15 Best MySQL Database Web Hosting Providers

Why do You Need MySQL Hosting? How to Find the Best One?

Website owners that run huge websites usually rely on databases. These make it much easier to deal with the hundreds or thousands of web page content available. This way, there is no need to open each page to update the content and the layout also stays the same. These are called dynamic websites or database-driven websites where the data is pulled straight from the database every time a user opens a web page.

Every bit of information can be accessed at one place and you can even have a whole team working on the same database together. For these tasks, you can use MySQL which is one of the most popular databases right now. It is open-source software and you can get it for free. The web hosting plans that we are going to talk about below all support MySQL and also offer apps and scripts that are compatible with the database.

Now we are going to review MySQL first, just to explain why it is such a great choice when it comes to relational databases. We will also show you all the essential information that you need to know before choosing a web hosting plan that supports MySQL.

This is Why You Should Use MySQL

Of course, MySQL is not the only option you are going to find when searching for the perfect web hosting plan. There are other popular databases, such as:

• PostgreSQL – an open-source and object-relational database available for Linux and Windows
• Microsoft SQL – a relational, proprietary database by Microsoft, compatible with Linux and Windows
• MS Access – a relational, proprietary database with a graphical UI, part of the Microsoft Office suite. It can run on Windows only
• Oracle – a multi-model, proprietary database developed by the Oracle Corporation that can run on Windows and Linux as well

If we take a look at the cross-platform compatibility of each of these database options, it turns out that MySQL is the most versatile one. Besides Microsoft and Linux, MySQL can run on FreeBSD, macOS and Solaris. This gives the database a huge advantage, as you can run it on pretty much every machine and web hosting plan. On top of that, it gives you a wide set of features that enable you to execute your tasks effectively while keeping your data secure through every step.

MySQL is a powerful solution when you want to work on huge datasets. It is widely used by big companies that need to manage tons of content on their websites. While being a well-rounded database, it is still fairly easy to use, making it a great choice for those that don’t have much experience working with databases.

If performance is one of the main aspects you need in a database, then MySQL is the perfect choice for you. It is designed in a way to provide high-speed usage, especially for those that run their websites on a shared web hosting plan. After all, you don’t want to wait for those load times when the stakes are high.

One of the greatest things about MySQL is that you can use Apache, PHP and various other languages on it. These are usually included in most packages when you pick a Linux web hosting plan. In fact, more than 100 million users downloaded MySQL just because these components are supported. You can basically have some of the most powerful tools all at one place.

The Story of MySQL

MySQL came out back in 1996, so it is definitely one of the oldest ones among the database options out there. It is created by a three-man developer team and then one of them, Michael Widenius gave the database the name My, which was also the name of his daughter. They created it from the much simpler database management system called mSQL (Mini SQL) and they intended to use it as their own tool.

mSQL was based on the ISAM language, which was developed by IBM. The whole structure of mSQL was way too slow and inflexible, so the programmers decided to create a new one that can solve their problems in better ways. Then, as MySQL came out, it started to run under the General Public License, meaning that every user was able to change the source code.

A great thing about MySQL is that they kept the API (Application Programming Interface) of mSQL, which enabled developers from all around the World to easily switch to this new database. The company that funded and owned MySQL was a Swedish one called MySQL AB. Then in 2008, Sun decided to buy the company for $1 billion. They only had it until 2010, when Sun handed MySQL over to Oracle Corporation, the current owner of the database.

MySQL Prices and Features

You can always download the free version of MySQL that many companies and individuals use for their databases. It is called the MySQL Community edition, the most widely used open-source database in the World. Most web hosting plans don’t even require you to download it, because it is usually included in their package as a bonus.

The free version is enough most of the time, however, in case your company has some specific needs, you can also upgrade to a premium version. There is the Standard Edition for $2000, the Enterprise for $5000 and the Cluster Carrier Grade for $10,000. All of these grant you an extensive list of useful tools and features while you get premium support and maintenance as well.

You get everything you need for your database management and querying tasks. Even if you are working with huge amounts of data, you can never get lost since MySQL allows you to run highly effective searches. There is also an information schema that helps you understand the structure of your data.

MySQL is the perfect solution if you need a database for your new application. You basically just need to set up the database, create an account and then you can leave it like that. It will be a stable resource for your application with a script running on it. It doesn’t even require you to check it as long as it continuously runs in the background.

