MariaDB is the open-source MySQL fork used widely across Linux distros. See its history, features, pricing, and how it compares to MySQL and Postgres.
Category
Databases
Pricing
Open Source (free Community Server), with paid Enterprise and cloud offerings, from Free (Community Server)
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
Founded
2009
Headquarters
Espoo, Finland (MariaDB plc)
Open SourceSelf-Hosted
Overview
MariaDB is an open-source relational database forked from MySQL in 2009 by MySQL's original creators, including Michael 'Monty' Widenius, following Oracle's acquisition of Sun Microsystems. It was designed to remain free and community-governed under the GNU General Public License.
The project is governed by a nonprofit MariaDB Foundation formed in 2012, alongside a commercial entity, now MariaDB plc, that sells enterprise products, support, and cloud services built on the open-source core.
Key Features
MariaDB is a drop-in replacement for MySQL, supporting most of the same SQL syntax, drivers, and applications, while adding a pluggable storage engine architecture that lets users pick engines suited to different workloads.
The broader product family includes MariaDB Enterprise Server for production hardening, MariaDB ColumnStore for analytics, MariaDB Xpand for distributed SQL at scale, and SkySQL, a managed cloud database-as-a-service with serverless auto-scaling.
Pricing
The MariaDB Community Server is completely free to download, run, and modify under its open-source license, with no cost for self-hosted use.
MariaDB Enterprise Server and support subscriptions are priced commercially for organizations needing hardened releases and vendor support, while SkySQL and Xpand are priced based on compute and resource usage in the cloud.
Key Features
MySQL compatibility — Drop-in replacement for MySQL, supporting most existing applications, drivers, and SQL syntax.
Pluggable storage engines — Choose different storage engines optimized for different workloads within the same database.
MariaDB Enterprise Server — Hardened, commercially supported release for production enterprise deployments.
MariaDB ColumnStore — Columnar storage engine built for analytical and reporting workloads.
MariaDB Xpand — Distributed SQL engine for horizontal scaling across nodes.
GPL open-source licensing — Free to use, modify, and redistribute under the GNU General Public License.
Foundation governance — Nonprofit MariaDB Foundation oversees the open-source project independently of commercial interests.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Completely free and open source for self-hosted use
Drop-in compatibility makes migration from MySQL straightforward for most workloads
Widely adopted as the default database in major Linux distributions
Additional storage engines and clustering options beyond stock MySQL
Enterprise support available without full vendor lock-in, thanks to foundation governance
Cons
Enterprise support and SkySQL pricing can be significant at larger scale
Some newer MySQL features have diverged or lag between the two projects
SkySQL's cloud footprint is smaller than AWS, GCP, or Azure managed database offerings
Requires DBA expertise to fully exploit storage engine and clustering options
Migration from MySQL still requires compatibility testing for edge cases
Pricing
Community Server Free N/A
MariaDB Enterprise Server Custom (subscription) Annual
SkySQL Usage-based Monthly
Xpand Custom Annual
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MariaDB free?
Yes, the Community Server is free and open source; paid options exist for enterprise support, hardened releases, and cloud hosting.
Is MariaDB compatible with MySQL?
Yes, it is designed as a drop-in replacement, supporting most MySQL applications, drivers, and SQL syntax.
Who governs MariaDB development?
The nonprofit MariaDB Foundation oversees the open-source project, while MariaDB plc develops commercial products and services around it.
What is SkySQL?
SkySQL is MariaDB's fully managed, serverless cloud database-as-a-service with automatic scaling.
What is the difference between the MariaDB Foundation and MariaDB Corporation?
The Foundation is a nonprofit that governs the open-source codebase, while MariaDB Corporation (now MariaDB plc) is the commercial entity selling enterprise products and support.
What are MariaDB's main competitors?
Its main competitors are MySQL, PostgreSQL, Percona Server, and managed cloud databases like Amazon Aurora and RDS.