The Best MySQL Hosting Services of 2021

A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting offers three MySQL plans: Entry, Mid, and Elite.

With the Entry plan, you get 20 GB SSD storage, 1 CPU core, 2 TB data transfer, 512 MB RAM, and administrative-level root access. The Mid plan upgrades the tech specs to 30 GB SSD storage and 1 GB RAM, while the Elite plan bumps the storage up to 50 GB and provides 4 CPU cores.

All of these plans include access to A2 Hosting’s ultra-fast turbo servers. Also, their Webuzo-based admin panel makes MySQL database management easy.

Pros & Cons of A2 Hosting MySQL Hosting

A2 Hosting offers excellent customer service with their flexible money-back guarantee and 24/7 phone support, and their turbo servers are an attractive benefit as well. But you’ll need to consider that their uptime rate falls short of the industry standard 99.9%.

What Customers Are Saying

This customer was especially satisfied with A2 Hosting’s MySQL solution: “They are very generous with their MySQL server offerings. The control panel has plenty of features to satisfy most users. Their technical support is good. And transferring from other hosts is rather straightforward.”

Cloudways

With Cloudways, you have five data centers to choose from: Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Linode, and Vultr.

No matter which data center you choose, Cloudways provides you with a variety of MySQL features, including a built-in MySQL manager, remote MySQL connections, and pre-installed MySQL apps such as Git and Composer.

And you’ll benefit from a robust set of general hosting features, including a free SSL certificate, dedicated firewalls, managed backups, managed updates, and the CloudwaysCDN.

Pros & Cons of Cloudways MySQL Hosting

While Cloudways does offer feature-rich MySQL hosting plans, you’ll need to weigh that against their limited support options and lack of a money-back guarantee.

What Customers Are Saying

Their performance has received high marks in customer reviews. “I recently moved a large client to their platform (DigitalOcean backend) and the migration was flawless,” wrote one user. “The site’s loading time was greatly improved and my client is very happy.”

DreamHost

With a blazing fast average response time of 396 ms and a verified uptime rate of 99.902%, DreamHost’s performance truly sets itself apart from the competition.

Their prices start at $2.59 per month for the Shared Starter plan, which works for one website and includes unlimited traffic, a free SSL certificate, automated WordPress migrations, and a WordPress site builder. The Shared Unlimited plan works for unlimited websites and also includes unlimited email accounts.

But you should note that while these shared hosting plans do come with unlimited MySQL databases, your privileges are limited. For complete MySQL control, you’ll need to upgrade to one of DreamHost’s VPS or dedicated hosting plans.

Pros & Cons of DreamHost MySQL Hosting

The performance alone may be enough for you to choose DreamHost, but ideally they would also offer 24/7 support.

What Customers Are Saying

With DreamHost, you get a lot of bang for your buck. “Value for money is high; the standard package includes unlimited disk space, unlimited MySQL databases, unlimited domain slots, and very generous bandwidth,” wrote one customer.

FastComet

FastComet’s shared hosting plans come with plenty of useful features. Even the minimum-priced FastCloud plan includes 15 GB SSD storage, daily backups, CloudFlare CDN, Let’s Encrypt SSL, and BitNinja server security. Upgrading to the FastCloud or FastCloud Plus plan would provide you with more storage and better performance.

These plans also include MySQL features, such as unlimited databases, remote MySQL access, and free database migration.

But one drawback to using FastComet’s shared servers is that they limit your traffic to what they call “fair usage”, which is 25,000 visits per month for the FastCloud plan, 50,000 visits per month for the FastCloud Plus plan, and 100,000 visits per month for the FastCloud Extra plan.

Pros & Cons of FastComet MySQL Hosting

In addition to the traffic limit, other cons to using FastComet include a relatively sluggish average response time and the fact that there’s no phone support. They do boast a near-perfect uptime rate, though.

What Customers Are Saying

Users often praise FastComet’s knowledgeable and attentive support staff. “The support team of FastComet attended to my migration request immediately upon signup,” wrote one user. “It’s worth mentioning that my cPanel backup was over 20 GB and had 10+ domains, and I just sent them a link to the archive. Within a few hours, all websites were online on their servers.”

GreenGeeks

The GreenGeeks Lite shared hosting plan works for one website and includes cPanel-based site management, unlimited data transfer, unlimited email accounts, nightly backups, free CDN, and a free SSL certificate. Upgrading to the Pro or Premium plan would allow you to use unlimited websites and access better servers. Also, all of these plans come with unlimited MySQL databases.

If your hosting needs are too demanding for shared hosting, GreenGeeks has VPS hosting and reseller hosting plans available.

