Facts read 27 Sep 2026 – 21 Oct 2026
Database software stores, organizes and retrieves application data. This list helps buyers compare hosted services, self-hosted systems and developer-focused databases for a planned project.
| Name | In a line | Record score | Price from | Try it free | Runs on | Facts read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 SQLite | SQLite suits developers needing an embedded database, particularly for device-local data with low writer concurrency and less than a terabyte of content. | 8.7 | $2,000 one-time | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 19 Oct 2026 |
| 02 MySQL | Popular open-source database whose GPL Community Edition runs across many platforms. | 8.4 | Free plan | Free plan | Windows, Mac, Linux, API | 28 Sep 2026 |
| 03 Azure SQL Database | Cloud relational database service using SQL Server, with Microsoft handling operations in Azure. | 8.4 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 14 Oct 2026 |
| 04 SingleStore Helios | Cloud database service offered through APIs and self-hosted environments. | 7.9 | Free plan | Free plan | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 05 Amazon DynamoDB | Serverless distributed NoSQL database with automatic table scaling and key-based indexes. | 7.8 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 06 Firestore | Firestore suits developers building AI, web, or mobile applications that need a document database and client SDKs for Android, iOS, or web. | 7.8 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, API | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 07 Microsoft SQL Server | SQL Server suits organizations and developers that need a database engine, data integration, or data virtualization. | 7.6 | Free plan | Free plan | Windows, Linux, API, Self-hosted | 11 Oct 2026 |
| 08 Apache Cassandra | Free open-source database for distributed deployments on major desktop and server platforms. | 7.5 | Free plan | Free plan | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux | 14 Oct 2026 |
| 09 Amazon RDS | Amazon RDS suits teams that want a managed relational database with multiple engine choices. | 7.4 | Free plan | Free plan | Web, API, Self-hosted | 21 Oct 2026 |
| 10 Google Cloud SQL | Google Cloud SQL is a managed service for relational databases, accessible on the web and through APIs. | 7.4 | $0.04 usage-based | Free trial | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux | 29 Sep 2026 |
Compare the fields that affect fit: free plan, paid-from details, database model, deployment options, SQL support, included storage, vector search and replication support. The order is refreshed nightly, so entries can move.
SQLite suits developers needing an embedded database, particularly for device-local data with low writer concurrency and less than a terabyte of content.
Popular open-source database whose GPL Community Edition runs across many platforms.
WindowsMacLinux+2Cloud relational database service using SQL Server, with Microsoft handling operations in Azure.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+4Cloud database service offered through APIs and self-hosted environments.
WebWindowsMac+3Serverless distributed NoSQL database with automatic table scaling and key-based indexes.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+5Firestore suits developers building AI, web, or mobile applications that need a document database and client SDKs for Android, iOS, or web.
SQL Server suits organizations and developers that need a database engine, data integration, or data virtualization.
Free open-source database for distributed deployments on major desktop and server platforms.
Amazon RDS suits teams that want a managed relational database with multiple engine choices.
Google Cloud SQL is a managed service for relational databases, accessible on the web and through APIs.
Open-source SQL database for complex data, with JSON, XML, arrays and custom types.
It suits teams needing a managed MySQL-compatible database for transactional and analytical workloads.
IBM Db2 handles transactions, real-time analytics and vector queries on Linux, Windows and the web.
Spanner suits application teams needing distributed relational data with graph, search, analytics, and multi-region options.
CockroachDB Cloud is a database cloud service available through APIs, Linux and web environments.
InfluxDB 3 may suit teams handling timestamped data for industrial operations, observability, or AI applications.
AWS identifies enterprise applications, multi-tenant SaaS, and globally distributed applications as Aurora workloads.
Teradata VantageCloud is a platform for cloud analytics, accessible on the web and through APIs.
It suits developers and organizations seeking a self-hosted relational database for applications, analytics, transaction data, or embedded deployments.
Azure NoSQL database service that includes vector search support.
MarkLogic is a database platform available through APIs, web apps and self-hosted deployments.
Exasol is a database platform accessible on the web, through APIs, and on Linux, macOS and Windows.
Neo4j is a self-hosted graph database platform for working with connected data.
Self-hosted database platform with a no-cost trial of Oracle AI Database 26ai.
Check the Free plan, Paid from and Free trial fields before choosing a database. Azure SQL Database, Amazon DynamoDB, Firestore, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL show free-plan availability in their listings.
A free plan can help you begin without a paid commitment. A free trial can give a time-limited way to evaluate a paid service.
Review deployment options and platform coverage for the way you build and operate software. The list includes API, Linux, self-hosted, web, Windows and macOS availability.
Choose a self-hosted option when you need to run the database in your own environment. A web or API option may suit a service managed through online tools or code.
Use the Database model field to match the way your application stores data. A relational design may call for SQL support, while another project may need a different model.
Check SQL support directly in the comparison, then consider included storage and replication support for your expected workload.
Vector search can matter for applications that work with embeddings or similarity queries. Replication support can matter when copies of data must stay available across systems.
If open-source code or licensing matters, review the maker's licence terms before you commit.
