Best Database Software in 2026
Updated
In short: MySQL is ranked #1 of 74 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Azure SQL Database and SQLite. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Azure SQL Database. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Google Cloud Bigtable at $0.03/mo.
Database software helps you store, organize, and query data, with different models and deployment choices to suit different workloads. Compared on database model, deployment options, SQL support, replication support, and vector search, the entries offer practical points to weigh against your needs. You can also check included storage, free-plan availability, and the paid-from price when considering capacity and cost. MySQL and SQLite are among the named options, alongside Amazon DynamoDB and PostgreSQL. Consider how you plan to work with your data and which listed capabilities matter for operating it.
74 database software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
25 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MySQLWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 8.1 | |
| 2 | Azure SQL DatabaseWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.1 | |
| 3 | SQLiteWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $12.50/mo | 8.1 | |
| 4 | Amazon DynamoDBWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.0 | |
| 5 | PostgreSQLWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 7.9 | |
| 6 | Amazon RDSWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 7.7 | |
| 7 | MariaDB ServerWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 7.7 | |
| 8 | FirestoreWeb · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 7.7 | |
| 9 | Apache CassandraWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 7.7 | |
| 10 | Amazon AuroraNo platforms listed | One bar | — | 0 of 6 | Free | 7.5 | |
| 11 | SingleStore HeliosWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $0.99/mo | 7.5 | |
| 12 | MarkLogicWeb · Windows · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 7.5 | |
| 13 | Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQLNo platforms listed | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | Free | 7.4 | |
| 14 | Neo4jSelf-hosted | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | $65/mo | 7.4 | |
| 15 | TiDB CloudWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 7.4 | |
| 16 | CockroachDB CloudWeb · Linux · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | $0.06/mo | 7.4 | |
| 17 | Teradata VantageCloudWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 7.4 | |
| 18 | InfluxDBWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 7.4 | |
| 19 | Apache DruidWeb · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 7.3 | |
| 20 | Google Cloud BigtableWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $0.03/mo | 7.2 | |
| 21 | Apache IoTDBWeb · Windows · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 7.2 | |
| 22 | InterSystems IRISWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 7.2 | |
| 23 | RavenDBWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 7.2 | |
| 24 | IBM Db2No platforms listed | One bar | — | 0 of 6 | $630/mo | 7.1 | |
| 25 | ExasolWeb · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $3.30/mo | 7.1 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which database software is ranked first on Freedom251?
MySQL is ranked #1 of 74 with a score of 8.1. Azure SQL Database is second and SQLite third.
How many of these have a free plan?
24 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Google Cloud Bigtable has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.03/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.