MySQL
MySQL is an open-source relational database management system owned by Oracle Corporation, serving developers and enterprises with web, cloud, mobile, and embedded applications through Community, Standard, Enterprise, NDB Cluster, and HeatWave cloud editions, including integrated AI/ML capabilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersCupertino, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What MySQL does
MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) founded in 1995 in Sweden by Michael Widenius, David Axmark, and Allan Larsson. It provides ACID-compliant transaction processing via the InnoDB storage engine and forms a foundational layer of the LAMP web stack, serving developers and enterprises building scalable web, cloud, mobile, and embedded applications. The platform has been under Oracle Corporation ownership since 2010, following Oracle's $7.4 billion acquisition of Sun Microsystems, and operates as a product line within Oracle rather than as an independent reporting entity.
The product portfolio spans the free GPL-licensed MySQL Community Edition, MySQL Standard Edition for scalable OLTP, MySQL Enterprise Edition with advanced security (Transparent Data Encryption, Firewall, Masking, Audit), backup, and scalability features, MySQL Classic Edition for ISV/OEM embedding, MySQL NDB Cluster CGE for distributed 99.999% availability deployments, and MySQL HeatWave as a fully managed cloud database service on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and AWS with integrated in-database AI/ML capabilities including AutoML, in-database LLMs, vector store for retrieval-augmented generation, and natural language to SQL conversion. Supporting tools include MySQL Workbench, MySQL Shell with Python and JavaScript modes, MySQL Router, and a broad connector ecosystem. Notable technical components include MySQL InnoDB Cluster for high availability, MySQL Enterprise Backup for point-in-time recovery, the 9.x LIBRARY feature for in-database JavaScript and WebAssembly reuse, and vector search support added in 9.4/9.6.
MySQL generates revenue through annual subscriptions for Enterprise, Standard, NDB Cluster, and HeatWave editions, perpetual licensing for Classic Edition embedded deployments, Oracle Premier Support contracts, and paid MySQL Training and Certification programs. Go-to-market combines Oracle's global enterprise field sales organization covering 30+ countries, the Oracle Partner Network with zero-barrier 1-Click reselling, Oracle Store e-commerce, direct OEM/ISV licensing for 2,000+ embedded partners, and free Community Edition downloads that fuel a developer-led adoption funnel. Customers span technology (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Uber, Airbnb, GitHub, Shopify, LinkedIn, Pinterest), financial services (Toss Bank, Bank Leumi, BSE Mumbai Stock Exchange, RBL Bank), telecommunications (KDDI), media (BBC, Sony), and large-scale financial infrastructure (Union Mobile Financial Technology serving 530 million+ users, PT Pegadaian serving 24 million+ customers across 4,086 outlets). In 2026, Oracle announced a strategic reset moving select commercial features into the Community Edition, publishing a public development roadmap, and launching MySQL 9.7 LTS with the MySQL Server REST Service and Hypergraph optimizer as part of the platform's 30th anniversary positioning.
MySQL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MySQL
- Legal name
- Oracle Corporation
- Website
- http://www.mysql.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- MySQL is an open-source relational database management system owned by Oracle Corporation, serving developers and enterprises with web, cloud, mobile, and embedded applications through Community, Standard, Enterprise, NDB Cluster, and HeatWave cloud editions, including integrated AI/ML capabilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MySQL industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Open-Source Relational Database
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS) (HDAEAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) Platforms (HDAEAAAN), Database Tools & Ecosystem (Replication, Backup/Recovery, HA/DR, Monitoring) (HDAEAAAO), Managed Databases (Relational/NoSQL/In-Memory DBaaS) (HDABAAAE), Database Administration & Data Engineering (RDBMS/NoSQL, ETL/ELT, Pipelines) (EDABAFAI)
Keywords
Where MySQL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cupertino
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
MySQL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- MySQL Enterprise Edition Subscriptions: Annual subscription model for MySQL Enterprise Edition including licenses, support, and maintenance. Tiered licensing based on server sockets or cores. Available through Oracle Store or channel partners.
