Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

MySQL VS Microsoft SQL Server

Compare MySQL VS Microsoft SQL Server and see what are their differences

MySQL logo MySQL

The world's most popular open source database

Microsoft SQL Server logo Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft Azure is an open, flexible, enterprise-grade cloud computing platform. Move faster, do more, and save money with IaaS + PaaS. Try for FREE.
  • MySQL Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-17
  • Microsoft SQL Server Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-17

MySQL features and specs

  • Reliability
    MySQL is known for its reliability and durability, making it a solid choice for many businesses' database management needs.
  • Performance
    It offers robust performance, handling large databases and complex queries efficiently.
  • Open Source
    MySQL is an open-source database, making it freely available under the GNU General Public License (GPL).
  • Scalability
    MySQL supports large-scale applications and can handle high volumes of transactions.
  • Community Support
    There is a large, active MySQL community that offers extensive resources, documentation, and support.
  • Cross-Platform
    MySQL is compatible with various operating systems like Windows, Linux, and macOS.
  • Integrations
    MySQL integrates well with numerous development frameworks, including LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Python/Perl).
  • Security
    MySQL offers various security features, such as user account management, password policies, and encrypted connections.
  • Cost
    The open-source nature of MySQL means that it can be very cost-effective, especially for small to medium-sized businesses.

Possible disadvantages of MySQL

  • Support
    While community support is plentiful, official support from Oracle can be quite expensive.
  • Complexity
    More advanced features and configurations can be complex and may require a steep learning curve for new users.
  • Scalability Limitations
    While MySQL is scalable, very high-scale applications may run into limitations compared to some newer database technologies.
  • Plug-in Storage Engines
    The use of plug-in storage engines like InnoDB or MyISAM can cause inconsistencies and complicate backups and recovery processes.
  • ACID Compliance
    Although MySQL supports ACID compliance, certain configurations or storage engines may not fully adhere to ACID properties, affecting transaction reliability.
  • Concurrent Writes
    Handling a high number of concurrent writes can be less efficient compared to some other database systems designed specifically for high concurrency.
  • Feature Set
    Some advanced features found in other SQL databases (e.g., full-text indexing, rich analytics) may be less robust or absent.
  • Vendor Dependency
    With Oracle now owning MySQL, there can be concerns about licensing changes or other forms of vendor lock-in.
  • Replication Complexities
    Setting up replication and ensuring data consistency across distributed systems can be complex and error-prone.

Microsoft SQL Server features and specs

  • Performance
    Microsoft SQL Server offers high performance and efficient database management capabilities, optimized for both OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) and OLAP (Online Analytical Processing).
  • Security Features
    SQL Server comes with advanced security features such as encryption, data masking, and advanced threat protection to ensure data integrity and privacy.
  • Scalability
    The server supports horizontal and vertical scaling to accommodate growing amounts of data and increasing number of users.
  • Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem
    Seamless integration with other Microsoft products such as Azure, Power BI, and Visual Studio, making it a versatile choice for businesses already using Microsoft services.
  • Ease of Use
    The server provides a user-friendly interface and helpful tools such as SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) for database maintenance and management.
  • Comprehensive Support
    Microsoft offers extensive support and documentation, along with a strong community that provides additional resources and insights.

Possible disadvantages of Microsoft SQL Server

  • Cost
    Licensing and operational costs can be high, especially for larger enterprises, making it a significant investment.
  • Complexity
    Initial setup and configuration can be complex, often requiring expert knowledge to deploy and maintain effectively.
  • Resource Intensive
    The server can be resource-heavy, requiring significant hardware and computational resources to run efficiently, especially for larger databases.
  • Limited Cross-Platform Support
    Although improvements have been made, SQL Server is primarily optimized for Windows environments, which can limit its use in cross-platform scenarios.
  • Proprietary Software
    Being a proprietary software solution, it lacks the flexibility and cost benefits that come with open-source alternatives.
  • Updates and Patches
    Frequent updates and patches can sometimes disrupt service, requiring periodic maintenance that could result in downtime.

