Comparison

MySQL vs SQLite

On the evidence we track, SQLite leads this comparison with a composite score of 61/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

MySQL full profile →SQLite full profile →

Machine formatsJSON Markdown GraphQLor send Accept: application/json

MySQL56

★SQLite61

Attribute comparison across 2 tools
Attribute	MySQL	SQLiteLeader
Vioscale score	56 / 100medium · 51%updating	61 / 100medium · 54%updating
Pricing
Free tierpricing.free_tier	✓	✓
Modelpricing.model	commercial	open_source
Price levelpricing.price_level	low	free
Transparentpricing.transparent	✗	✓
Security
Scorecardsecurity.scorecard	4.6	4.5
Vulnerabilitiessecurity.vulnerabilities	Count: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=homebrew&package_name=mysql&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0	Count: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=maven&package_name=com.fpliu.ndk.pkg.prefab.android.21%3Asqlite&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0
Adoption
Dependent reposadoption.dependent_repos	664	0
Github starsadoption.github_stars	12,407	10,346
Stackoverflow questionsadoption.stackoverflow_questions	230,000	40,000
Activity
Commits last 30dactivity.commits_last_30d	2	100
Release
Cadence daysrelease.cadence_days	90	60
License
Spdxlicense.spdx	GPL-2.0	blessing
Language
Primarylanguage.primary	C++	C
Market
Availabilitymarket.availability	Available worldwide	Available worldwide
Content
Faqcontent.faq	8 items	7 items

Score

Vioscale score

MySQL56 / 100medium · 51%updating

SQLite61 / 100medium · 54%updating

Pricing

Free tier

MySQL✓

SQLite✓

Model

MySQLcommercial

SQLiteopen_source

Price level

MySQLlow

SQLitefree

Transparent

MySQL✗

SQLite✓

Security

Scorecard

MySQL4.6

SQLite4.5

Vulnerabilities

MySQLCount: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=homebrew&package_name=mysql&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0

SQLiteCount: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=maven&package_name=com.fpliu.ndk.pkg.prefab.android.21%3Asqlite&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0

Adoption

Dependent repos

MySQL664

SQLite0

Github stars

MySQL12,407

SQLite10,346

Stackoverflow questions

MySQL230,000

SQLite40,000

Activity

Commits last 30d

MySQL2

SQLite100

Release

Cadence days

MySQL90

SQLite60

License

Spdx

MySQLGPL-2.0

SQLiteblessing

Language

Primary

MySQLC++

SQLiteC

Market

Availability

MySQLAvailable worldwide

SQLiteAvailable worldwide

Content

Faq

MySQL8 items

SQLite7 items

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for relational databases. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Capability comparison for Relational Databases
Capability	MySQL	SQLite
Core
SQL model	Full SQL	Full SQL
Transactions
ACID transactions	Full	Full
Highest isolation level	Serializable	-
Consistency
Consistency	Strong	Strong
Scale
Horizontal scale	Natively distributed	Single-node
Replication
Replication	Async	Async
Availability
Automatic failover / HA	✓	✗
Deployment
Deployment	Self-hosted	Embedded
Serverless / scale-to-zero	✓	✓
Compatibility
Wire compatibility	MySQL protocol	None
Extensibility
Extensions / plugins / UDFs	✓	✓
Licensing
Licence class	Copyleft	Permissive OSS
Data types
JSON / document support	✓	✓
Geo / spatial	-	Extension

Core

SQL model

MySQLFull SQL

SQLiteFull SQL

Transactions

ACID transactions

MySQLFull

SQLiteFull

Highest isolation level

MySQLSerializable

SQLite-

Consistency

MySQLStrong

SQLiteStrong

Scale

Horizontal scale

MySQLNatively distributed

SQLiteSingle-node

Replication

MySQLAsync

SQLiteAsync

Availability

Automatic failover / HA

MySQL✓

SQLite✗

Deployment

MySQLSelf-hosted

SQLiteEmbedded

Serverless / scale-to-zero

MySQL✓

SQLite✓

Compatibility

Wire compatibility

MySQLMySQL protocol

SQLiteNone

Extensibility

Extensions / plugins / UDFs

MySQL✓

SQLite✓

Licensing

Licence class

MySQLCopyleft

SQLitePermissive OSS

Data types

JSON / document support

MySQL✓

SQLite✓

Geo / spatial

MySQL-

SQLiteExtension

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

MySQL

MySQL is an open-source SQL database management system that serves as the foundation for many web-based applications and cloud services. Available in both a free community edition and a commercial enterprise edition with advanced features and professional support.

Independently observed

SQLite

Leader

An in-process SQL database engine that stores complete databases in single disk files, requiring no server process or configuration. It is designed for embedded use in applications, mobile devices, and IoT systems, with full ACID transaction support and cross-platform compatibility.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

MySQL

Open sourceFree tier

Community edition free; Enterprise/Standard/Classic editions require contacting sales

MySQL Community ServerFree
MySQL Enterprise EditionContact sales
MySQL Standard EditionContact sales
MySQL Classic EditionContact sales

as of 2026-07-08verify ↗

SQLite

Leader

Open sourceFree tier

Free and open source, public domain

as of 2026-08-14verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platform and deployment support comparison
Supports	MySQL	SQLite
WebPlatforms	✓	✓
iOSPlatforms	✗	✓
AndroidPlatforms	✗	✓
macOSPlatforms	✗	✓
WindowsPlatforms	✗	✓
LinuxPlatforms	✗	✓
CLIPlatforms	✗	✓
Cloud / SaaSDeployment	✓	✗
Self-hostedDeployment	✓	✓

Platforms

Web

MySQL✓

SQLite✓

iOS

MySQL✗

SQLite✓

Android

MySQL✗

SQLite✓

macOS

MySQL✗

SQLite✓

Windows

MySQL✗

SQLite✓

Linux

MySQL✗

SQLite✓

CLI

MySQL✗

SQLite✓

Deployment

Cloud / SaaS

MySQL✓

SQLite✗

Self-hosted

MySQL✓

SQLite✓

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.