The only thing that can slow a MySQL database down is a poor hard drive choice. You should always go for a web hosting provider that runs the server on SSD hard disks. It guarantees lightning speed with the instant access provided by solid state drives. However, if you choose a web hosting plan that relies on SSDs, you will need a backup plan as well. With SSD hard disks, it is more likely to run into errors that might damage your data.

Although most users use the command line interface in MySQL, it might not be suitable for everyone. Beginners that are not experienced in working with databases might find it difficult to handle. Fortunately, this problem can be solved by installing one of the MySQL GUI (graphical user interface) which makes it much more straightforward to use the database.

Finding the Perfect MySQL Web Host

Nowadays, it isn’t hard to find a web hosting provider that offers MySQL in their packages. Most of them support this database and many other solutions that you can choose from. While browsing the web hosting services on the Internet, you will see that they provide at least some of the popular databases that we mentioned before, especially when it comes to shared hosting plans. Before you choose one, these are the two most important factors you should take into account: storage and performance.

For the majority of website owners, a single MySQL database is enough. Web hosting plans usually come with one instance of MySQL, but in case you are about to start a bigger project, you might need to add more databases. In this case, simply choose a web hosting package that includes unlimited databases. Also, if you want to properly connect and manage your databases, you will need to go for PHP. However, you can hardly find a web hosting provider that doesn’t support this language.

Last but not least, you should make sure that either cPanel or Plesk is installed. These control panels allow you to create databases and delete or manage existing ones. cPanel even provides a database wizard for MySQL which guides you through the whole process of dealing with databases. Now let’s see the reviews about the 15 web hosting providers that we mostly recommend!

Best MySQL Web Hosting Providers

So before giving you details about the companies we consider among best MySQL hosts, here is the full list of them:

1. HostGator – $from $2.75 / month
2. BlueHost – from $3.95 / month
3. InMotion Hosting – from $3.99 / month
4. A2Hosting – from $3.92 / month
5. SiteGround – from $3.95 / month
6. iPage – from $1.99 / month
7. WebHostingHub – from $4.99 / month
8. FatCow – from $3.15 / month
9. LiquidWeb – from $59 / month
10. GreenGeeks – from $3.95 / month
11. GoDaddy – from $2.99 / month
12. HostMonster – from $4.95 / month
13. InterServer – from $5 / month
14. HostPapa – from $3.95 / month
15. JustHost – from $3.95 / month

Now let’s jump into details, and see which hosting provider is best for your budget and hosting needs.

3. HostGator

HostGator is one of the most well-known web hosting companies right now. They offer top-notch plans for shared hosting, dedicated servers, VPS and especially reseller hosting which is their top selling service. Their plans are widely used by big and small businesses, bloggers and developers. HostGator established in 2002 and started selling Linux-based services.

In 2011, they realized that there is a huge demand for Windows as well and started to provide web hosting plans based on the operating system. HostGator hosts more than 8 million domains right now. One of the main reasons behind this is the wide range of features that come with each of their plans. This provider also has its own website builder that gives you access to over 4,000 templates for free.

HostGator provides you with every tool that can help you to create and maintain your websites. With every plan, you get MySQL for database management, free domain, task scheduler and other useful admin tools. There are not that many providers that can offer you some truly high-end Windows hosting plans. This is where HostGator beats most of its competition, putting several years of their experience in Windows hosting into practice.

If you are not satisfied with your hosting plan, you can get your money back in 45 days which is a bigger than average time frame. No matter which plan you choose, you get unlimited MySQL databases and phpMyAdmin as well. Shared plan prices start at $2.75 per month with the Hatchling plan. If you want a VPS, the entry level plan will cost you $29.95, while the cheapest dedicated server is $119 per month.

 

2. BlueHost

BlueHost started back in 2003 and now they have hundreds of employees working in the company. It became a huge name in the industry, providing users with web hosting plans that rely on top-notch hardware and software. Their whole web hosting platform is open-source, making it a great choice for users that want to delve in the technicalities.

As most of the big names among the web hosting companies, BlueHost also offers a wide range of powerful web hosting plans. These include the most popular plans such as cloud, shared, VPS and dedicated hosting. However, BlueHost allows you to choose from two other plans, one of them created for WordPress users and the other for WooCommerce site owners.

When it comes to support, their team of professionals are available all day, every day. You can reach them via chat, phone, email and they also have an extensive knowledge base. Every hosting package grants you a free SSL and MySQL as well.

