Freedom251 › Database Proxy Software
ProxySQL
What ProxySQL is
ProxySQL is a self-hosted database proxy for MySQL and PostgreSQL protocols and related systems. It helps scale database infrastructure without requiring changes to an application stack or database engine. Connection multiplexing handles 100k+ client connections with a few hundred backend connections. Protocol-aware, regex-based routing can send queries to primary servers, replicas, or shards, and routing can also use the user, schema, or table. ProxySQL can cache query results at the proxy layer, monitor backend health, and reroute traffic during failures. Query mirroring sends live traffic to secondary host groups for analysis and performance testing; percentage-based load balancing can support gradual traffic shifts. A database firewall is intended to protect against SQL injection and runaway queries. It runs on Linux, with packages for several distributions and Docker and Kubernetes deployment options. The Community plan is free and includes core features and community support channels. Commercial support offerings include SLA-backed support and priority response.
Who it suits
ProxySQL suits teams running MySQL- or PostgreSQL-compatible databases that want connection pooling, query routing, caching, or failover in a self-hosted Linux deployment. Community users can use its free plan and community support channels; commercial offerings add support options.
What it does well
- Handles 100k+ client connections with a few hundred backend connections
- Routes queries to primaries, replicas, or shards
- Caches query results without application changes
- Monitors backend health and reroutes traffic during failures
- Community plan includes all core features
What to know first
- Self-hosted deployment requires a supported environment
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Community | Always open source · All ProxySQL Core Features · Community Support Channels · All supported platforms | Free |
| Enterprise | ProxySQL Express SLA · SLA Guarantees · Health Monitoring & Alerting · MySQL/Amazon RDS/Percona Support · Custom Feature Development | On request |
| Professional | 24x7x365 Support · Gold / Platinum Subscription · High Priority Bug Fixes · Architecture Solution Design · Web UI Administration | On request |
As proxysql.com lists them, read 30 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
ProxySQL combines connection multiplexing, routing, caching, and failure rerouting in a Linux-based database proxy. Its Community plan is free, while commercial support and features are offered through plans with no listed prices.
Facts from ProxySQL's own pages
- Availability
- ProxySQL monitors backend health and automatically reroutes traffic during failures. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Company origin
- The company page says René Cannaò released ProxySQL as a GPLv3-licensed open source project in 2013 and founded ProxySQL that year. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Connection multiplexing
- It handles 100k+ client connections with a few hundred backend connections. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Database compatibility
- The site lists MySQL and PostgreSQL protocol compatibility, including MySQL, MariaDB, Percona, Amazon RDS, Aurora, Google Cloud SQL, Azure Database, CockroachDB, YugabyteDB, Neon, Supabase, and Timescale. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Deployment
- The installation guide provides Linux distribution packages and describes Docker and Kubernetes deployment options. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Founded
- 2013 · proxysql.com, 23 Sept 2026
- Linux support
- Listed supported distributions include RedHat/CentOS, Amazon Linux, Debian, Ubuntu, AlmaLinux, and openSUSE Leap, with version qualifications on the installation page. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Query routing
- Protocol-aware, regex-based routing sends queries to primary servers, replicas, or shards. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Security
- The features page describes a database firewall intended to protect databases from SQL injection and runaway queries. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Sharding and caching
- It can route queries by user, schema, or table and cache query results at the proxy layer without application changes. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Support
- Commercial offerings include SLA-backed support, priority response, and dedicated account management; community users can use GitHub Discussions, Google Groups, and GitHub Issues. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Testing and rollout
- Query mirroring duplicates live traffic to secondary host groups for load analysis and performance testing, while percentage-based load balancing supports gradual traffic shifts. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
- What it does
- ProxySQL is a database proxy for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and their surrounding ecosystems that scales database infrastructure without changes to the application stack or database engine. · proxysql.com, 30 Sept 2026
Where ProxySQL stands on Freedom251
- Database Proxy Software#23 of 31