And if you’re concerned about the environment, another reason to use GreenGeeks is that they match the electricity they use with three times that amount in carbon offset products.

Pros & Cons of GreenGeeks MySQL Hosting

GreenGeeks offers excellent performance and features for MySQL hosting, and they help protect the environment as well. The only downside is that their phone support isn’t available 24/7.

What Customers Are Saying

The 300% green energy match appears to be a big selling point for GreenGeeks. “We strive to be environmentally conscious, and sustainability was one of the things we wanted in our website hosting,” wrote one customer.

HostGator

HostGator’s minimum-priced Hatchling plan works for one website and includes unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, a free domain, $100 in Google Ads credits, and $100 in Bing Ads credits. By upgrading to the Baby or Business plan, you’ll get access to extra features such as unlimited websites, a free dedicated IP, and free SEO tools.

Plus, these plans include unlimited MySQL databases and free MySQL database transfers.

And if shared hosting doesn’t work for you, HostGator also offers VPS hosting, reseller hosting, and dedicated hosting plans.

Pros & Cons of HostGator MySQL Hosting

HostGator offers all the tools you need for MySQL hosting, although their below-average response time is a little concerning.

What Customers Are Saying

According to users, HostGator provides reliable service and an intuitive interface. “Downtime is very low, almost no downtime experienced in the last two years,” wrote one customer. “The control panel works good as well, MySQL and FTP access is easy to locate inside the panel.”

Hostinger

Hostinger certainly offers competitive pricing, as you can get hosting with them for as low as $0.99 per month. But that’s for the Single Shared plan, which only includes one website, one email account, 100 GB of bandwidth, and two MySQL databases.

You’ll need to pay at least $2.89 per month for unlimited websites, email accounts, bandwidth, and MySQL databases.

If you’re considering Hostinger, you should be aware that their uptime rate is significantly lower than any of the other options on this list. They make up for this, though, with a low average response time of 459 ms.

Pros & Cons of Hostinger MySQL Hosting

There’s no doubt that Hostinger’s pricing and response time are impressive, but the uptime rate is a serious concern.

What Customers Are Saying

This user found Hostinger to be better than all the other providers they had tried before: “I have used a lot of hosting companies for my website, but I believe Hostinger has the best plans. I like their support and chat options, they will respond immediately and it’s very helpful.”

HostPapa

HostPapa’s prices start at $3.95 per month for the Starter plan, which works for two websites and includes 100 GB of SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, CloudFlare CDN, Let’s Encrypt SSL, and free domain registration.

But you’ll need to upgrade to the Business or Business Pro plan for unlimited MySQL databases. The Business Pro plan is particularly feature-rich, as it also includes automated backups, SiteLock security, and a business website builder.

Another benefit to HostPapa is that they offer one-on-one training, which is quite helpful for users who don’t have much technical experience.

Pros & Cons of HostPapa MySQL Hosting

Affordable prices, strong performance, and one-on-one training make HostPapa a great option for MySQL hosting. Indeed, it’s hard to find a flaw with this provider — if there’s any downside, it’s that live chat isn’t available as a support option.

What Customers Are Saying

HostPapa’s customer support team is notably helpful. “I have a personal website, nothing fancy, except that I do use the SQL database functionality for a project,” wrote one user. “Everything works well. I have had to learn some technical stuff in order to use functionality beyond simple HTML web pages. That said, HostPapa support people have always enthusiastically helped me with my needs.”

Hostwinds

Hostwinds has three tiers of shared hosting plans: Basic, Advanced, and Ultimate.

The Basic plan works for one website, the Advanced plan works for four websites, and the Ultimate plan works for unlimited websites. All of these plans include cPanel-based site management, a free SSL certificate, a free dedicated IP, unlimited email accounts, unlimited disk space, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited MySQL databases.

And if you’re not interested in shared hosting, you should check out their VPS, reseller, and dedicated hosting plans.

Pros & Cons of Hostwinds MySQL Hosting

With Hostwinds, you can get a lot of useful hosting features at a very low cost. Their uptime rate is quite low, though.

What Customers Are Saying

This customer had a very positive experience with Hostwinds customer support: “Support the past few days has been nothing less than spectacular, and yesterday after I got off the phone with a representative all I have to say is that, besides his help and politeness, his handling of a small MySQL issue that had my subdomain not working was resolved extremely fast and very efficiently, enough to make me go WOW!!!”

InMotion Hosting

InMotion Hosting also offers three tiers of shared hosting plans: Launch, Power, and Pro.