They guarantee that you can create and manage databases with MySQL in a straightforward way by using phpMyAdmin and many other helpful applications. If you want to get two things done at once, you should pick a BlueHost plan that offers a free domain name. Since you don’t need to find and pay for a domain registrar, this choice can always save you some time and money.

Now let’s go through the prices of their shared, VPS and dedicated plans just to show you how affordable BlueHost really is. They have three shared hosting plans, starting with the Basic for $3.95 per month, up to the Choice Plus plan for $5.95. The prices for their VPS plans range from $19.99 up to $59.99 per month, while the dedicated hosting plans cost from $79.99 up to 119.99 each month.

 

3. InMotion Hosting

At InMotion Hosting, you can find numerous full-featured hosting plans. These include various shared, dedicated, VPS, WordPress and managed options, ensuring that every business and individual can find the perfect service. MySQL is one of the extras that they provide with all their packages, which sets you up for creating applications and dynamic websites.

InMotion Hosting provides you with user-friendly website builders, such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and B2evolution. The company even developed their own website builder called Premium Web Builder and made it available for everyone who subscribed to their plans. For large companies or teams that work on bigger projects, choosing a dedicated plan at InMotion is a great choice.

Dedicated packages include cPanel for easy server and website management through your browser. What makes their plans truly beginner-friendly is their MySQL support. You will create and maintain your database with complete guidance, ensuring that you use your preferred SQL language the right way. There will be no performance issues with your database, which is guaranteed by their SSD storage devices.

One of the main goals of InMotion is to provide top-notch hardware to their clients at all times. Their service relies on Samsung SSDs and the latest Dell servers so you can rest assured that your website visitors will enjoy a seamless browsing experience. At InMotion, the prices for their dedicated plans range from $105.69 all the way up to $340.99 with five plans total.

They have three plans for VPS hosting with the lowest price being $27.99 and the highest $64.99. If you want to try their Shared Business Hosting plans, you can choose from three plans. There is the Launch plan for $3.99 per month, the Power for $5.99 and the Pro for $13.99 a month, with the Power plan being the most popular option.

 

4. A2 Hosting

When A2 Hosting was founded back in 1999, it was an independent company at first. It was initially named as Iniquinet, and then they changed it to A2 Hosting in 2003. Thanks to the many years of hard work, they became one of the leading names in the web hosting industry. They are getting hundreds of positive reviews from users and popular reviewer sites as well.

A2 Hosting offers a wide diversity of plans. They offer the usual dedicated, VPS and shared plans with tons of useful add-ons, free features and support. You can choose between managed and unmanaged dedicated and VPS plans. If you want MySQL included in the package, you are at the right place. A2 Hosting offers plenty of features and software that are highly beneficial for developers.

You get the latest version, the MySQL 5.5 along with phpMyAdmin and SSH. With these helpful tools, you will be able to work on your databases at any time, from any machine. A2 Hosting provides a great opportunity for those who want to work on their skills. With their extensive knowledge base, you can learn a lot about using Python and Perl on your databases.

At A2 Hosting, the prices differ between the Windows and Linux options, but we are going to talk about the Linux plans just to give you an idea about the prices. You can get a shared hosting plan starting at $3.91, a VPS for $5.00 and a dedicated plan for $9.31. These plans can be scaled up according to your needs, granting you more and more features and benefits.

 

5. SiteGround

This is yet another big name in the web hosting industry. SiteGround is well-known for its high availability and for providing powerful web hosting services worldwide. This is mainly thanks to its data centers which are cleverly placed in Singapore, Amsterdam and Chicago, covering a huge number of countries effectively. Their marketing strategy is to stand out of the crowd and offer something different to their audience. As it turns out, their method is quite successful so far.

At SiteGround, you can get any type of web hosting package that you need. However, most users purchased their shared or cloud hosting plans which are more powerful than most of their competitors provide. With these two, you get the cPanel control panel and support for WordPress and Joomla as well. SiteGround ensures you an almost 100% uptime, since they constantly monitor their servers and once there is an issue, they can instantly fix it.

Another great thing about this provider is that you are allowed to have unlimited MySQL databases with their hosting packages. They ensure high performance for your databases by storing them on separate hard drives. You can easily work on your databases through phpMyAdmin. If you choose one of their more expensive packages, they also provide dynamic caching, SSL, enhanced support and PCI compliance.

