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Percona Review

Depends

Should I use Percona?

Enterprise-class open source database software, support and services for MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis and MariaDB. - percona.com

· 1 month ago

Buy if you run MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB at serious scale and need expert support without vendor lock-in. Skip if a managed cloud database or vanilla open source already covers you.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~30 public sources; most snippets truncated, so verified customer ratings are sparse.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

Open source software

ModelQuote-based
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Support subscriptions & servicesQuote-based

Best for

  • Teams running MySQL/Postgres/MongoDB at scale
  • Shops avoiding proprietary database lock-in
  • Orgs needing expert DBAs without full-time hires
  • Kubernetes shops using Percona operators

Not for

  • Small apps on managed cloud databases (RDS, Atlas)
  • Projects fine with default MySQL or Postgres
  • Buyers wanting published, self-serve pricing
  • Teams with no DBA staff to act on expert advice

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Everything beyond free software is quote-based; expect sales calls and opaque renewal costs.

high

PMM, your monitoring layer, had a critical privilege-escalation CVE; patch promptly.

medium

Self-managing Percona servers means your team owns emergency patching for upstream CVEs.

low

Percona has offered Amazon gift cards for reviews; weigh public ratings skeptically.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free open-source database software across MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MariaDB, Redis
  • Highly regarded in the DBA community for expertise
  • Broad portfolio: servers, PMM monitoring, operators, managed services
  • 20 years operating a services-led open source model
  • PMM's UI praised for making databases understandable

Cons

  • Quote-based pricing; no transparent self-serve tiers
  • Critical PMM privilege-escalation vulnerability (CVE-2025-26701)
  • 22 CVEs tracked across Percona products
  • Urgent 'Mongobleed' CVE required patching Percona's MongoDB server
  • Some users wouldn't choose it over vanilla MySQL

Sources & method

- 12 sources - Actively publishes advisories; 22 CVEs on record, including a critical PMM privilege escalation.

official x3review x5security x3news x1
  • CVE-2025-26701: PMM Server Privilege Escalation, Critical vulnerability in Percona Monitoring and Management server allowing privilege escalation.
  • Mongobleed (CVE-2025-14847), Urgent patch issued for Percona Server for MongoDB following upstream MongoDB vulnerability.
  • CVE-2026-9740 and CVE-2026-11933, Security advisories affecting Percona Server for MongoDB.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. Free core software; paid support is quote-based
  • Ease of use: 4/5. PMM UI praised, but DBA skill still required
  • Feature depth: 5/5. Five databases, monitoring, operators, managed services
  • Support quality: 4/5. Support is the core product; positive references
  • Security posture: 3/5. Prompt advisories, but 22 tracked CVEs
  • Quote-based Pricing model One listed price starts at $70
  • Yes Free software Percona Server for MySQL is free, open source
  • $37.3M Estimated ARR GetLatka estimate
  • 22 CVEs tracked OpenCVE vendor database

Pricing

Open source software

Free

  • Percona Server, PMM, operators, toolkit
  • Community support via forums

Support subscriptions & services

Quote-based

  • Comparison page cites pricing from $70
  • Tiered support subscriptions per Gartner listing

Security

Actively publishes advisories; 22 CVEs on record, including a critical PMM privilege escalation.

  • CVE-2025-26701: PMM Server Privilege EscalationCritical vulnerability in Percona Monitoring and Management server allowing privilege escalation.⁶
  • Mongobleed (CVE-2025-14847)Urgent patch issued for Percona Server for MongoDB following upstream MongoDB vulnerability.⁷
  • CVE-2026-9740 and CVE-2026-11933Security advisories affecting Percona Server for MongoDB.

What users say

user feedback is thin but leans positive on expertise and PMM usability, with occasional pushback on choosing Percona over vanilla databases.

“It has good UI to understand databa…”
G2 review, PMM
“Percona is highly regarded for…”
Reddit, r/aws
“I wouldn't choos…”
Reddit, r/mysql

Alternatives

Compare Percona with each alternative.

  • Amazon RDS / Aurora

    Managed MySQL/Postgres without hiring DBAs

  • MongoDB Atlas

    Fully managed MongoDB if open source control isn't required

  • Vanilla MySQL / PostgreSQL

    Free community editions if you don't need performance tuning

  • Severalnines ClusterControl

    Alternative open-source database ops and monitoring platform

Companies that use it

Full analysis

Based on ~30 public sources; most snippets truncated, so verified customer ratings are sparse.

World-class open-source database support — essential at scale, overkill if managed cloud or vanilla MySQL works for you.

Methodology

Based on ~30 public sources; most snippets truncated, so verified customer ratings are sparse.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. Open Source Database Software, Support and Services - Perconapercona.com
    official
  2. Percona Server Reviews - G2g2.com
    review
  3. PMM Reviews - G2g2.com
    review
  4. Percona Server Pricing - Vendrvendr.com
    review
  5. Percona Revenue 2025 - GetLatkagetlatka.com
    news
  6. CVE-2025-26701: PMM Privilege Escalation - SentinelOnesentinelone.com
    security
  7. Mongobleed Patch Advisory - Perconapercona.com
    security
  8. Percona CVEs - OpenCVEapp.opencve.io
    security
  9. Any experience with Percona? - Reddit r/awsreddit.com
    review
  10. MySQL vs Percona - Reddit r/mysqlreddit.com
    review
  11. Wattpad Case Study - Perconapercona.com
    official
  12. Percona at 20 - Percona Blogpercona.com
    official

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