- Flexible server is the only deployment option: Azure Database for MySQL Single Server reached its retirement date on 16 September 2024.
- Three compute tiers (Burstable, General Purpose, Memory Optimized) with storage, IOPS and backups priced separately; you can stop a server and pay only for storage while it is stopped.
- An Azure free account includes 12 months of a Burstable B1ms server (750 hours a month) with 32 GB of storage and 32 GB of backup storage.
- MySQL 5.7 leaves standard support on 30 September 2026 and moves to paid extended support; plan upgrades to 8.0 or 8.4.
What is Azure Database for MySQL?
Azure Database for MySQL (often searched as azure mysql or azure mysql flexible server) is a fully managed relational database service based on MySQL Community Edition, versions 5.7, 8.0 and 8.4. Microsoft handles automated patching of the hardware, operating system and database engine within a maintenance window you can schedule, automatic backups with point-in-time restore for up to 35 days, and optional high availability. You keep control of server parameters, compute size, storage and network design.
The deployment option is called flexible server. The earlier Single Server option has gone: Microsoft's lifecycle page gives its retirement date as 16 September 2024, with flexible server as the migration path. For hosting MySQL on Azure today, flexible server is the managed choice; the alternative is installing MySQL yourself on an Azure virtual machine.
Compute tiers, storage and IOPS
Microsoft describes three compute tiers. Burstable is best suited for low-cost development and low-concurrency workloads that do not need full compute capacity continuously. General Purpose and Memory Optimized are suited to production workloads that need high concurrency, scale and predictable performance. You can move between sizes as needs change, and storage grows online with the storage autogrow feature.
Storage is billed per GB provisioned. I/O can be handled two ways: provision IOPS above the complimentary amount (billed per IOPS per month), or use autoscale IOPS (shown on the pricing page as Paid IO), which scales IOPS with the workload and charges per million I/O operations actually used. Microsoft announced Premium SSD v2 storage for MySQL as a private preview in July 2026.
| Tier | Intended use | Example sizes |
|---|---|---|
| Burstable | Development, low-concurrency and intermittent workloads | B1s (1 vCore, 1 GiB) to B20ms (20 vCores, 80 GiB) |
| General Purpose | Most production workloads | D2ads v5 (2 vCores, 8 GiB) to D96ads v5 (96 vCores) |
| Memory Optimized | Memory-heavy production workloads | E-series sizes, for example the Eadsv5 series |
High availability, read replicas and backups
High availability keeps a standby replica that the service provisions and manages, with automatic failover. Two models are offered: zone-redundant HA, with the standby in a different availability zone (available in a subset of regions), and local-redundant HA, with both servers in the same zone, available in every region where flexible server runs. Microsoft states that with HA you pay for the provisioned compute and storage of both the primary and the standby.
For read scaling, a server can replicate to up to 10 read replicas, updated asynchronously with MySQL's binary log replication; each replica is billed for its own compute and storage. Data-in replication can also keep a flexible server in sync with an external MySQL server on-premises or in another cloud. Backups are automatic, kept for 1 to 35 days (7 by default) on locally redundant or geo-redundant storage, and backup storage up to 100% of provisioned storage is free.
How to set up Azure Database for MySQL
Microsoft's portal quickstart creates a server in these steps:
- In the Azure portal, search for Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Servers and select Create.
- Choose a subscription, resource group, a server name (3 to 63 lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens;
mysql.database.azure.comis appended), a region and the MySQL version. - Pick a workload type; for Development the default compute and storage are Burstable Standard_B1ms, 10 GiB, 100 IOPS and 7 days of backup retention.
- Leave high availability off for development, or choose zone-redundant or local-redundant HA for production.
- Set the authentication method and an admin user (names such as
root,adminandsaare not allowed), then configure networking.
For networking you choose private access (virtual network integration, connections over private IP addresses, reachable from on-premises through VPN or ExpressRoute) or public access with a public endpoint and firewall rules listing allowed IP ranges. Then connect with the mysql client, MySQL Workbench or another tool; see our MySQL GUI tools guide.
MySQL versions and extended support on Azure
Azure follows the community MySQL support timeline and adds a paid extended support period, billed per vCore hour. On the version policy page, MySQL 5.7 has Azure standard support until 30 September 2026, with extended support from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2029. MySQL 8.0 has standard support until 31 January 2027 and extended support from 1 February 2027 to 31 May 2029. If you run 5.7, extended support charges start this month (October 2026), so an upgrade to 8.0 or 8.4 is worth planning now. Azure Database Migration Service added support for migrating to MySQL 8.4 in June 2026.