You can get a shared hosting plan at SiteGround for only $3.95 per month if you want. However, their best seller is the CrowBig shared plan which costs $5.95 per month. Their entry-level cloud hosting plan costs $80 per month, while you can get an Entry Server for $269 per month if you want a dedicated server plan.

 

6. iPage

There are over a million customers right now that chose iPage as their web hosting provider. This is a company that has already powered websites for a decade. Back in 2011, they started to use wind energy for running their servers and they are using this method up to this day. Their plans are affordable and the whole package is designed to be beginner-friendly, which is why so many people choose this provider.

The target audience for iPage is mainly small businesses or individuals that want to set up a blog or portfolio site easily, then focus on their work. Since the main idea of this provider is simplicity, they offer only one shared hosting plan that costs only $7.99. However, it comes with tons of useful features. For example, you can register a domain name for 3 years, you can have unlimited MySQL databases and an abundance of storage space.

They have their own drag and drop website editor that also gives you access to thousands of templates. Of course, the most popular CMS are supported and you also get extras for your website. These include tools for your blog, photo galleries and FTP tools. Besides MySQL, you also get Varnish caching and phpMyAdmin for it. Although they don’t store the website data and databases on separate servers, your data will be secured by daily backups.

They also offer VPS hosting that starts at $19.99 per month, dedicated hosting from $119.99 per month and WordPress hosting where the starter package costs $3.75 per month.

 

7. Web Hosting Hub

Web Hosting Hub is a company that was established in 2010 and has been providing various services since then. Besides hosting your website, you can also hire them to design your website. They provide other solutions as well, such as their website builder, numerous eCommerce tools, and web hosting for all the popular CMS. They became so popular that more than 40,000 people picked them to build and power their websites.

Web Hosting Hub is optimal for those who want shared hosting, since it is the only type of plan that they provide. The VPS, dedicated and other plans are provided by InMotion Hosting, their sister company. Since they only provide shared hosting, they are fully focused on providing the best three shared hosting plans available in the market. If you want to start a website as a business or for individual purposes, Web Hosting Hub allows you to set it up quickly and effectively.

You can choose from three shared hosting plans: the Spark plan for $4.99 per month, Nitro for $6.99 and the Dynamo plan for $8.99 per month. If you choose the Nitro plan, you will be able to run unlimited MySQL databases, sub and parked domains, which are all limited in the starter plan. The second and third plan also gives you a discount on their web design service.

All shared plans give you phpMyAdmin as an extra to MySQL. If you are not that experienced in MySQL, you can always rely on their guides about how to handle databases, they have plenty of them.

 

8. FatCow

FatCow is one of the biggest web hosting providers that runs its business on green energy. They provide only one plan for shared hosting called The Original FatCow Plan which costs only $3.15 per month and it allows you to register a domain name for one year. Their main idea is to avoid offering complicated web hosting plans and put together some simpler ones instead.

They have a professional tech support team that promises to respond within a few minutes. By purchasing one of their plans, you will have access to their control panel which is pretty much the same as cPanel, only looks a bit different. It is quite beginner-friendly, however, it might take you some time to figure out the MySQL manager and file manager.

With its prices, FatCow is definitely among the most affordable providers in the market. Their plans are widely used by small businesses and personals. As many other providers, they also have their own custom, point-and-click website builder that might come in handy for those who have no experience in web development whatsoever.

If you are interested in other plans such as VPS or dedicated servers, they offer those too. FatCow divides VPS and dedicated services into three plans each. Each of these plans gives you unlimited MySQL databases, domains, sub domains and FTP accounts. The entry level plan for VPS costs $19.99 per month and you can have a startup dedicated server for only $119.99 per month.

 

9. LiquidWeb

Now LiquidWeb is the web hosting provider where you can only find the most powerful hosting solutions. They don’t even provide shared hosting plans, since they focus on providing the best performance for demanding developers. At LiquidWeb, you can find some exceptional Dedicated and VPS hosting plans with a guaranteed uptime of an almost 100%. Also, you can choose whether you want a Linux or Windows-based server.

Their web hosting plans are not only powerful but also user-friendly, making sure that you don’t need to spend much time managing your server. They are using the latest hardware, to ensure constant uptime and high-speed for website owners. In the last few years, they managed to keep their uptime above 99.99%, which is quite impressive.