- MySQL HeatWave Cloud Service: Cloud database service subscription on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and AWS. Pay-as-you-go or subscription pricing for fully managed MySQL HeatWave.
- MySQL Embedded (OEM/ISV) Licensing: Commercial license for embedding MySQL in commercial products (Classic Edition, Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, or NDB Cluster CGE). License for perpetual use with optional Premier Support.
- MySQL Community Edition: Free open-source distribution under GNU GPL. No direct revenue, but drives ecosystem adoption and creates path to commercial upgrades.
- MySQL Training and Certification: Instructor-led training, virtual classes, self-paced courses, and MySQL Learning Subscription. Certification exams and value packages with free retakes.
- Oracle Premier Support for MySQL: 24x7 technical support with unlimited incidents, knowledge base access, and maintenance releases. Part of Oracle Lifetime Support policy with Premier (Years 1-5), Extended (Years 6-8), and Sustain (Years 9+) options.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | MySQL Community Edition - Free open-source database |
| One time/ perpetual license | One-time | MySQL Classic Edition - For ISV/OEM embedding |
| Subscription | Annual | MySQL Standard Edition - Core enterprise features |
| Subscription | Annual | MySQL Enterprise Edition - Full feature set |
| Subscription | Annual | MySQL NDB Cluster CGE - Carrier-grade clustering |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | MySQL HeatWave on OCI/AWS - Cloud database service |
| Subscription | Annual | MySQL Learning Subscription - Digital learning subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Oracle Premier Support for MySQL |
Go-to-market motion5 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels10 records
MySQL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MySQL provides an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) under the GPL, alongside commercial editions (Enterprise, Standard, Classic, NDB Cluster CGE) sold through Oracle. It delivers a fully managed cloud database service (MySQL HeatWave) on OCI and AWS, integrated AI/ML capabilities via MySQL AI, and embedded OEM/ISV licensing for over 2,000 third-party products. Support, training, certification, and a broad connector/tool ecosystem (Workbench, Shell, Router) round out the platform.
Product overview
MySQL is a comprehensive database platform consisting of both open-source and commercial offerings. The core MySQL Community Edition provides the free, open-source database licensed under GPL. The commercial portfolio includes MySQL Enterprise Edition as the flagship enterprise product with advanced security, backup, scalability, and management features; MySQL Standard Edition for scalable OLTP applications; MySQL Classic Edition for embedded read-intensive use cases; and MySQL NDB Cluster CGE for distributed real-time high-availability deployments. The MySQL HeatWave cloud service (available on OCI and AWS) extends the platform with integrated transaction processing, analytics, and machine learning capabilities. MySQL AI provides automated ML and generative AI capabilities including AutoML, in-database LLMs, vector store for RAG, and natural language to SQL conversion. The ecosystem includes MySQL Workbench for visual database administration, MySQL Shell for command-line interface, MySQL Router for connection routing, and MySQL Connectors for application development across multiple languages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MySQL HeatWave: A fully managed OLTP MySQL cloud service built on MySQL Enterprise Edition with integrated generative AI and machine learning capabilities for transactions and lakehouse scale analytics.
- MySQL AI
- MySQL Enterprise Edition
- MySQL Standard Edition
- MySQL Classic Edition
- MySQL NDB Cluster CGE
Products and services
- MySQL HeatWave
Quantifiable outcome
- BSE Mumbai Stock Exchange meets 900% trading growth by scaling with MySQL Enterprise Edition
- +9 more outcomes
Companies that use MySQL
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
MySQL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability10 records
Feature14 records
MySQL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Oracle Partner NetworkcoreOracle Partner Network provides MySQL channel partners including resellers, ISVs, and OEMs. Partners can resell MySQL Standard and Enterprise Edition through Oracle 1-Click Ordering process with zero barriers, no accreditations, and no program fees. Partners can sell 1, 2, or 3-year subscriptions.
- Oracle 1-Click ProgramcoreValue Added Distributors (VADs) can resell MySQL through Oracle 1-Click Ordering process. Enables rapid partner onboarding with zero barriers to reselling MySQL subscriptions.
