MariaDB is an open-source Relational Databases solution from MariaDB Foundation. Compare it against 6 other Relational Databases tools on FreeSoftwareX — by features, licensing and price — and request a quote or demo free in 2026.
What is MariaDB?
MariaDB is open source — its source code is publicly available and free to use, modify and self-host, usually with an active community and no licensing fees. It is categorised under Relational Databases and published by MariaDB Foundation. Buyers typically evaluate MariaDB when they need a dependable Relational Databases option and want to weigh the trade-offs between free, open-source and paid tools before committing.
Yes. MariaDB is open source and free to use, with no purchase cost for the core product.
What are the best MariaDB alternatives?
Popular Relational Databases alternatives to MariaDB include IBM Db2, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle Database. See the full list of Relational Databases on FreeSoftwareX.