The Launch plan includes 3 MySQL databases, 50 GB SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, 10 email accounts, a security suite, marketing tools, a free SSL certificate, and a free domain. With the Power plan, you get 50 MySQL databases, 100 GB SSD storage, and 50 email accounts. And the Pro plan includes 100 MySQL databases, 200 GB SSD storage, and unlimited email accounts.

All of these plans come with a 90-day money-back guarantee, so you’ll have plenty of time to decide whether InMotion Hosting is a good fit for your site or not.

Pros & Cons of InMotion Hosting MySQL Hosting

InMotion Hosting certainly isn’t lacking in features, but the performance leaves much to be desired. They’re also more expensive than most of the other providers on this list.

What Customers Are Saying

InMotion Hosting’s customer support has received a lot of good feedback in user reviews. “When I need to understand an issue this minute, I click the chat and get help,” wrote one user. “Even with things that InMotion doesn’t normally handle, they’ll help me with it, which is great.”

InterServer

InterServer’s prices start at $5 per month for their standard shared hosting plan, which includes unlimited websites, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited email accounts, weekly backups, a free SSL certificate, free CloudFlare CDN, and unlimited MySQL databases.

InterServer offers high-end performance as well. Their average response time of 724 ms is quicker than most of your other options, and they pass the 99.9% uptime test.

And if you have too much traffic for shared hosting, Interserver also offers a variety of VPS hosting and dedicated hosting plans.

Pros & Cons of InterServer MySQL Hosting

From their features to performance to support, there’s a lot to like about InterServer MySQL hosting. But if you’re on a tight budget, you can find a lower price elsewhere.

What Customers Are Saying

Users report that InterServer provides outstanding customer support. “Their support is awesome,” wrote one user. “I’m not that good with web hosting and setting up websites. When I started and needed lots of help along the way, to their credit, InterServer chat support is online all the time and you can contact them with the press of a button.”

Liquid Web

Unlike the other providers covered in this guide, Liquid Web does not offer any shared hosting plans.

But they do offer many different options for dedicated servers, cloud servers, and VPS hosting. Their prices start at $79 per month for the Fast VPS hosting plan, which includes 2 GB RAM, 2 CPU cores, 40 GB SSD storage, and 10 TB of bandwidth.

And with Liquid Web’s cPanel-based interface, it’s easy to set up and manage your MySQL databases.

Pros & Cons of Liquid Web MySQL Hosting

The lack of shared hosting and money-back guarantee will likely rule this out as an option for budget-conscious MySQL hosting users. The performance is pretty good, though.

What Customers Are Saying

Long-time users have been quite satisfied with Liquid Web. “Easy to get started, great reliability, almost no downtime,” wrote one customer. “Been with them in one form or another for more than 10 years, and I’ve had very few issues.”

Scala Hosting

The Scala Hosting Mini plan costs $3.95 per month, and it includes 50 GB storage, a free SSL certificate, free CDN, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited email accounts, and unlimited MySQL databases for one website.

Upgrading to the Start or Advanced plan would provide you with extra features such as unlimited websites, SShield cybersecurity, and SpamExperts spam protection.

Scala Hosting offers VPS hosting and dedicated hosting for high-traffic stores as well.

Pros & Cons of Scala Hosting MySQL Hosting

Scala Hosting provides everything you need for your MySQL databases, but the below-average response time and uptime rate is concerning.

What Customers Are Saying

According to this customer, Scala Hosting offers first-rate customer service. “Support quality is not easy to know until things go wrong. Well, things went wrong today and I’m pretty good with code and normally fix most things myself. I couldn’t, far too complex for me. This is where their support kicked in, they solved the problem, kept me updated, and I never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a reply to my endless tickets.”

SiteGround

SiteGround’s prices start at $6.99 per month for their StartUp plan, which is notably more expensive than the lowest price available for many other providers.

You do get many helpful features in exchange for that cost, including unlimited email accounts, daily backups, free CDN, a free SSL certificate, unlimited MySQL databases, and remote MySQL access.

But in addition to the price, another concern with this provider is their limits on traffic. If you have more than 10,000 monthly visits, SiteGround recommends that you upgrade to the GrowBig plan (suitable for up to 25,000 monthly visits) or GoGeek plan (100,000 monthly visits).

Pros & Cons of SiteGround MySQL Hosting

SiteGround also offers fast response times and a very high uptime rate, but the price and traffic limits might be enough to drive you away.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers love SiteGround’s easy-to-use interface. “The control panel in the SiteGround account is designed to be simple,” wrote one user. “For those with basic experience with web hosting tools, SiteGround’s web hosting account is easy to manage. Our web hosting account has key features such as MySQL database, email management, FTP account, file manager, and account status information.”

