The Best Relational Databases in 2026
We researched relational databases through official vendor websites, including pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. Rankings focus on the core job of storing and querying structured data, value for money and verified features.
Our top picks
-
Top ranked
PostgreSQL#1 of 379.4/10A free, extensible relational database for production workloads and technical teams.
Free plan
-
Runner-up
MySQL#2 of 379.3/10A versatile open-source SQL database with replication, JSON, connectors, and failover.
Free plan
-
Top-ranked free plan
Oracle Database#3 of 379.2/10A mature enterprise database with unusually broad data-model and availability capabilities.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 37 tools, best first
-
Best forOpen-source production databases
A free, extensible relational database for production workloads and technical teams.
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
- High availability
9.4/10★★★★★Visit PostgreSQL -
Best forVersatile open-source SQL deployments
A versatile open-source SQL database with replication, JSON, connectors, and failover.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
9.3/10★★★★★Visit MySQL -
Best forEnterprise databases with broad capabilities
A mature enterprise database with unusually broad data-model and availability capabilities.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Oracle -
Best forMicrosoft-centered enterprise workloads
A broad Microsoft database platform for enterprise and hybrid deployments.
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
- High availability
9.1/10★★★★★Visit site -
Best forScalable managed PostgreSQL or MySQL
A managed AWS database for scalable PostgreSQL, MySQL, and distributed SQL workloads.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit AWS Aurora -
Best forLow-cost managed SQL Server
A low-cost managed SQL Server service with a free offer and Azure-native features.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Azure SQL -
Best forManaged databases in Google Cloud
A managed MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server service with strong Google Cloud integration.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- High availability
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Google Cloud -
Best forManaged multi-engine AWS databases
A managed AWS database service for teams needing engine choice and operational automation.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Amazon RDS -
Best forAutomated Oracle cloud databases
A strong fit for Oracle-centric teams seeking managed operations and built-in continuity.
- Managed service
- JSON data support
- High availability
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Oracle -
Best forEmbedded databases for applications
A free, serverless SQL engine for applications that need local, embedded storage.
- JSON data support
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit SQLite -
Best forOpen-source MySQL-compatible deployments
A self-hosted MySQL-compatible server with replication, clustering, JSON, and sharding options.
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
- High availability
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit MariaDB -
Best forSAP enterprise data workloads
A broad managed database for SAP workloads, with contact-sales pricing and no free plan.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit SAP HANA Cloud -
Best forAnalytics-oriented managed PostgreSQL
A managed PostgreSQL service for demanding transactional, analytical, and AI workloads.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Google Cloud -
Best forManaged PostgreSQL on Azure
A managed PostgreSQL service for Azure workloads needing availability, replicas, and private networking.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forManaged MySQL on Azure
A flexible managed MySQL service for applications built on Azure.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forLightweight open-source databases
A capable, free SQL database for teams comfortable managing their own deployments.
- Read replicas
- High availability
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Firebird -
Best forOpen-source databases with built-in HA
A self-hosted relational database with built-in replication, failover, and JSON support.
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
- High availability
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit CUBRID -
Best forHybrid-cloud enterprise Db2 deployments
A broad Db2 option for hybrid-cloud teams needing transactions, analytics, and availability.
- Managed service
- High availability
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit IBM Db2 -
Best forLow-cost managed PostgreSQL
A low-cost managed PostgreSQL service with a free plan and a $5 monthly entry tier.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Aiven -
Best forServerless PostgreSQL development
A flexible managed PostgreSQL platform for serverless apps and developer teams.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Neon -
Best forManaged PostgreSQL with predictable entry pricing
Managed PostgreSQL with high availability, recovery, and a $9 monthly entry plan.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit Crunchy Bridge -
Best forIntegrated enterprise data platforms
A broad enterprise platform for SQL, JSON, integration, analytics, and mission-critical applications.
- Managed service
- JSON data support
- High availability
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit InterSystems -
Best forOracle-compatible PostgreSQL deployments
A managed or self-managed PostgreSQL option for Oracle migrations and transactional workloads.
- Managed service
- High availability
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit EDB -
Best forLarge-scale enterprise data warehousing
A usage-based platform for large-scale warehousing, analytics, and decision support.
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Teradata -
Best forLegacy and embedded transactional systems
A dual-engine database for legacy, embedded, and transactional applications.
- High availability
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Actian Zen -
Best forSimple managed database hosting
Managed provisioning, backups, failover, and scaling from $15 per month.
- Managed service
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit DigitalOcean -
Best forEmbedded Java databases
A free, open-source relational database for Java applications and self-hosted workloads.
- JSON data support
- High availability
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit H2 Database -
Best forSQL-standard embedded databases
A free SQL-standard database for Java applications needing embedded or self-hosted operation.
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
- High availability
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit HSQLDB -
Best forCross-platform embedded relational apps
A versatile embedded SQL database for applications spanning desktop, mobile, and server deployments.
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit InterBase -
Best forLinux teams wanting a free PostgreSQL-style server
A self-hosted Linux database with standby reads, JSONB, partitioning and recovery tools.
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
- High availability
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit openGauss -
Best forHybrid in-memory and disk workloads
A flexible relational database for workloads spanning in-memory speed and disk persistence.
