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Paid plans start at $178.33/mo. There's also a free plan.
MySQL Community Edition is free under GPL, making it the starting point for teams that can manage their own database and meet the applicable licence terms. Paid server licences are priced annually by edition and socket count: Standard starts at $2,140 per server per year for 1–4 sockets. Enterprise and Cluster cost more, while Classic is sold through OEM/embedded licensing. Monthly list prices and usage-based rates are not published, so confirm terms with Oracle before budgeting.
01Every plan, line by line
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| MySQL Community Edition | $0 | $0 | Users needing free open-source MySQL |
| MySQL Standard Edition (1–4 sockets) | $178.33 | — | Production use on smaller servers |
| MySQL Standard Edition (5+ sockets) | $356.67 | — | Production use on larger servers |
| MySQL Enterprise Edition (1–4 sockets) | $445.83 | — | Organizations needing enterprise features |
| MySQL Enterprise Edition (5+ sockets) | $891.67 | — | Organizations with larger servers |
| MySQL Cluster Carrier Grade Edition (1–4 sockets) | $891.67 | — | Carrier-grade cluster deployments |
| MySQL Classic Edition | — | Quote | OEM and embedded licensing |
02What the plan grid doesn't tell you
Annual server licences
Paid prices are annual per server. Budget by the number of licensed servers, not a published monthly subscription.
Higher socket tier
Standard and Enterprise prices rise for 5+ socket servers. Check server configuration before estimating licence costs.
Community limits
Community Edition socket and seat limits are not published. Confirm applicable licence terms with Oracle before production use.
Self-hosting operations
A free licence does not remove the work of operating infrastructure. Budget for hosting and database administration if you self-manage.
03Which plan should you buy?
| If you are… | Get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Side project or evaluation | MySQL Community Edition | Free under GPL; check the applicable licence terms and the unpublished socket and seat limits. |
| Production on smaller servers | MySQL Standard Edition (1–4 sockets) | Costs $2,140 per server per year for a licensed 1–4-socket server. |
| Team needing enterprise support | MySQL Enterprise Edition (1–4 sockets) | Includes advanced features, management tools and technical support; list price is $5,350 per server per year. |
04Is MySQL worth the money?
MySQL is worth paying for when Enterprise features, management tools or technical support justify a per-server licence, or when Cluster Carrier Grade Edition fits a carrier-grade deployment. The Community Edition is the lower-cost route for projects that can operate the database themselves and whose licence terms fit. Costs are easier to estimate than usage-metered services because the published paid list prices are annual and server-based, but they jump with socket tier. Ask Oracle for unpublished terms, including Classic Edition and HeatWave pricing, before committing.
MySQL pricing FAQ
Is MySQL Community Edition free for Windows?
MySQL Community Edition is listed as free under GPL. Check the vendor's download and licence documentation for the Windows build and the terms that apply to your use. The pricing information does not publish socket or seat limits for Community Edition.
What is the starting price for paid MySQL?
The lowest published paid server licence is MySQL Standard Edition (1–4 sockets), at $2,140 per server per year. The pricing information gives annual list prices, not a monthly subscription rate. Confirm the licence scope and server socket count with Oracle.
How is MySQL Standard Edition priced?
Standard Edition is licensed per server. The listed annual price is $2,140 per server for 1–4 sockets and $4,280 for 5+ sockets. Monthly list prices are not published, so treat these as annual costs rather than assuming a monthly payment option.
Does MySQL Classic Edition have a published price?
No price is published for MySQL Classic Edition. It is available only through OEM/embedded licensing. Contact Oracle for a quote and confirm which licence applies to your product and distribution model.