Deciding between engines? See MySQL vs PostgreSQL and the Azure PostgreSQL equivalent of this page, Azure Database for PostgreSQL. If you need SQL Server rather than MySQL, start with Azure SQL Database.
Pricing
Prices from the provider's official pricing pages, checked 8 October 2026, region East US, in USD, excluding tax. List prices only; discounts, commitments and your actual usage change the bill.
Pay-as-you-go list prices for flexible server from the Azure Database for MySQL pricing page. Compute is charged per server (and again for a high availability standby or a read replica); storage and extra IOPS are charged separately; backup storage is free up to 100% of provisioned storage. When a server is stopped, the pricing page states you pay only for storage.
| Item | Size | List price |
|---|---|---|
| Burstable B1s | 1 vCore, 1 GiB | 6.205 USD per month |
| Burstable B1ms | 1 vCore, 2 GiB | 12.41 USD per month |
| Burstable B2s | 2 vCores, 4 GiB | 49.64 USD per month |
| General Purpose D2ads v5 | 2 vCores, 8 GiB | 124.83 USD per month |
| General Purpose D4ads v5 | 4 vCores, 16 GiB | 249.66 USD per month |
| Storage | Per GB provisioned | 0.115 USD per GB per month |
| Additional provisioned IOPS | Per IOPS above the complimentary amount | 0.05 USD per IOPS per month |
| Paid IO (Autoscale IOPS), LRS | Per million I/O operations | 0.20 USD |
| Backup storage beyond 100% of provisioned storage | Per GB (geo-redundant is 2x) | 0.095 USD per GB per month |
| Extended support (MySQL 5.7, then 8.0) | Per vCore | 0.07 USD per vCore-hour |
Small site on Burstable B1ms
- B1ms (1 vCore, 2 GiB) running all month, no high availability
- 20 GB of storage with its complimentary IOPS
- Backups within 100% of provisioned storage; excludes outbound data transfer and the free account offer
| Item | Basis | Estimated per month |
|---|---|---|
| Compute | 12.41 USD per month | 12.41 USD |
| Storage | 20 GB x 0.115 USD | 2.30 USD |
| Estimated total | 14.71 USD per month |
Production server on General Purpose D2ads v5 with high availability
- D2ads v5 (2 vCores, 8 GiB) primary plus a standby of the same size, running all month
- 128 GB of storage on each server
- Complimentary IOPS only; backups within 100% of provisioned storage; excludes read replicas, outbound data transfer and reservations
| Item | Basis | Estimated per month |
|---|---|---|
| Compute, primary and standby | 2 x 124.830 USD | 249.66 USD |
| Storage, primary and standby | 2 x 128 GB x 0.115 USD | 29.44 USD |
| Estimated total | 279.10 USD per month |
Worked examples are estimates calculated from the list prices above; they are not quotes or measured bills.
Frequently asked questions
Is Azure Database for MySQL free?
For 12 months on an Azure free account: Microsoft documents monthly limits of 750 hours of a Burstable Standard_B1ms server, 32 GB of storage and 32 GB of backup storage. After that, or outside a free account, normal prices apply.
Which MySQL versions does Azure support?
Flexible server is based on MySQL Community Edition 5.7, 8.0 and 8.4. MySQL 5.7 moved from standard to paid extended support on 1 October 2026, and 8.0 follows on 1 February 2027.
What happened to Azure Database for MySQL Single Server?
It was retired on 16 September 2024, according to the Microsoft Lifecycle page, with flexible server as the migration path. Microsoft announced in advance that remaining Single Server instances would be migrated to flexible server.
How much does Azure MySQL hosting cost?
The smallest Burstable server (B1s) listed at 6.205 USD per month in East US on 8 October 2026, and B1ms at 12.41 USD, plus storage at 0.115 USD per GB per month. A 2-vCore General Purpose server listed at 124.83 USD per month before storage and high availability.
Can I stop an Azure MySQL server to save money?
Yes. Flexible server can be stopped and started; while it is stopped you pay only for storage, according to Microsoft's pricing page.
Sources
- Microsoft Learn: What is Azure Database for MySQL flexible server?
- Microsoft Learn: Quickstart, create a flexible server in the Azure portal
- Microsoft Learn: Service tiers and storage
- Microsoft Learn: Azure Database for MySQL version support policy
- Microsoft Learn: What's new in Azure Database for MySQL (2026)
- Microsoft Lifecycle: Azure Database for MySQL Single Server
- Microsoft blog: Single Server retirement by 16 Sep 2024
- Azure Database for MySQL pricing
Checked 8 October 2026.
How we research cloud database guides: our editorial method. CodeWithSQL earns nothing from the providers mentioned.