MariaDB vs MySQL: Compatibility and Differences (2026)

Quick verdict

Short answer

Choose MariaDB if you want a GPL server governed by a non-profit foundation, its extra storage engines, system-versioned tables, sequences and RETURNING, or Galera clustering, and your platform or Linux distribution already ships it. Choose MySQL if you depend on MySQL-specific features (binary JSON with the -> operators, Group Replication, the X protocol), on a managed service that offers only MySQL such as Google Cloud SQL or Azure, or on vendor support from Oracle. For an existing application, test on the target engine before switching in either direction.

How we know: This comparison is research-based: licences, release models, versions and compatibility differences were checked against mariadb.org, the MariaDB documentation (including its MariaDB versus MySQL compatibility pages), Oracle's MySQL documentation and download pages, and cloud provider pages in October 2026. We have not run performance tests, and nothing here is a benchmark.

MariaDB Server was created by the original MySQL developers, led by Michael "Monty" Widenius, as an enhanced, drop-in replacement for MySQL. The MariaDB Foundation, a non-profit, states that MariaDB Server will remain free and open source software licensed under GPLv2, independent of any commercial entity. MariaDB now releases a yearly long-term support (LTS) series with quarterly rolling releases in between: 12.3 is the current LTS (released 29 May 2026) and 13.0 is the newest stable rolling release (September 2026), which the Foundation says is not an LTS release. MariaDB plc separately sells MariaDB Enterprise Platform.

MySQL is developed by Oracle. The Community Server is available under GPLv2, and Oracle sells a commercial licence and paid editions such as MySQL Enterprise Edition. MySQL ships LTS releases (currently 8.4 and 9.7) that only receive fixes, and Innovation releases that add features; from July 2026 versions use calendar numbering, so the newest Innovation release is MySQL 26.7.

MariaDB's own documentation says that up to MariaDB 5.5 it worked as a drop-in replacement for the equivalent MySQL version, and that from MariaDB 10.0 it is usually still easy to upgrade from MySQL. The differences below are the ones most likely to affect an application or a migration.

Side by side

Aspect	MariaDB	MySQL
Licence	GPLv2; the MariaDB Foundation commits to keeping the server free and open source	Community Server under GPLv2; commercial licence and paid editions from Oracle
Governance	MariaDB Foundation (non-profit) plus MariaDB plc for enterprise products	Oracle
Release model (Oct 2026)	Yearly LTS (12.3) with quarterly rolling releases (13.0 stable, 13.1 RC)	LTS (8.4, 9.7) and Innovation (26.7, calendar versioning)
JSON	JSON is an alias for LONGTEXT with a JSON_VALID check; stored as text	Native JSON type stored in a binary format; supports -> and ->> operators
Replication and clustering	Own GTID format, not compatible with MySQL GTIDs; Galera cluster integration	MySQL GTIDs; Group Replication (not available in MariaDB)
Storage engines	InnoDB plus MariaDB-only engines such as Aria, ColumnStore, MyRocks, Spider, S3 and CONNECT	InnoDB plus MySQL engines
SQL extras	Sequences, system-versioned tables, RETURNING on INSERT and DELETE, Oracle compatibility mode	Features tied to MySQL, such as the X protocol and SET PERSIST
Managed cloud	Amazon RDS for MariaDB; Azure Database for MariaDB was retired on 19 September 2025	Amazon RDS and Aurora MySQL, Google Cloud SQL, Azure Database for MySQL, MySQL HeatWave
Main trade-off	Fewer managed cloud options; some MySQL features and tools assume MySQL	Single corporate owner; advanced backup, audit and security tooling is in paid Enterprise Edition

Key differences

Licensing and governance

Both servers are GPLv2 in their community form. The difference is ownership. MySQL is an Oracle product: Oracle sets the roadmap and sells a commercial licence for embedding MySQL in proprietary software, plus MySQL Enterprise Edition with Enterprise Backup, Transparent Data Encryption, Enterprise Audit and Enterprise Firewall. MariaDB Server is stewarded by the MariaDB Foundation, which describes its role as openness, adoption and continuity independent of commercial interests; MariaDB plc sells MariaDB Enterprise Platform (Enterprise Cluster, MaxScale, Enterprise Manager and other components) on a commercial basis.