- JSON data support
- High availability
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit ALTIBASE -
Best forEmbedded edge and device databases
A cross-platform embedded database for real-time, edge, mobile, and IoT applications.
- JSON data support
- High availability
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit RaimaDB -
Best forWindows desktop relational applications
A capable Windows database builder for custom business apps, with limited deployment reach.
6.2/10★★★☆☆Try Microsoft Access -
Best forObject-oriented database applications
A specialized self-hosted database for applications that need object persistence and SQL.
- High availability
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit Matisse -
Best forApp deployment with managed Postgres
A deployment platform with managed Postgres, previews, rollbacks, and infrastructure as code.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit Render -
Best forApplication hosting with database add-ons
A strong application platform with database add-ons, not a database-first product.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit Heroku -
Best forSmall deployments needing clustered SQLite
Open-source SQLite clustering with Raft, HTTP/JSON access, replicas, and backups.
- Read replicas
- JSON data support
- High availability
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit rqlite
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment model | Managed service | High availability | Read replicas | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PostgreSQL | Yes | Free | Self_hosted | No | Yes | Yes | 9.4 |
| 2 | MySQL | Yes | Both | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.3 | |
| 3 | Oracle Database | Yes | Both | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 | |
| 4 | Microsoft SQL Server | Yes | Both | No | Yes | Yes | 9.1 | |
| 5 | Amazon Aurora | No | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 6 | Azure SQL Database | Yes | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 | |
| 7 | Google Cloud SQL | No | $0.04 usage-based | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.8 |
| 8 | Amazon RDS | No | Both | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.7 | |
| 9 | Oracle Autonomous AI Database | Yes | Both | Yes | Yes | 8.6 | ||
| 10 | SQLite | Yes | Free | Self_hosted | No | 8.5 | ||
| 11 | MariaDB Server | Yes | Free | Self_hosted | Yes | Yes | 8.4 | |
| 12 | SAP HANA Cloud | Yes | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.3 | |
| 13 | AlloyDB for PostgreSQL | No | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.2 | |
| 14 | Azure Database for PostgreSQL | No | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.1 | |
| 15 | Azure Database for MySQL | No | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 | |
| 16 | Firebird | Yes | Free | Self_hosted | Yes | Yes | 7.9 | |
| 17 | CUBRID | Yes | Free | Self_hosted | No | Yes | Yes | 7.8 |
| 18 | IBM Db2 | Yes | $630/mo | Both | Yes | Yes | 7.7 | |
| 19 | Aiven for PostgreSQL | Yes | $5/mo | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.6 |
| 20 | Neon | Yes | $0.11/unit usage-based | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.5 |
| 21 | Crunchy Bridge | No | $9/mo | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.4 |
| 22 | InterSystems IRIS | No | Both | Yes | Yes | 7.3 | ||
| 23 | EDB Postgres Advanced Server | No | Both | Yes | Yes | 7.2 | ||
| 24 | Teradata Database | No | $6 usage-based | 7.1 | ||||
| 25 | Actian Zen | No | Both | Yes | 7.0 | |||
| 26 | DigitalOcean Managed Databases | No | $15.15/mo | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.9 |
| 27 | H2 Database Engine | Yes | Free | Both | Yes | 6.8 | ||
| 28 | HSQLDB | Yes | $100/yr | Self_hosted | Yes | Yes | 6.7 | |
| 29 | InterBase | Yes | Self_hosted | 6.6 | ||||
| 30 | openGauss | Yes | Free | Self_hosted | No | Yes | Yes | 6.5 |
| 31 | ALTIBASE | No | Both | Yes | 6.4 | |||
| 32 | RaimaDB | No | Both | No | Yes | 6.3 | ||
| 33 | Microsoft Access | No | $10/user/mo | 6.2 | ||||
| 34 | Matisse | No | Self_hosted | Yes | 6.1 | |||
| 35 | Render | Yes | $25/mo | 6.0 | ||||
| 36 | Heroku | No | $5/unit/mo | 6.0 | ||||
| 37 | rqlite | Yes | Free | Self_hosted | No | Yes | Yes | 6.0 |
Head-to-head All 23 comparisons →
- PostgreSQL vs MySQL
- PostgreSQL vs Oracle Database
- PostgreSQL vs Microsoft SQL Server
- PostgreSQL vs Amazon Aurora
- PostgreSQL vs Azure SQL Database
- PostgreSQL vs Google Cloud SQL
- PostgreSQL vs Amazon RDS
- MySQL vs Amazon Aurora
- MySQL vs Azure SQL Database
Explore other topics All topics →
- AI Tools 303 directories · 8,267 tools ranked AI Writing Tools · AI Video Generators · Text-to-Speech Software
- Web Hosting & Domains 273 directories · 6,063 tools ranked Shared Web Hosting · Managed Cloud Hosting · Dedicated Server Hosting
- Productivity 156 directories · 4,890 tools ranked Note-Taking Apps · Calendar Apps · Project Management Software
- Marketing 133 directories · 3,904 tools ranked SEO Tools · Influencer Marketing Platforms · Email Marketing Software
- Sales & CRM 152 directories · 4,161 tools ranked Real Estate CRM Software · CRM Software · Proposal Software
- Customer Service 55 directories · 1,547 tools ranked Chatbot Builders · Knowledge Base Software · Call Center Software
How we rank relational databases
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update