and support pricing, customers can contact MySQL sales directly at +1-866-221-0634 or navigate to individual product pages.

Source
Amazon RDS: What database engines are supported by RDS?

Aurora, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Oracle, SQL Server, and IBM Db2. Pricing varies by engine.

Source
Amazon RDS: What cost components are included in RDS monthly pricing?

DB instance hours (billed in 1-second increments, 10-minute minimum), storage per GB per month, I/O requests (Aurora and magnetic storage only), provisioned IOPS per month, backup storage, and data transfer fees.

Source
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