MySQL vs Microsoft Access

Microsoft SQL Server

MongoDB

PostgreSQL

SQLite

MariaDB

Cloud Volumes ONTAP

Compare MySQL and Microsoft Access based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

PostgreSQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS), which helps businesses store, manage, and scale data workloads, from single machines to data warehouses with multiple concurrent users.

AI demands adaptability. MongoDB offers flexible, scalable, AI-ready data solutions, eliminating friction and accelerating innovation.

SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDMS) designed to help businesses of all sizes analyze structured or unstructured data across various data environments including Azure SQL Database, Azure Cosmos DB, MySQL, and more.

MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS) designed to help businesses record, update, and manage data and deploy cloud-native applications. Features include data masking and de-identification, multi-document transaction support, intrusion detection, alerts & configuration management.

Access Controls/Permissions

Access Management

Active Directory Integration

Activity Dashboard

Activity Tracking

Ad hoc Query

AI/Machine Learning

Alerts/Escalation

Alerts/Notifications

Anomaly Detection

Application Encryption

Application Management

Application-Level Analysis

Asset Tracking

Audit Management

Audit Planning

Audit Trail

Authentication

Automated Discovery

Automatic Backup

Backup and Recovery

Behavior Tracking

Built-In Database

Capacity Management

Capacity Planning

Change Management

Charting

Cloud Encryption

Collaboration Tools

Compliance Management

Configurable Workflow

Configuration Management

Content Filtering

Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA)

Credential Management

Customizable Fields

Customizable Reports

Customizable Templates

Dashboard

Dashboard Creation

Data Capture and Transfer

Data Connectors

Data Dictionary Management

Data Extraction

Data Import/Export

Data Management

Data Mapping

Data Migration

Data Profiling

Data Replication

Data Retrieval

Data Security

Data Storage Management

Data Synchronization

Data Verification

Data Virtualization

Data Visualization

Database Conversion

Database Support

Diagnostic Tools

Disaster Recovery

Disk Encryption

Document Storage

Drag & Drop

Encryption

Event Logs

File Encryption

Filtering

Full Text Search

Hardware Integration

High Availability

HIPAA Compliant

Historical Trend Analysis

Incident Management

Indexing

Intrusion Detection System

Intrusion Prevention System

IP Filtering

Issue Management

Issue Tracking

Key Management

Log Access

Metadata Management

ML Algorithm Library

Mobile Access

Model Training

Monitoring

Multi-Language

Multi-Location

Multiple Data Sources

Multiple Programming Languages Supported

Multitenancy

Network Monitoring

Next-Generation Firewall

NOSQL Database Management

OLAP

OLTP

P2P Encryption

Password Management

MySQL

Linux

Web-based

Windows

Business Developer

Easy to install and free, nice tool to write SQL queries. Important for data analysts and a good tool on the market.

Senior Software Engineer

Overall MySQL is an amazing database for any kind of application. It is robust with almost every feature an application needs.

Java developer

Great database for open-source but commercial products as well. It has very good performance and lots of additional features (like log-based replication) included without additional cost.

Developer intern

Has been the most popular relational database until recently. Has a great workbench application.

This is the beat transactional and relational database solution, i am having a great experience with this, all the dump and require are very easy with commands like msqldump.

Software Developer

Error messages are not well explanatory. If you are stuck with an issue, it is difficult to get a support.

My overall experience with MySQL is fantastic, it is extremely reliable and fast, it's supported out of the box by all major cloud providers, and the support is top notch.

Lead Developer

It is a very well-documented software, also well supported especially by the community. It also has a few nice to have syntaxes on top of the common SQL ones like LIMIT (looking at you Oracle).

Web Application Developer

Overall MySQL is feature full DB system best suitable for beginner programmers and for small scalled oraganizations. It is very easy to use and fully supported by most backend technologies.

Network Engineer

Good power product for the price considering that it's free. Good for certain website integration solutions.

