Are you looking for the best MySQL hosting service? Then this guide is for you. MySQL is an eminent open-source database management server known for its exceptional performance, security, and optimal compatibility. The majority of web hosting providers support MySQL. However, not all are worth a try. There are some key features, such as performance, SSDs, bandwidth, and uptime, that you should look for when choosing the best MySQL hosting provider. This guide will discuss everything you need to know about MySQL hosting, from what MySQL is and the best MySQL hosting providers to the most Frequently Asked Questions.
Let’s start with the basics – what is MySQL?
MySQL is a popular alternative for online applications and a relational database management system (RDBMS) utilized by millions of websites worldwide. Several different software environments produce it. MySQL is a software development project that is both open-source and free, and it is provided using the General Public License. (GPL). Learning MySQL’s fundamentals shouldn’t take you too much time.
On the other hand, mastering MySQL can take several years due to its extensive feature set and capabilities. It is a standard option for web applications, and some of the world’s most well-known and successful organizations make use of it, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Here are some of the Main features of MySQL
- Supports a wide range of platforms and operating systems – MySQL is a database management system that can run on Linux, Windows, and macOS, among other operating systems. It is primarily written in the programming languages C and C++.
- Supports multiple programming languages – MySQL is typically used with PHP, a popular web programming language. However, you can also use it with other languages, such as Python, Ruby, and Java.
- It is easy to use – MySQL is easy to use and very versatile. It is useful for various applications, including data warehousing, e-commerce, and logging.
- Scalable – MySQL allows scalability. It can efficiently work with large databases.
Best MySQL hosting providers
Here are the six best MySQL hosting providers you can consider
A2 Hosting
 A2 Hosting is one of the best MySQL hosting providers. Since 2003, the company has been offering highly secure, reliable, and ultra-fast services. A2 Hosting provides 3 MySQL hosting plans, including entry, mid, and elite plans. The entry plan starting price is $5 monthly, Mid $10, and Elite $15. | Our Expert Rating: Best Features
|
Hostinger
 Are you looking for cheap MySQL hosting with outstanding performance? Hostinger is a top-performing web host that protects your website with RAID 10 and multiple fail-safe levels. Also, it offers daily and weekly backups to ensure your data is always secure. Hostinger provides MySQL hosting in three plans; Single web hosting (Starting price $1.99), Premium web hosting (starting price $1.99), and Business web hosting (starting price $5.99). | Our Expert Rating: Best Features
|
InMotion Hosting
 InMotionHosting.com is another great MySQL database hosting provider. The provider offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee and 4 MySQL hosting plans, including Core, Launch, Power and Pro. InMotion hosting is quite affordable, with a monthly starting price of $2.29. You will enjoy unlimited bandwidth and a security suite. Furthermore, when hosting with InMotion Hosting, you don’t have to worry whenever you need help.
| Our Expert Rating: Best Features
|
Siteground
 Siteground is a secure, dependable, and easy to use MySQL hosting provider. It uses a proprietary control panel with all the necessary tools to set up and manage your website. The control panel is responsive and easy to navigate hence suitable for everyone looking to manage their databases regardless of expertise level. When hosting your MySQL database with Siteground, you can choose either the Startup plan, GrowBig or GoGeek.
| Our Expert Rating: Best Features
|
Bluehost
 If you are looking for affordable web hosting with good support and a user-friendly control panel, Bluehost got you. Bluehost provides MySQL support through an enhanced cPanel interface, making it easy to manage your databases with free backups. Also, the provider offers around-the-clock support and unmetered storage and bandwidth on most plans. | Our Expert Rating: Best Features
|
HostGator
 The best MySQL database hosting providers list cannot be complete without HostGator. HostGator is a superb web hosting service offering excellent speed and fantastic customer support. The 99.9% uptime guarantee and free domain name and SSL make HostGator one of the smart choices of every MySQL database owner.
| Our Expert Rating: Best Features
|
Is MySQL necessary for my website?
Integrating MySQL on your website is the best option if you have a business website and want to grow your web page. MySQL connects databases to the software hence facilitating effective management of the databases. Although there is no strictness in using MySQL in web development since there are other databases, MySQL is the most popular for good reasons. It is free, dependable, and offers flawless performance.
MySQL is an integral part of creating a website and significantly impacts your website’s performance. MySQL influences your website’s loading time and how quickly you can access the stored data. Since it is a relational database, it keeps data in smaller units known as tables which help organise data and make it easier to locate it if needed. There are many reasons why it is necessary to use your web pages with MySQL.
One, it guarantees your data security. MySQL is one of the most reliable and secure relational database management systems. It offers continuous 24/7 uptime and is scalable on demand.
Also, using MySQL on your business website offer support for your business. This database management has extensive features important in providing comprehensive support to your business, such as complete atomic, unrestricted low-level locking, multi-version transactional support and many more.
Pros and Cons?
Like any other open-source database system, MySQL has pros and cons. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of MySQL database servers.
Advantages
Security
One of the advantages of MySQL is that it is highly secure. It features a robust security layer that protects sensitive data from hackers. Also, it saves data via the use of passwords which are usually encrypted for guaranteed security.
