Best Distributed SQL Databases in 2026
17 distributed sql databases ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
17ranked
11free plans on this page
$0.03/molowest paid tier
28 Sept 2026last checked
#1 TiDB Cloud Top pick · 8.2 Free plan · $0.22/mo
#2 CrateDB Runner-up · 7.9 Free plan · $0.07/mo
#3 MySQL Also great · 7.9 Free plan · $178.33/mo
- Free planFree trial apiWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- cloud
- PostgreSQL compatibility
- No
- MySQL compatibility
- Yes
- Horizontal scaling
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial$0.22/mofirst paid tier About TiDB CloudVisit site - Free plan apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- both
- PostgreSQL compatibility
- Yes
- Horizontal scaling
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial$0.07/mofirst paid tier About CrateDBVisit site - Free planFree trial apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- both
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial$178.33/mofirst paid tier About MySQLVisit site - Free plan apiWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial$0.99/mofirst paid tier About SingleStore HeliosVisit site - Free plan apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- both
- MySQL compatibility
- Yes
- Horizontal scaling
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial - Free trial apiLinuxself-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment model
- both
- PostgreSQL compatibility
- Yes
- MySQL compatibility
- No
- Horizontal scaling
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial$0.03/mofirst paid tier About Google Cloud SpannerVisit site - Free planFree trial apiLinuxWeb
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial$0.06/mofirst paid tier About CockroachDB CloudVisit site - Free plan
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- both
- PostgreSQL compatibility
- No
- MySQL compatibility
- Yes
- Horizontal scaling
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial - Free trial apiLinuxself-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial - Linux
- Deployment model
- both
- Horizontal scaling
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial - Free planRecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial
- Free planRecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial$630/mofirst paid tier About IBM Db2Visit site
- Free planFree trial apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment model
- both
- Horizontal scaling
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial -
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial - WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- PostgreSQL compatibility
- Yes
- Horizontal scaling
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- MySQL compatibility
- Yes
- Horizontal scaling
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial - Free plan apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWeb
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- PostgreSQL compatibility
- Yes
- MySQL compatibility
- Yes
- Horizontal scaling
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree trial
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which distributed sql database is ranked first on The Geeks Club?
TiDB Cloud is ranked #1 of 17 with a score of 8.2. CrateDB is second and MySQL third.
How many of these have a free plan?
11 of the 17 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Google Cloud Spanner has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.03/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Certifications are listed from the provider's own catalogue with level, role and exam. Platforms are ranked on what each publishes: a free tier or trial, price, certificates offered, the devices it runs on and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.
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