JSON storage and operators

This is the difference most likely to break an application. MySQL stores JSON in a binary format and compares JSON values as JSON. MariaDB documents that its JSON type is an alias for LONGTEXT COLLATE utf8mb4_bin with an automatic JSON_VALID() check, that JSON strings are compared as normal strings, that row-based replication of JSON columns from MySQL to MariaDB does not work, and that MariaDB does not support MySQL's -> and ->> operators. Function calls work in both:

-- MySQL only
SELECT doc->>'$.name' AS name FROM customers;

-- MariaDB and MySQL
SELECT JSON_UNQUOTE(JSON_EXTRACT(doc, '$.name')) AS name FROM customers;

SQL syntax: mostly shared, with a few traps

Row limiting (LIMIT), auto-numbering (AUTO_INCREMENT) and string aggregation (GROUP_CONCAT) are written the same way in both. Upserts are where current syntax differs. MySQL's manual marks VALUES() in ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE as deprecated and recommends a row alias; MariaDB's documentation uses VALUES().

-- MySQL 8.4 and later (row alias)
INSERT INTO stock (sku, qty) VALUES ('A1', 5) AS new
ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE qty = new.qty;

-- MariaDB
INSERT INTO stock (sku, qty) VALUES ('A1', 5)
ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE qty = VALUES(qty);

MariaDB adds statements that MySQL does not have, including RETURNING on INSERT, DELETE and REPLACE, and sequences:

-- MariaDB only
INSERT INTO orders (total) VALUES (19.99) RETURNING id;

CREATE SEQUENCE invoice_seq START WITH 1000 INCREMENT BY 1;
SELECT NEXTVAL(invoice_seq);

If you need code that runs on both, stick to the shared subset and test on each engine. For SQL Server or PostgreSQL equivalents of these patterns, see MySQL vs SQL Server and MySQL vs PostgreSQL.

Replication, GTIDs and high availability

MariaDB documents that its GTID implementation is not compatible with MySQL's, so mixed MariaDB and MySQL replication generally needs position-based replication and careful testing. MySQL offers Group Replication, which MariaDB lists among MySQL features it does not have; MariaDB instead integrates Galera cluster. MariaDB 12.3 also changed a default that matters for upgrades: innodb_snapshot_isolation is ON, and the Foundation advises reviewing application compatibility before upgrading.

Managed services and tools

Amazon RDS offers both engines. Google Cloud SQL supports MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQL Server, not MariaDB. Microsoft retired Azure Database for MariaDB on 19 September 2025 and pointed customers to Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server. If you want a managed database on Google Cloud or Azure, that alone can decide the question in favour of MySQL.

For GUI tools, HeidiSQL and DBeaver list both MariaDB and MySQL support. MySQL Workbench is Oracle's tool for MySQL. See MySQL GUI tools for more options.

Pricing and licensing

MariaDB. MariaDB Server (community) is free under GPLv2. MariaDB Enterprise Platform is a commercial product; prices were not published on the product page checked, which directs buyers to sales.

MySQL. MySQL Community Server is free under GPLv2. Oracle did not list MySQL Enterprise Edition prices on the Enterprise Edition product page checked; it directs buyers to sales. A commercial licence is available from Oracle for OEMs, ISVs and VARs that distribute MySQL with proprietary software.

Managed services for either engine are billed by the cloud provider at its own rates.

Pricing checked on the vendors' official pages on 7 October 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.

