Facts read 24 Sep 2026 – 19 Oct 2026
SQL databases store and query structured information for applications and services. This list helps you compare products by pricing, deployment, SQL standard support, storage, service guarantees, replication and backups.
| 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. | 6.6 | $2,000 one-time | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 19 Oct 2026 |
| 02 SingleStore Helios | Helios suits teams that need a cloud database for transactional and analytical work, with multiple data models or AI workloads. | 6.0 | Free plan | Free plan | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 03 HSQLDB | HSQLDB suits developers and organizations looking for a self-hosted Java relational database with embedded or server deployment. | 5.8 | Free plan | Free plan | Windows, Mac, Linux, API | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 04 IBM Db2 | 5.8 | $630 a month | Free plan | Web, Windows, Linux, API | 8 Oct 2026 | |
| 05 MySQL | 5.7 | Free plan | Free plan | Windows, Mac, Linux, API | 28 Sep 2026 | |
| 06 TiDB Cloud | It suits teams needing a managed MySQL-compatible database for transactional and analytical workloads. | 5.7 | Free plan | Free plan | Web, Linux, API, Self-hosted | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 07 CockroachDB Cloud | CockroachDB Cloud suits teams building relational database workloads that need managed operations across regions or cloud providers. | 5.6 | $0.60 a month | Free plan | Web, Linux, API | 30 Sep 2026 |
| 08 Microsoft SQL Server | SQL Server suits organizations and developers that need a database engine, data integration, or data virtualization. | 5.1 | Free plan | Free plan | Windows, Linux, API, Self-hosted | 11 Oct 2026 |
| 09 Firebird | Firebird suits developers and administrators needing a self-hosted relational database with SQL, monitoring, security, backup, and multiple deployment architectures. | 5.0 | €199 a month | Free plan | Windows, Mac, Linux, Self-hosted | 4 Oct 2026 |
| 10 H2 Database Engine | H2 suits developers who need a Java SQL database with embedded or server operation and standard SQL and JDBC support. | 4.9 | Free plan | Free plan | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux | 2 Oct 2026 |
The page is ordered by newest releases first, using figures published by the makers and no score. Products run on Linux, self-hosted systems, Windows, APIs, macOS or the web, depending on the product.
SQLite suits developers needing an embedded database, particularly for device-local data with low writer concurrency and less than a terabyte of content.
Helios suits teams that need a cloud database for transactional and analytical work, with multiple data models or AI workloads.
WebWindowsMac+3HSQLDB suits developers and organizations looking for a self-hosted Java relational database with embedded or server deployment.
WindowsMacLinux+2It suits teams needing a managed MySQL-compatible database for transactional and analytical workloads.
CockroachDB Cloud suits teams building relational database workloads that need managed operations across regions or cloud providers.
SQL Server suits organizations and developers that need a database engine, data integration, or data virtualization.
Firebird suits developers and administrators needing a self-hosted relational database with SQL, monitoring, security, backup, and multiple deployment architectures.
H2 suits developers who need a Java SQL database with embedded or server operation and standard SQL and JDBC support.
Zen suits developers and organizations building embedded or distributed applications that need local data processing and database access.
It suits developers and organizations seeking a self-hosted relational database for applications, analytics, transaction data, or embedded deployments.
PostgreSQL is suited to developers building applications and administrators focused on data integrity and fault-tolerant environments.
ALTIBASE may suit teams seeking a Linux-based database with in-memory, on-disk, or hybrid deployment and replication options.
AWS identifies enterprise applications, multi-tenant SaaS, and globally distributed applications as Aurora workloads.
CUBRID suits teams running their own database infrastructure on Windows or 64-bit Linux.
YBA suits teams operating YugabyteDB across on-premises infrastructure, public clouds or Kubernetes.
Look for a free plan, open-source code or a free trial if you want to evaluate a product before paying. Pricing models on the list include free, freemium and paid.
Check the paid-from figure and billing terms where they are published. Actian Zen lists $417 per month with annual billing, while IBM Db2 lists $630 per month; Actian Ingres lists pricing on request.
Choose a product that fits the way you run software. Deployment options on the list include Linux, self-hosted, Windows, API, macOS and web access.
Confirm that the product's supported platform matches your operating system, hosting plan or integration path before you commit.
Compare SQL standard support when compatibility with existing queries or applications matters. Review included storage to understand what comes with the listed plan.
A product with open-source code may suit a project that needs to inspect or modify its database software. Check the licence before use.
Availability SLA information shows the service commitment published for a product. Compare it with your uptime needs.
Replication options and managed backups affect how you protect data and recover from failures. Check which choices are included with the plan you would use.