Owner

Really large databases become slow and need a lot of maintenance. Error messages are often vague and unhelpful so finding what went wrong requires a lot of work.

Consultant

MY SQL is a great product bets suited to smaller to medium sized businesses or for the quick proof of concept or pilot project in larger settings. Easy to get started with , easy to use.

Principal Software Engineer

Worst thing is that in scenarios with multitenant databases with somewhat mediocre load MySQL starts to leak memory.

Engineering student 

There for it helps to work fast your software and there for I think using MYSQL is a good investment for developing a software.

SEO Content Creator

I also quite appreciate how fast the software is able to run, as long as you have configured it properly, and the fact that it can be run on any connection makes it perfect.

Founder

These are not the only things being an open source projects the community developer support is by far the best i have ever seen even commercial products don't have this kind of support.

Developer

When ever the database gets bigger and bigger, the performance gets poor. For more complex issues, there are no proper documentation to support it.

Associate Software Engineer

Configuration, initiation, and maintenance are simple and easy. Compatibility and integration with various enterprise software, languages, and build tools make it a great database management system.

MySQL screenshot: MySQL Enterprise Manager

MySQL screenshot: MySQL Enterprise Monitor

MySQL screenshot: MySQL Workbench

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Mid Size Business

Non Profit

Public Administrations

Small Business

SQLite is an open-source database engine designed to help organizations store, retrieve, and modify data across web browsers, iOS and Android mobile devices, and other applications. The built-in C-language library lets users implement compact, self-reliant, and secure transactional database engines.

Cloud Volumes ONTAP is a cloud-based enterprise data management solution which assists medium to large sized businesses with data storage and encryption. Its key features include data synchronization, file sharing, information governance, disaster recovery, thin provisioning and compression.

MariaDB is the database for all, supporting any workload, in any cloud, at any scale. Try MariaDB now.

Microsoft Access is a database management system that provides intuitive application development tools to create functional database apps in any format.

Real-Time Monitoring

Relational Database Management

Reporting & Statistics

Workflow Management

Microsoft Access

Team Lead

Microsoft Access is a database management solution that is among the best. It has a very good user interface and is very easy to use.

Management

I am very impressed about the reliability in handling regular size databases, and the best part is that you can write your own SQL commands.

Audit Assistant

The ability to mine through data through the use of simple queries came in handy. Additionally, through the use of primary keys, duplications were next to impossible which was super helpful.

System Administrator

It's good for translating raw data into insights with its great Data mining features. I can use queries to query any criteria specified based on what I'm using the information for.

Student

Microsoft Access sometimes have illogical errors and to solve them I have to reopen it.

University Professor

The full and perfect integration with all the other Microsoft products, like Word, Outlook, and Excel.

There is also a massive user interface with all the different features that MS Office products usually have - to some advanced users the potential of fine tuning may be an advantage.

Senior Strategic Planning Analyst

I like Access for its ability to store data in a localized way. Access obviously comes with many editions of Microsoft Office, so it's readily "accessible" and generally understandable.

I've used it over and over again. My favorite thing about this software is that it's easy to use, especially for beginners who want to start learning how to report for Data Management.

The most annoying feature is that each object needs to be closed before you edit anything. Why they couldn't have engineered it to just update the object/table regardless is a mystery to me.

Additionally, I appreciated the app's integration with other Microsoft Office products, such as Excel and PowerPoint.

Senior Planner

Have been using Microsoft Access as a part of the Microsoft suite, so the software is definitely tailored to such a scenario. Would appreciate if AI was also considered in version upgrades.

Account Manager

Inexpensive in relation to other systems and also offers the free option.

Senior Software Developer

Really it works well only as a small desktop style database or a quick and dirty front end on SQL Server.

Program Manager

When programing, it can be a bit difficult for beginners.

Internal Audit Officer

Microsoft Access provides an economical and efficient method for storing your data. Users can manipulate and organize date by creating tables and queries to suit business needs.

MySQL vs Microsoft Access Comparison (2026)

MySQL

Microsoft Access

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives