shouldiuse.io

Comparison

MySQL vs PostgreSQL

MySQL lands on Depends, and PostgreSQL lands on Worth it.

MySQL

mysql.com

Depends
Confidence: High

Buy it if you're a developer running a web app . the free Community Edition is battle-tested and cheap to grow with.

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PostgreSQL

postgresql.org

Worth it
Confidence: High

Buy if your team can write SQL and own database operations . it is free, powerful, and proven at massive scale.

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MySQL versus PostgreSQL
CompareMySQLPostgreSQL
VerdictDependsWorth it
Best forDevelopers building web appsEngineering teams with SQL skills
Who it's not forNon-technical teams that just need a contact listNon-technical teams that just need a shared spreadsheet
PrivacyActively maintained; recurring CVEs patched through Oracle Critical Patch Updates.⁷Mature and actively patched . but 2025-2026 brought real CVEs, including one exploited in the wild.15
Support qualityNo clear evidenceGuess: community support; paid via EDB, Percona
Public sentimentReviewers praise transactional performance and value, while critics cite performance/speed issues and some teams migrating to Postgres.¹Developers consistently praise Postgres as robust, fast, and the default relational choice; the friction is operations, not the engine.11
Biggest gotchaBest features sit behind Oracle's paid per-server Enterprise licensesCVE-2025-1094 saw real-world exploitation; patching discipline is mandatory.

Pick MySQL when

  • Developers building web apps
  • High-transaction backends
  • Cost-conscious teams wanting open source
  • Existing LAMP-stack shops

When MySQL is not a fit

  • Non-technical teams that just need a contact list
  • Small teams without a DBA or ops budget
  • Buyers wanting cutting-edge SQL features . Postgres fits better
  • One-person projects where a spreadsheet suffices

Pick PostgreSQL when

  • Engineering teams with SQL skills
  • High-growth apps needing serious scale
  • Companies fleeing Oracle license costs
  • Cost-conscious startups

When PostgreSQL is not a fit

  • Non-technical teams that just need a shared spreadsheet
  • Solo users tracking contacts or small lists
  • Companies with no DBA and no managed-hosting budget
  • Buyers expecting vendor SLA support out of the box

Sources

  1. MySQL Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features . G2g2.com
    review
  2. MySQL Reviews from Real Users . TrustRadiustrustradius.com
    review
  3. MySQL Software Reviews, Demo & Pricing . SoftwareAdvicesoftwareadvice.com
    review
  4. MySQL Licensing 2026: Editions and Real Costredresscompliance.com
    official
  5. MySQL Pricing Explained . Airbyteairbyte.com
    official
  6. MySQL CVE List . CVE Detailscvedetails.com
    security
  7. MySQL vulnerabilities CVE-2024-21247, CVE-2024-21209, CVE-2024-21231 . F5my.f5.com
    security
  8. Leaving MySQL . Reddit r/programmingreddit.com
    review
  9. What are the top 6 MySQL alternatives? . IONOSionos.com
    news
  10. MySQL Enterprise Customer Successesmysql.com
    official
  11. PostgreSQL Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features . G2g2.com
    review
  12. PostgreSQL Products | Read 682 Reviews on G2g2.com
    review
  13. Just use Postgres . r/programmingreddit.com
    review
  14. PostgreSQL Reviews, Pros and Cons . Software Advicesoftwareadvice.com
    review
  15. CVE-2025-1094: PostgreSQL psql SQL injection (FIXED) . Rapid7rapid7.com
    security
  16. 12-Year-Old PostgreSQL Vulnerability Enables Database Server Takeover . SecurityWeeksecurityweek.com
    security