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MySQL vs Oracle Cloud

MySQL logo

MySQL

Web Development

The world's most popular open source database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Oracle Cloud logo

Oracle Cloud

Cloud

Enterprise cloud computing services

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MySQL hot online backup is not in the free Community Server; MySQL Enterprise Backup is a paid Enterprise Edition component; Oracle Cloud the free trial gives US$300 of credit that expires when consumed or after 30 days, whichever comes first
  • They diverge on capability: MySQL covers ACID compliance, Oracle Cloud covers Autonomous Database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MySQL and Oracle Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where MySQL and Oracle Cloud differ
AttributeMySQLOracle Cloud
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, UnixLinux, Windows, Api, Cli
CategoryWeb DevelopmentCloud
Founded19952019

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 MySQL

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

Only in Oracle Cloud

  • Autonomous Database
  • Compute Instances
  • MySQL Database Service
  • Object Storage
  • Block Volume
  • Load Balancers
  • Virtual Cloud Network
  • API Gateway

What people use each for

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

MySQL

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

Oracle Cloud

  • Running virtual machines, databases and storage on Oracle's cloud infrastructurenot MySQL
  • Hosting Oracle Database workloads on infrastructure from the same vendornot MySQL

Where each one falls short

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

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

Oracle Cloud

  • The free trial gives US$300 of credit that expires when consumed or after 30 days, whichever comes first
  • The US$300 cloud credit is available only in select countries
  • Only one Oracle Cloud Free Trial or Always Free account is permitted per person
  • Accounts left idle for 30 days or more are eligible for suspension or termination as abandoned
  • Always Free NoSQL Database is restricted to the Phoenix region
  • Free Tier availability is subject to capacity limits, and the published per-service capacity figures are estimates that assume the entire credit is spent on that one service

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Oracle Cloud

Free
  • Always FreeFree
    • Oracle Autonomous Database
    • 2 compute instances
    • 100 GB storage
  • Pay-as-You-GoFree
    • Flexible pricing
    • No long-term commitment
    • Enterprise support

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.
MySQL review

Choose Oracle Cloud if

  • You need autonomous database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
  • You also want compute instances.
Oracle Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is MySQL or Oracle Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. MySQL starts at Free and Oracle Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MySQL or Oracle Cloud?
MySQL starts at Free and Oracle Cloud at Free.
Does MySQL or Oracle Cloud run on more platforms?
MySQL runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix. Oracle Cloud runs on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
Can I use MySQL for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is MySQL best used for?
MySQL is most often used for web application backend, e-commerce platforms, content management systems, data warehousing. Of those, web application backend and e-commerce platforms are not what Oracle Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can MySQL do that Oracle Cloud cannot?
MySQL covers ACID compliance, SQL support, Multi-version concurrency control, Replication. Oracle Cloud covers Autonomous Database, Compute Instances, MySQL Database Service, Object Storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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