- MySQL and HeatWave ISV Catalog PartnersminorMySQL and HeatWave ISV Catalog enables ISVs and OEMs to join the ecosystem, get listed in the catalog, and gain visibility for their MySQL-based solutions.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
MySQL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Google Cloud SQL for MySQL: Google Cloud's managed MySQL service. Direct competition to HeatWave MySQL on OCI and a deployment option for MySQL users on Google Cloud Platform.
- PostgreSQL: Open-source relational database widely considered MySQL's primary open-source competitor. Comparable RDBMS offering with strong developer mindshare, making it the most direct substitute for MySQL in new application development.
- MariaDB: Open-source RDBMS created by MySQL's original founder as a community fork after Oracle's acquisition. Offers MySQL wire-compatible protocol and is the most direct derivative competitor targeting former MySQL users.
- Microsoft SQL Server: Commercial RDBMS directly competing with MySQL Enterprise Edition for enterprise OLTP workloads. MySQL positions itself as up to 90% cheaper for embedded deployments compared to SQL Server.
- Amazon Aurora (MySQL-compatible): Cloud-native MySQL-compatible database from AWS offering managed relational performance at scale. Direct competition to HeatWave in the cloud DBaaS market.
Emerging players
- CockroachDB: Distributed SQL (NewSQL) database offering PostgreSQL compatibility with horizontal scalability. Emerging direct competition to MySQL's NDB Cluster CGE and cloud-native database aspirations.
- MongoDB: Leading document NoSQL database competing in modern application workloads where MySQL also has JSON and document store capabilities. Indirect overlap in web-scale application use cases.
- SQLite: Embedded SQL database engine widely used in mobile and embedded applications. Partial overlap with MySQL Classic Edition in embedded/OEM scenarios with limited administration requirements.
Broad incumbents
- Oracle Database: Oracle's flagship commercial RDBMS, now the parent product of MySQL. Competes at the high end of enterprise database market while MySQL targets broader web/cloud/embedded segments.
- Snowflake: Cloud data platform with independent storage and compute architecture. Competes with HeatWave's analytics and lakehouse capabilities for cloud analytics workloads.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MySQL social profiles
Digital presenceMySQL compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
MySQL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MySQL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
MySQL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors13 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MySQL M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MySQL
What does MySQL do?
MySQL provides an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) under the GPL, alongside commercial editions (Enterprise, Standard, Classic, NDB Cluster CGE) sold through Oracle. It delivers a fully managed cloud database service (MySQL HeatWave) on OCI and AWS, integrated AI/ML capabilities via MySQL AI, and embedded OEM/ISV licensing for over 2,000 third-party products. Support, training, certification, and a broad connector/tool ecosystem (Workbench, Shell, Router) round out the platform.
Is MySQL a public or private company?
MySQL is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was MySQL founded?
MySQL was founded in 1995. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is MySQL based?
MySQL is headquartered in Cupertino, United States, in the North America region.
How does MySQL make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. MySQL Enterprise Edition Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are mySQL HeatWave Cloud Service, mySQL Embedded (OEM/ISV) Licensing, mySQL Community Edition, mySQL Training and Certification and oracle Premier Support for MySQL.
Who are MySQL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Google Cloud SQL for MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Microsoft SQL Server and Amazon Aurora (MySQL-compatible). Emerging players are CockroachDB, MongoDB and SQLite. Broad incumbents are Oracle Database and Snowflake.
Does MySQL have an API?
Yes. MySQL Server REST Service enables developers to interact with MySQL databases via REST APIs. The service allows building RESTful applications and is part of MySQL 9.7 LTS features. MySQL Shell provides multi-language API supporting Python, JavaScript, and SQL modes for database administration, development, and scripting. The product also offers MySQL Connectors for various programming languages to enable application connectivity.
What industry is MySQL in?
MySQL's product category is Open-Source Relational Database. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEAAAA, Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS), with a secondary code of HDAEAAAN, Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) Platforms. Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 7372.