The Top 10 Free Database Software (2023)

Database software is used to create, manage, and edit database records, taking away much of the stress of manually handling big loads of information.

Manually collecting and organizing big data sets can be tedious and time-consuming. This is why data analysts, marketing experts, and industry specialists dealing with large amounts of complex data vouch for the importance of database software.

A database software helps create, edit, and manage database files. The software provides for efficient data integration, frequent data backing, and enhanced data security. It also helps minimize data redundancy.

This article highlights the 10 top-rated free database software options, presented alphabetically.

1. Amazon RDS: Provides six relational database engines to store and manage data

Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) is an online platform that facilitates the maintenance and deployment of relational databases. The software supports a wide variety of database engines, including MySQL, Amazon Aurora, SQL Server, and Oracle to store and organize data.

Users can use Amazon RDS to automate common database management tasks, such as data migration, recovery, and failure detection.

The database tool comes with a feature called Multi-AZ deployment that helps in maintaining a redundant copy of your data at a separate location.

Some other notable features of the software include database snapshots, automated backups, replication, and automatic software patching that makes sure that your database software stays up-to-date with the latest patches.

2. Caspio: Create location-based apps without coding

Caspio is an online platform for building database applications without any coding. Users can develop location-based apps using map integration, distant search, and proximity calculations. These applications can be created in different languages as the platform supports all international numbers, currencies, and time zone formats.

The software solution provides a variety of smart fields, including auto-complete, real-time calculations, and encrypted passwords for building custom forms and enabling efficient data collection.

As a Caspio user, you can generate interactive reports to analyze business data and track performance metrics. Workflow management, data replication, and virtualization are some other important features of the software.

3. dbForge Studio: Universal IDE for database development and management

dbForge Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) that fosters the development and management of MySQL and MariaDB databases. It provides tools for database design, analysis, reporting, and data comparison. The software also aids the generation of reports to facilitate comparison between two data sets.

Administrators can use dbForge Studio to automate database object management, speed up routine tasks, and execute complex database changes.

The toolset provides data import and export options to users to and from tables in over 10 widely-used formats, including Microsoft Excel, XML, and CSV, among others.

In addition to the above, dbForge Studio provides database backup and restore functionality that allows users to back up databases of any size and take full control of the process, including the backup files.

4. DbVisualizer: Offers easy interface to shorten learning curve for new users

DbVisualizer is a database management software that allows users to manage and consolidate databases across multiple platforms into one location. The tool offers a variety of features, including custom workflows, data import and export options, productivity tracking, and security management. Moreover, it provides an easy-to-use interface that shortens the learning curve for beginners and allows users to customize tables using the drag-and-drop functionality, right from the appearance of the database to the arrangement.

As a user of DbVisualizer, you can pull data from various third-party applications, such as MySQL, Amazon Redshift, and Azure SQL Database.

The software solution comes with a SQL editor to enable writing, editing, and running SQL queries. It also features SQL Commander that allows users to execute complex queries that are available in the form of grids or charts.

5. Google Cloud Platform: Offers the benefit of live migration

Google Cloud Platform is an online platform that offers a suite of computing services for secure document storage, integrated data analytics, and networking. The tool enables users to streamline management workflows and integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into pre-existing applications.

As a user of Google Workspace, you can collaborate with your team members through various productivity tools, including Google Docs, Hangouts, and G-Drive among others.

The platform also offers live migration with minimum downtime in the event of a software or a hardware update. This feature helps keep all hardware and software updated without the need to reboot the virtual machine every time.

In addition to the above, Google Cloud Platform also features multiple networking features, such as content delivery, telemetry, and load balancing, which provides users with in-depth network security and reliability.

Google Cloud Platform has a mobile app for both Android and iOS devices.

6. MariaDB: Offers Galera cluster technology for minimum data loss

MariaDB is an open source relational database management system that supports all kinds of workloads, be it transactional, analytical, or hybrid, in any cloud, at all levels. The tool runs on a number of operating systems and supports several programming languages, including Python, PHP, C++, and Java.