Where each one leads

MariaDB strengths

GPLv2 server stewarded by a non-profit foundation committed to keeping it open source
Extra storage engines (Aria, ColumnStore, MyRocks, Spider, S3, CONNECT)
SQL extras: sequences, system-versioned tables, RETURNING and an Oracle compatibility mode
Galera cluster integration for multi-primary clustering
Available in the standard repositories of the major Linux distributions, according to mariadb.org

MySQL strengths

Native binary JSON with the -> and ->> operators
Group Replication and the X protocol, which MariaDB does not offer
Wider managed service choice, including Google Cloud SQL and Azure Database for MySQL
LTS releases follow Oracle's Lifetime Support Policy (5 years premier, 3 years extended)
Commercial support and Enterprise Edition tooling from the owner of the code

Limitations

MariaDB limitations

JSON is stored as text: no -> operators, string comparison semantics, and no row-based replication of MySQL JSON columns
GTIDs are not compatible with MySQL, which complicates mixed replication and migrations
Fewer managed options: not on Google Cloud SQL, and Azure Database for MariaDB has been retired
Rolling releases such as 13.0 receive no further bug-fix releases; production use usually means an LTS series

MySQL limitations

Owned and directed by one company, Oracle
Backup, audit, firewall and encryption tooling is reserved for paid Enterprise Edition
Innovation releases can change behaviour and are supported only until the next Innovation release
Lacks MariaDB features such as RETURNING, sequences and system-versioned tables

When to choose each

Choose MariaDB if

You want a foundation-governed GPL database and to avoid dependence on Oracle
You need a MariaDB-only engine such as ColumnStore, Spider or S3
You want RETURNING, sequences or system-versioned (temporal) tables
You plan to run Galera clustering
Your Linux distribution or hosting platform already standardises on MariaDB

Choose MySQL if

Your application uses MySQL JSON operators or relies on JSON comparison semantics
You need a managed service on Google Cloud or Azure
You want Group Replication based high availability from the same vendor as the server
You need Oracle commercial support or a commercial licence for embedding

When neither is right

You want a permissively licensed open source engine with richer SQL (MERGE, ON CONFLICT, jsonb indexing, extensions): consider PostgreSQL. See MySQL vs PostgreSQL.
You are building on Microsoft technology and want T-SQL and Microsoft tooling: see MySQL vs SQL Server.
You need an embedded database inside an application or device: see SQLite vs MySQL.

Final recommendation

Bottom line

For a new project with no existing dependency, either engine will serve typical web workloads; the deciding factors are practical. Pick MySQL if you need its JSON operators, Group Replication, or a managed service on Google Cloud or Azure. Pick MariaDB if you value foundation governance, need one of its extra engines or SQL features, or your platform already ships it, and run it on an LTS series in production. For an existing application, do not assume drop-in compatibility: MariaDB's own documentation lists JSON, GTID and authentication differences, so test the move with your real schema and queries.

Frequently asked questions

Is MariaDB still a drop-in replacement for MySQL?

Not fully. MariaDB documents that it was a drop-in replacement up to MariaDB 5.5, and that from 10.0 upgrading from MySQL is usually still easy. Current differences include JSON storage and operators, GTID format, some authentication plugins, and MySQL features MariaDB lacks such as Group Replication and the X protocol. Test your application before switching.

Are MariaDB and MySQL both free?

Yes, in their community forms: MariaDB Server and MySQL Community Server are both GPLv2. Both vendors also sell commercial offerings (MariaDB Enterprise Platform and MySQL Enterprise Edition) whose prices were not published on the product pages we checked.

Which MariaDB version should I use in production?

MariaDB now ships a yearly LTS series with quarterly rolling releases in between. The current LTS is 12.3 (May 2026). Rolling releases such as 13.0 deliver new features but, per MariaDB, do not receive further bug-fix releases, so LTS is the usual choice for production.

Can I replicate from MySQL to MariaDB?

Sometimes, with care. MariaDB documents that its GTIDs are not compatible with MySQL's and that row-based replication of MySQL JSON columns does not work, so plan for position-based replication, conversion of JSON columns, and testing.

Which is easier to learn?

Everyday SQL (SELECT, JOIN, LIMIT, AUTO_INCREMENT, GROUP_CONCAT) is the same in both, so skills transfer. Practise with our SQL exercises and check engine-specific syntax as you go.

Sources

Checked October 2026.

How we research comparisons: our editorial method.