ProxySQL vs ApsaraDB RDS Database Proxy

ProxySQL9.2Visit ApsaraDB RDS Database Proxy8.0Visit

Higher score ProxySQL #2 in Database Proxy Software 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit ProxySQL

vs

ApsaraDB RDS Database Proxy #12 in Database Proxy Software 8.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Alibaba Cloud

• ProxySQL fits best

  Free, mature MySQL/PostgreSQL proxying

• ApsaraDB RDS Database Proxy fits best

  Managed MySQL proxying on Alibaba Cloud

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.

Side by side

Feature	ProxySQL 9.2/10 Visit ↗	ApsaraDB RDS Database Proxy 8.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.0
Ranking	#2 in Database Proxy Software	#12 in Database Proxy Software
Best for	Free, mature MySQL/PostgreSQL proxying	Managed MySQL proxying on Alibaba Cloud
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free plan	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Self-hosted	Cloud
Platforms	Linux	Web
Support	Email, Community, Docs · 24/7	Live chat, Tickets, Docs · 24/7
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features ProxySQL 4/4 · ApsaraDB RDS Database Proxy 4/4
Connection pooling	✓	✓
Query routing	✓	✓
Load balancing	✓	✓
Automatic failover	✓	✓
Specs
Deployment model	Self-hosted	Managed
Supported databases	MySQL protocol, PostgreSQL protocol, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Percona Server for MySQL, ClickHouse	MySQL
Maximum connections	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Connection pooling, multiplexing, routing, and read/write splitting Failover, load balancing, caching, rewriting, and sharding support Prometheus metrics, REST API, and web administration included	Automatic read/write and transaction splitting Connection pooling with persistent connections during failover SSL endpoints with single-zone or dual-zone deployment
Cons	Self-hosted deployment requires your team to operate the software Commercial support, consulting, training, and managed services are quote-based Its feature breadth may be more than a simple proxy deployment needs	Designed specifically for Alibaba Cloud RDS for MySQL Dedicated proxies use pay-as-you-go pricing Does not cover databases outside MySQL
Our verdict	ProxySQL is an open-source, protocol-aware database proxy for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and compatible systems. It provides a single database endpoint while handling connection multiplexing, pooling, query routing, read/write splitting, load… Read the review →	ApsaraDB RDS Database Proxy is a managed network proxy for Alibaba Cloud RDS for MySQL. It sits between applications and database instances, forwarding requests through proxy endpoints. The service is suited to workloads with high… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• ProxySQL — where it wins

  • Connection pooling, multiplexing, routing, and read/write splitting
  • Failover, load balancing, caching, rewriting, and sharding support
  • Prometheus metrics, REST API, and web administration included

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-hosted deployment requires your team to operate the software
  • Commercial support, consulting, training, and managed services are quote-based
  • Its feature breadth may be more than a simple proxy deployment needs

• ApsaraDB RDS Database Proxy — where it wins

  • Automatic read/write and transaction splitting
  • Connection pooling with persistent connections during failover
  • SSL endpoints with single-zone or dual-zone deployment

  Where it doesn't

  • Designed specifically for Alibaba Cloud RDS for MySQL
  • Dedicated proxies use pay-as-you-go pricing
  • Does not cover databases outside MySQL

• ProxySQL9.2/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source proxy for routing, pooling, balancing, and managing database traffic.

  Visit ProxySQLFull verdict →
• ApsaraDB RDS Database Proxy8.0/10 · Free plan

  A focused managed proxy for MySQL workloads needing routing, pooling, and failover support.

  Visit Alibaba CloudFull verdict →