One of the most notable features of Maria DB is its ability to work with multiple high-performing data storage engines, such as Aria, XtraDB, and InnoDB. It also offers Galera cluster technology

, which prevents the loss of data and provides scalability for future growth.

MariaDB supports most SQL statements, procedures, and definitions. The tool enables the execution of several queries simultaneously which enhances task performance.

7. MongoDB: Uses sharding for efficient query execution

MongoDB is an open source database management program that allows users to build applications and analyze data using ad-hoc queries. The software enables users to store a high volume of data in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format, which is basically a standard text-based format for representing structured data.

Some of the notable features of the software include data replication, backup management, text/geo-based search, and sharding, which is the splitting of large data sets into smaller sets for better execution of queries.

MongoDB comes with an application programming interface (API) that facilitates integration with several third-party solutions, such as Tableau, Qlik, and Microsoft Power BI.

8. Oracle Database: Provides real application clustering in case of server failure

Oracle Database is an object-relational database management system that uses logical data structure to store data and allow users to interact with the database even without knowing the physical location of the database.

The system allows users to divide large tables into several pieces and store each of these pieces across storage devices. It also provides for real application clustering, which ensures that the system is up and running, without any interruption in case of server failure.

The layout of the system provides for quick recovery of the database to ensure a high level of availability. The cloud service utilizes machine learning to automate repetitive tasks.

Oracle Database is cross-platform, which means that it can run across multiple operating systems, including Unix, Windows Server, and Linux, among others.

9. SQLite: Offers serverless architecture

SQLite is an open source database engine that allows users to interact with relational databases. As a SQLite user, you can store, retrieve, and modify data across various web browsers, iOS, Android, and other applications.

The database tool allows users to perform several operations, including data exchange, backup, autosave, and content revision for multiple systems.

Unlike other database engines, an SQLite database is a single file that can be located anywhere in the directory hierarchy. The database file can easily be copied onto a USB device or emailed for quick sharing.

When it comes to size, the whole SQLite library is less than 500Kb. Users can also disable unimportant features anytime to reduce the library size further.

SQLite does not require installation before use. Moreover, there is no setup procedure or server process that needs to be configured.

10. Stackby: Create online databases in the form of customizable spreadsheets

Stackby is an all-in-one project management platform that allows users to build customizable databases in the form of spreadsheets either by using pre-designed templates or by simply uploading data from the existing sources. Users can also use this tool to build custom forms and embed them within websites.

The platform offers over 20 unique column types, including dropdowns, look up, and links. It also features over 150 pre-built templates across multiple categories and offers data display in four different layouts: Kanban, calendar, tables, and forms.

As a Stackby user, you can extract data from various sources, such as YouTube, Clearbit, and Intercom. Further, you can fill this data in the database that you have built using Stackby.

The platform allows you to perform computations and merge data records together. It not only helps facilitate communication and collaboration between team members but also improves their productivity and enhances the efficiency of project management activities.

Stackby has a mobile app for both Android and iOS devices.

How do you choose the right database software?

Here are some important considerations to keep in mind when looking for a database software:

• Select a software that guarantees data security and availability: Data security and availability are important aspects of database software. All kinds of business-sensitive information must be kept protected at all times. Select a software that takes into consideration both the physical risk to the data and risks from intentional corruption. Moreover, the tool should provide you with data backup and restoration facilities with minimum downtime.

• Select a tool that offers scalability: A database software should have the capacity to expand in order to meet the growing data requirements of your company and the changing usage of your application. The system should be able to support new users and transfer data without any additional hardware.

• Select a tool that offers an intuitive user interface: A database software can be used by multiple user groups, including database administrators, IT admins, and data consumers. These user segments require an easy-to-use interface and an understandable programming language to interact with the system. Make sure that the software you select provides easy-to-use functionalities for filtration, segmentation, analysis, and visualization of data.

Common questions to ask when choosing free database software

It is always good to ask the software provider some basic questions before finalizing your free database software purchase. Some of these questions are listed below:

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