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MongoDB vs MySQL

MongoDB logo

MongoDB

Technology

The developer data platform

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: MongoDB 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects; MySQL hot online backup is not in the free Community Server; MySQL Enterprise Backup is a paid Enterprise Edition component
  • They diverge on capability: MongoDB covers Document model, MySQL covers ACID compliance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MongoDB and MySQL actually diverge.

Attributes where MongoDB and MySQL differ
AttributeMongoDBMySQL
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsCloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure)Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix
CategoryTechnologyWeb Development
Founded20071995

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 MongoDB

  • Document model
  • Distributed architecture
  • ACID transactions
  • Real-time analytics
  • Full-text search
  • Time series data
  • Geospatial queries
  • Aggregation framework

Only in MySQL

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

Both cover

  • Node.js
  • Python
  • Java
  • PHP

What people use each for

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

MongoDB

  • Mobile applicationsnot MySQL
  • Content managementnot MySQL
  • Real-time analyticsnot MySQL
  • IoT applicationsnot MySQL
  • Gaming backendsnot MySQL

MySQL

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

Where each one falls short

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

MongoDB

  • 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects
  • No native JOIN support for relational data operations
  • Higher memory usage due to storing field names with each document
  • Eventual consistency in distributed deployments can cause data stale reads

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

MongoDB

Free
  • M0Free
    • 512 MB storage
    • Learning and exploration
  • M2$9/month
    • 2 GB storage
    • Development and testing
  • M5$25/month
    • 5 GB storage
  • M10+$56.94/month
    • Dedicated clusters for production

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 MongoDB if

  • You need document model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
  • You also want distributed architecture.
MongoDB 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 MongoDB or MySQL better?
Neither clearly leads. MongoDB 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, MongoDB or MySQL?
MongoDB starts at Free and MySQL at Free.
Does MongoDB or MySQL run on more platforms?
MongoDB runs on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure). MySQL runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix.
Can I use MongoDB for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is MongoDB best used for?
MongoDB is most often used for mobile applications, content management, real-time analytics, iot applications. Of those, mobile applications and content management are not what MySQL is typically brought in for.
What can MongoDB do that MySQL cannot?
MongoDB covers Document model, Distributed architecture, ACID transactions, Real-time analytics. MySQL covers ACID compliance, SQL support, Multi-version concurrency control, Replication. Both handle Node.js, Python, Java, PHP.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MongoDB: Does MongoDB offer a free tier?

Yes. MongoDB Atlas offers an M0 free tier with 512 MB storage for learning and exploration, plus paid options starting at $9/month for M2 with 2 GB storage.

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
MongoDB: Can I self-host MongoDB?

Yes. You can run MongoDB Community Edition on your own servers, or use MongoDB Enterprise Advanced for self-managed production deployments with enterprise features.

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
MongoDB: What is the maximum document size in MongoDB?

Documents are limited to 16 MB. For documents exceeding this limit, you can use MongoDB's GridFS API to store files larger than the maximum size.

Source
MongoDB: Does MongoDB support ACID transactions?

Yes. MongoDB supports ACID transactions within a single document by default, and multi-document ACID transactions are available for replica sets and sharded clusters in MongoDB 4.0+.

Source
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