Software · head to head
Carrd vs MySQL
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Carrd free tier strictly limited to 3 sites; any additional sites require upgrading to Pro; MySQL hot online backup is not in the free Community Server; MySQL Enterprise Backup is a paid Enterprise Edition component
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Carrd and MySQL actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Carrd
Nothing recorded that MySQL does not also cover.
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.
Carrd
- Indie makers and solopreneurs building personal portfolios or landing pagesnot MySQL
- Small business owners requiring minimal online presence at low costnot MySQL
- Link-in-bio alternatives for social media profiles and contact pagesnot MySQL
- Email capture pages for newsletters or lead magnetsnot MySQL
- Cost-conscious teams requiring a cheap website alternative to Webflow or Squarespacenot MySQL
MySQL
- Web application backendnot Carrd
- E-commerce platformsnot Carrd
- Content management systemsnot Carrd
- Data warehousingnot Carrd
- Business applicationsnot Carrd
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Carrd
- Free tier strictly limited to 3 sites; any additional sites require upgrading to Pro
- Pro plan includes Carrd branding removal but still lacks advanced features (e-commerce, multi-step funnels, complex forms)
- Single-page design only; does not support multi-page websites or complex site structures
- Limited template library compared to competitors like Leadpages or Unbounce
- Annual payment required for Pro tier; no monthly payment option
- No native A/B testing, analytics dashboard or conversion optimisation tools built-in
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
Carrd
Free- FreeFree
- 3 sites
- Responsive design
- Templates and blank pages
- Pro$19/year
- Unlimited sites
- Custom domain with SSL
- Contact forms
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 MySQL if
- You need acid compliance.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix.
- You also want sql support.
Questions people ask
- Is Carrd or MySQL better?
- Neither clearly leads. Carrd 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, Carrd or MySQL?
- Carrd starts at Free and MySQL at Free.
- Does Carrd or MySQL run on more platforms?
- Carrd runs on Web, Mobile. MySQL runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix.
- Can I use Carrd for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Carrd best used for?
- Carrd is most often used for indie makers and solopreneurs building personal portfolios or landing pages, small business owners requiring minimal online presence at low cost, link-in-bio alternatives for social media profiles and contact pages, email capture pages for newsletters or lead magnets. Of those, indie makers and solopreneurs building personal portfolios or landing pages and small business owners requiring minimal online presence at low cost are not what MySQL is typically brought in for.
- What can Carrd do that MySQL cannot?
- MySQL covers ACID compliance, SQL support, Multi-version concurrency control, Replication.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Carrd: How much does Carrd cost?
Carrd is free for up to 3 sites. The Pro plan costs $19/year and enables unlimited sites with custom domains, forms and integrations.
SourceCarrd: Can I use Carrd for e-commerce?
Carrd's Pro plan supports payment forms with Stripe integration, but it is not a full e-commerce platform. Single-product sales or payment collection is possible, but inventory management and complex product catalogs are not supported.
SourceCarrd: Can I create multi-page websites with Carrd?
No. Carrd is designed for single-page sites only. For multi-page websites, you would need to use a full website builder like Webflow or Squarespace.
Source