Web Hosting Hub

Web Hosting Hub is another provider that has relatively high prices, but also premium features and performance.

Their prices start at $5.99 per month for the Spark plan, which works for two websites and includes unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, free domain registration, and 10 MySQL databases. For unlimited MySQL databases, you’ll need to upgrade to either the Nitro or Dynamo plan.

Another reason to upgrade to the Nitro or Dynamo plan is that this would get you a discount on Web Hosting Hub’s web design services. The Nitro plan includes a discount of up to 20%, while the Dynamo plan offers a discount of up to 30%.

Pros & Cons of Web Hosting Hub MySQL Hosting

If you only need hosting, you can probably find more value with another provider. But if you have both hosting and web design needs, you’ll be able to get a great deal here.

What Customers Are Saying

When users are in need of support, Web Hosting Hub is there for them. “I’ve had a really good experience for a number of years, which is why I continue to renew my service as well as introduce their services to more of my clients,” wrote one customer. “I’m particularly impressed with their online chat when I need support, even late on weekends! Keep up the great work!”

What is MySQL?

MySQL is a database management server used to store and manage multiple databases for websites, e-commerce sites, and logging applications.

There are two versions — a free, open-source version and the MySQL Enterprise Server, which features additional plugins and extensions.

What is MySQL Hosting? How Do I Find the Best MySQL Hosts?

If you set up a dynamic website, you’ll need a database to hold all of the content you create. MySQL has risen to prominence because it’s free and open source.

Most of the hosting packages we’ve reviewed and rated offer MySQL support and most of the scripts and applications hosts provide are compatible with this popular relational database management system (RDBMS).

Why MySQL?

When you shop around for web hosting, you’ll see a variety of database types mentioned in the specs. Among the most common are:

• MySQL, the subject of this article
• MS SQL, the Microsoft take on a structured query language database
• MS Access, although this is suitable only for very limited scenarios
• Oracle, which is a long-standing product; it made its first official appearance in 1979
• PostgreSQL, a Unix and Windows database management system

A Quick Comparison

Cross-Platform Compatibility

MySQL has the advantage of cross-platform compatibility. It runs on the majority of web hosting accounts and desktop computers, unlike MS SQL and MS Access, and it’s known for its excellent security features.

Is MySQL Easy to Use?

MySQL is robust enough to handle large datasets, including websites for enterprise-level organizations, yet it’s easy enough for a beginner to pick up.

Performance

It’s also very fast because of the way it stores its data. This makes it an ideal choice for shared web hosting and other hosting services, where every millisecond of load time counts.

Compatibility and Use

In terms of sheer numbers, MySQL’s main boost has come from its compatibility with PHP (and other languages), Linux and Apache.

Most Linux web hosting providers offer MySQL with these three components.

This is the main reason that MySQL has been downloaded or distributed more than 100 million times, and it’s the reason many web hosting customers come into contact with it.

What is the History of MySQL?

MySQL was initially released in May 1995. It was developed by David Axmark, Allan Larsson, and Michael Widenius; the latter has a daughter called My, which is how the project got its name.

MySQL and Oracle

The database technology is open source, and it’s owned by MySQL AB. MySQL AB is a company registered in Sweden, but it was bought by Sun in 2008 for $1 billion. Sun was acquired by Oracle two years later, which is how MySQL came to exist under the Oracle brand.

MySQL: Free or Paid Version?

The majority of users download MySQL for free or use it as part of a web hosting package.

It’s open source. If the free license does not suit your intended use, you can purchase a different license directly from its parent company.

For most web hosting customers, the free version will suffice.

MySQL Functionality

MySQL offers a variety of tools for database management, querying, and optimization.

Users can search through their data, select from a range of storage engines and see an information schema describing the structure of the data.

Data Storage

If you just want to set up an application and forget it, you only need to create the database, the user, and the password; usually, your script will handle the rest, and MySQL will tick over in the background unassisted.

SSDs and Performance of Large Databases

For very large databases, look for a web host that provides solid-state drives (SSDs). Hard drives generate the biggest bottleneck for MySQL, so the instant access to solid-state storage removes the potential for slowdowns and crashes.

SSD hosting tends to be slightly more expensive. Always make sure you have a backup routine in place.

MySQL and the Command Line

When you connect to MySQL on your web hosting account, you’ll almost certainly use the command line interface (CLI). For a beginner, working in this manner can be intimidating.

There are various graphical user interfaces for MySQL that make the job easier. These include MySQL Workbench, phpMyAdmin, HeidiSQL, Navicat, and Aqua Data Studio.

Disk Encryption

Database encryption is available for the enterprise version of MySQL. Data can be encrypted using RSA, DSA, or DH algorithms and you can generate asymmetrical keys.