Compatibility
Another great thing about MySQL is that it is compatible with an array of operating systems such as Linux, Windows, Solaris, NetWare, and many more.
It is simple and easy to use
You do not need technical expertise to develop and interact with the MySQL database server. Since it supports SQL language, you can easily access and manoeuvre it with basic knowledge and experience.
Free to download
This database is cost-free. It is available on the official MySQL website for download, which is absolutely free.
Highly scalable
MySQL offers high scalability and can handle more than fifty million rows. Furthermore, it has a file size limit of 4GB which is extendable to 8TB.
Disadvantages
There are of course some cons to using MySQL
- Poor performance with large databases
- It has a poor development and debugging tool when compared to other databases
- MySQL database is prone to data corruption and does not handle transactions swiftly.
Best features to look for when choosing?
With tons of hosting companies providing MySQL hosting, choosing the best may be tricky but not impossible. There are several factors you should look out for several features when selecting the best MySQL host provider.
Security
The security of the hosting provider is one of the essential factors to look out for when choosing the best hosting service. Go for a hosting provider offering a robust and secure connection to your MySQL database server. Consider factors such as encryption methods, SSL certificates, automatic backups and updates, firewalls and many more.
Customer support
A good hosting provider should offer 24/7 customer support via multiple channels.
Uptime Guarantee
Uptime is an imperative feature when hosting your MySQL database server. Choose a hosting provider with a guarantee of 99.9% uptime and above.
Unlimited databases with unmetered storage & bandwidth
When selecting a MySQL database hosting provider, choose one providing unlimited MySQL databases with unmetered bandwidth and SSD storage. This feature is especially important when you plan to keep on scaling your operations and creating different databases without paying additional charges.
Ease of setup and use
A good MySQL hosting provider should have a user-friendly interface that is easy to set up and use. cPanel is considered intuitive and considerably easy to navigate. Furthermore, it packs tons of tools that make the management of your database pretty easy.
What are the alternatives to MySQL?
Looking for the best alternatives to MySQL? Here are the top MySQL competitors.
MariaDB
If you want an alternative that can replace MySQL, MariaDB can be an ideal choice. MariaDB was developed by the initial MySQL developers and has a similar feature to MySQL. MariaDB is highly secure, easy to use, and compatible with various operating systems, including Linux, Windows and BSD. In addition, it uses multiple programming languages such as C, C++, Bash and Perl.
SQLite
It is another excellent alternative to MySQL – open source, serverless and does not need a license to work with. Also, it facilitates simple and easy-to-use API for a vast programming language.
PostgreSQL
It is a free, open-source relational database system that can serve as a great alternative to MySQL. PostgreSQL is a secure, put-on security layer, including multifactor authentication and a robust access control system. Also, it is free to download and is compatible with various operating systems and programming languages. In addition, PostgreSQL is highly reliable & extensible and is compatible with multiple data types such as Geometry, Structured, document and primitives.
Others
Other alternatives to MySQL include Microsoft SQL server, G2 Deals, IBM Db2, Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS), SAP HANA Cloud, Azure SQL Database, IBM Informix and many more.
Is it easy to use?
One of the key features of MySQL is that it is simple to set up and easy to use. In fact, it is one of the easiest-to-use Relational Database Management Systems (RDMBS). Furthermore, it supports SQL language; hence users don’t require the experience to access and manage the database. Users with basic knowledge of Structure Query Language (SQL) or experience in using any other relational database can easily access MySQL without any problems. For example, you can easily set up the database and start a WordPress Installation manually with little or no knowledge.
The installation process of MySQL is pretty simple and will take you less than 30 minutes, depending on your Operating system. To install MySQL on Linux, you use MySQL repositories or generic binaries, Microsoft a Windows MySQL installer, and macOS; you use macOS installer.
Furthermore, since it is open source, you can modify the SQL software to meet your expectations and your specific environment. And the good thing is you won’t pay a penny to enjoy this level of freedom.
Moreover, given the maturity and adaptation of MySQL, there is plentiful documentation available that can come in handy when using this database management system.
Let’s wrap up
MySQL is one of the most famous open-source management databases. This database developed by oracle powers some prominent companies such as Netflix, Zendesk, Caterpillar, Facebook, Twitter and many more. This tool is highly famous for a number of reasons. One, it is open source meaning, it is free to use. You can download it from MySQL’s official website. However, it also offers premium support services that you can purchase via a commercial license. Also, the tool is easy to use. You don’t require any experience to access and manage the database.
MySQL, like any other database, has its pros and cons. Some of its advantages include being highly secure, compatible with a wide range of operating systems, and highly scalable. However, the tool performs poorly with large databases and does not handle transactions swiftly.
However, to enjoy maximum performance, it is essential to host MySQL. Many companies offer MySQL hosting with multiple plans. However, not all providers are worth a try. There are several features you should look for when choosing the best MySQL database hosting providers, such as bandwidth, SSD storage, uptime, security, customer support and many more.
But if you are looking for an alternative to MySQL, you can consider several management databases, including SQLite, PostgreSQL and MariaDB. You can find out more about this in this article.