MySQL videos

MySQL IN 10 MINUTES (2020) | Introduction to Databases, SQL, & MySQL

More videos:

  • Review - A Review of MySQL Open Source Software

Microsoft SQL Server videos

What is Microsoft SQL Server?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server)
Databases
77 77%
23% 23
Relational Databases
82 82%
18% 18
NoSQL Databases
65 65%
35% 35
Tool
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server

MySQL Reviews

MariaDB Vs MySQL In 2019: Compatibility, Performance, And Syntax
MySQL: MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS). Just like all other relational databases, MySQL uses tables, constraints, triggers, roles, stored procedures and views as the core components that you work with. A table consists of rows, and each row contains a same set of columns. MySQL uses primary keys to uniquely identify each row (a.k.a...
Source: blog.panoply.io
20+ MongoDB Alternatives You Should Know About
MySQL® is another feasible replacement. MySQL 5.7 and MySQL 8 have great support for JSON, and it continues to get better with every maintenance release. You can also consider MySQL Cluster for medium size sharded environments. You can also consider MariaDB and Percona Server for MySQL
Source: www.percona.com

Microsoft SQL Server Reviews

20 Best SQL Management Tools in 2020
It is a SQL management tool for analysing the differences in Microsoft SQL Server database structures. It allows comparing database objects like tables, columns, indexes, foreign keys, schemas, etc.
Source: www.guru99.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Microsoft SQL Server might be a bit more popular than MySQL. We know about 5 links to it since March 2021 and only 4 links to MySQL. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

MySQL mentions (4)

  • I have a recurring issue with a MySQL DB where I continually run out of disk space due to logs being filled. I've tried everything I can think of. Can anyone think of anything else I should try?
    So, I did a quick read through the mysql reference and found a bunch of flush related commands. I tried:. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • MMORPG design resources
    MySQL: Any SQL or DB knock-off, really... mysql.com - mariadb.org - sqlite.org. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Probably a syntax error
    15 years and five strokes ago. I was a Unix sysadmin. ALthough I was never an actual programmer, I did maintenance/light enhancement for the organization's website, in php. Now, as self-administered cognative therapy, I'm going back to it. This is an evil HR application that uses the mysql.com employees sample database. The module below enables the evil HR end user to generate a list of the oldest workers so... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • An absolute nightmare with mysql 8.0.25
    I always use the packages from mysql.com, that way I don't have to deal with strange configuration stuff along those lines, but anyway, I'm afraid I'm out of ideas. Surely someone else would have run in to the same issue here though. Source: almost 4 years ago

Microsoft SQL Server mentions (5)

  • Cloud provider comparison 2024: VM Performance / Price
    Azure is the #2 overall Cloud provider and, as expected, it's the best choice for most Microsoft/Windows-based solutions. That said, it does offer many types of Linux VMs, with quite similar abilities as AWS/GCP. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • Amdocs, NVIDIA and Microsoft Azure build custom LLMs for telcos
    Amdocs has partnered with NVIDIA and Microsoft Azure to build custom Large Language Models (LLMs) for the $1.7 trillion global telecoms industry. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Windows Azure: Microsoft's crown jewel
    You can utilise various tools on the platform to significantly improve your IT performance. Due to its flexibility, even official recommendations for Azure might need to be clarified and easier to comprehend. Simply put, Azure (formerly Windows Azure) is Microsoft's cloud computing operating system. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • From developer to (solutions) architect. A simple guide.
    This is not to say there aren't architects still working on premise in self managed environments, but if you're planning to join the forces, you probably want to have an idea of who are the 3 public cloud providers (AWS, Azure and GCP), and their offering and topology. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago
  • Can You Learn AWS (And Get Certified) With No Experience? e.g. No IT background or degree
    Right now, AWS couldn’t be a better choice. AWS has been for many years—and continues to be—the market leader between all the cloud platforms. Whilst the competitors like GCP and Azure are catching up, they’ve still not toppled AWS which continues to be, by far, the biggest cloud provider. - Source: dev.to / about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server, you can also consider the following products

PostgreSQL - PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational database system.

MongoDB - MongoDB (from "humongous") is a scalable, high-performance NoSQL database.

Microsoft SQL - Microsoft SQL is a best in class relational database management software that facilitates the database server to provide you a primary function to store and retrieve data.

SQLite - SQLite Home Page

Redis - Redis is an open source in-memory data structure project implementing a distributed, in-memory key-value database with optional durability.

Oracle DBaaS - See how Oracle Database 12c enables businesses to plug into the cloud and power the real-time enterprise.