This allows developers to easily encrypt and decrypt data, increasing data security.

Database Plugin & Extension Support

Need help getting plugins or extensions set up? MySQL provides a roust online reference manual to for database plugin and extension support.

The plugin or extension you select may also offer support or your host may be able to help, depending on the problem.

GUIs for MySQL

If you plan to work with databases for any more than the basics, and you don’t use the command line often, a graphical interface is the best option.

Oracle produces its own application, MySQL Workbench, and the open source edition is free.

Do I Need a Licensed Version of MySQL?

For additional features in MySQL, users can opt to pay for a license.

The free version of MySQL is adequate for most web hosting clients and supports the vast majority of commonly used applications and scripts.

What are the System Requirements for MySQL?

MySQL has different requirements depending on the platform it’s installed on. In general, you’ll need to make sure that:

1. You’re using a supported operating system
2. You have enough processing power
3. You meet the minimum memory (RAM) requirements
4. You meet the minimum storage requirements
5. Your network can handle the incoming/outgoing traffic related to the database calls you’re expecting

For official guidance, refer to the MySQL manual for your version.

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How to Find a MySQL Web Host

Looking for a hosting provider that has MySQL database support shouldn’t be difficult.

Most shared hosting plans from common web host services will offer some number of these databases.

When choosing MySQL hosting, you need to know what your storage and performance demands are.

Do I Need Multiple Databases?

Most users won’t need more than one MySQL database with their hosting package. Consider, for example, that running WordPress will only require one.

Certain web projects may require developers to use more than one database. In this case, you may want to look for a hosting provider that gives you unlimited databases.

PHP Required

Since the programming language PHP is used to connect and manipulate databases, make sure your hosting provider supports this language. Again, most common web host services do.

cPanel

You can also create, manage, and delete MySQL databases form the cPanel control panel. If you’re doing this, it may be helpful to follow the MySQL Database Wizard provided by cPanel.

phpMyAdmin

phpMyAdmin is an interface that allows you to manage and edit your MySQL database in a web browser.

It is a popular tool, and most hosts support it. While it’s not strictly necessary, it’s a useful tool. I recommend ensuring your host will support it.

WordPress and MySQL

WordPress uses MySQL to store and retrieve information for its sites.

There are no special considerations regarding MySQL to keep in mind when choosing a WordPress host.

Consider Hosting Types: VPS vs. Dedicated

When comparing hosts, consider the type of hosting, such as dedicated or VPS.

Dedicated servers, for example, mean you aren’t sharing physical or digital space with any other websites. Dedicated hosting plans are also more expensive than VPS plans.

VPS hosting keeps your files separate from other sites, although you may share hardware with other sites.

Additional Hosting Issues

There are several other hosting issues to keep in mind when comparing hosts. For example:

• Where are their data centers located?
• Does the host offer a money-back guarantee or uptime/downtime guarantees?
• Are domain names or SSL certificate included in the hosting fee or is there an extra cost for these?

Managed Services: Amazon Hosting and RDS

People who are less technically-inclined may want to give remote access to the MySQL server to a developer who can manage it for them.

This is usually easy to do from your host’s control panel and will require you to know your developer’s IP address.

Many developers rely on Amazon Web Services (AWS) for database hosting.

AWS has an Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS) that makes it simple to operate and scale relational databases, such as MySQL, using the cloud.

Amazon RDS is fast because it’s backed by SSD servers. And, since they use virtual private cloud servers, you can easily isolate database instances.

Sharding

Amazon RDS also uses sharding, a data storage technique that splits data into smaller sets, then distributes them on several database servers, called shards.

Each server (aka shard) should have similar hardware and performance capabilities yet be physically separate. Sharding is used to improve fault tolerance and make it easier to scale as the site or amount of data grows.

AWS provides free web hosting for 12 months. This means you’ll only pay usage fees for your first year.

What are the Pros of MySQL?

• MySQL is the most popular database and will be supported by many web hosts
• Frequently updated with security improvements and additional features
• Free but paid editions are available for commercial use
• Many different user interfaces can be used with it.

What are the Cons of MySQL?

• Developers may feel limited by what they can do with the database
• MySQL is not designed to be scalable, making it a less ideal option for applications expected to grow in size.

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Other features in SQL

• PostgreSQL
• MS Access
• MSSQL
• MariaDB
• SQLite

About WhoIsHostingThis Team

Our writing team comes from all over the world with diverse backgrounds in the arts and sciences. But what links them is their passion for the internet. All together they represent many decades of experience working in all facets of it – from programming and hardware creation to website design and marketing.

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