Although you can hardly run into any issues by using LiquidWeb, they have their professional support team ready whenever you need them. In case you already have a website and want to switch to a LiquidWeb hosting plan, they will help you with the data migration for free. They use SSD hard drives and even provide load balancers in case you have traffic spikes, allowing multiple servers to handle your traffic.

Both dedicated and VPS plans support MySQL and numerous other database solutions. If you want a LiquidWeb managed dedicated server, you can choose from five different plans in three locations. The starter plan costs $199 per month and grants you an extensive list of useful features. Their cloud VPS prices start at $59 per month, while the cheapest cloud dedicated server costs $169 per month.

 

10. GreenGeeks

GreenGeeks is a web hosting company established over a decade ago that currently has over 35,000 customers and hosts more than 300,000 websites. As its name implies, they power their hardware with green energy, or more specifically wind power which is better for the environment.

By choosing one of their plans, you will get plenty of features such as free domain registration and transfer, website builder, website transfer, secure email accounts and much more. GreenGeeks has a dedicated support team that you can reach via chat, phone and tickets. They run their servers only on Linux, but it is the most popular operating system when it comes to web hosting anyway.

The server uptime at GreenGeeks is highly competitive as well, as they are successful at keeping it above 99.9%. They didn’t create their own control panel like many other providers. Instead, you will get cPanel which guarantees a seamless user experience for every website owner. If you already have a website, you can migrate it for free. They even let you to add a shopping cart to it which also comes with the package.

At GreenGeeks, web hosting costs only $3.95, while WordPress hosting is also $3.95. Their plans are beneficial for developers with the latest MySQL, support for Python and Perl, multiple PHP versions and FTP accounts. And this is only the tip of the iceberg, because you get tons of great features that guarantee a top-notch performance, security and eCommerce support. In case you are not satisfied with GreenGeeks, you can get your money back within 30 days.

 

11. GoDaddy

GoDaddy is well-known as one of the biggest domain registrars in the World with over 60 million domain names registered so far. Besides their domain registration and auction services, they also provide powerful web hosting plans. This company established back in 1997 under the name Jomax Technologies. After two years, they switched to their current name.

GoDaddy offers web hosting solutions for both individuals and huge businesses. They offer various dedicated, VPS and shared plans for affordable prices. Besides the usual Linux option, you can get Windows based servers as well. There are numerous hosting plans you can choose from, depending on what type of website you want to run and the amount of traffic you attract to it.

They also have a popular website builder that is widely used by inexperienced users and small businesses that need a quick and easy solution. It is a drag-and-drop builder that gives you access to more than 300 templates. The templates are already populated with content; you only need to copy your own content into the right places and its set.

With the mix of professional administrators, high-end hardware and monitoring systems, they are able to consistently keep the server uptime above 99.9%. GoDaddy is the provider that cares about your content. They regularly create backup copies of your website in case something goes wrong. You can get a web hosting plan for only $2.99 per month. The prices for their VPS plans start at $17.99 per month, while you can get an entry-level dedicated server for $69.99 per month.

 

12. HostMonster

At HostMonster, the services and prices are quite similar to those offered by BlueHost. This is because these two are sister companies with each other. They also offer shared hosting plans with the starting price of $4.95 per month. It comes with unmetered bandwidth, 50GB storage and it lets you have one website and one domain name. All in all, HostMonster offers some decent shared hosting plans for affordable prices.

It is perfect for individuals and businesses that just started to attract traffic. On top of the performance, you will get numerous useful tools that can come in handy for smaller websites. These include tools for forums and blogs, shopping cart, SSL certificate, CMS scripts and the latest MySQL. The basic VPS plan at HostMonster costs only $19.99, which is quite cheap right now in the market. Still, with the 30GB free space, dual core processor, 2GB RAM and bandwidth limited to 1TB per month, it is a powerful option for the price.

They are not experimenting with custom control panels; instead you get a cPanel which is always an effective solution. You can get a dedicated server for as little as $79.99 with 4-core Intel Xeon processors, 500GB RAID1 and 4GB RAM. With HostMonster, you can upgrade your plan whenever you need more performance.

Your shared databases will be stored on a different server than the other data and you get a phpMyAdmin as well for your MySQL. If you want a web hosting plan that properly deals with SQL queries, you should definitely choose HostMonster.

 

13. InterServer

InterServer is considered as the best choice right now for those that need an affordable, yet powerful WordPress hosting service. The cheapest plan at InterServer costs only $5 and you get an SSL certificate, free migration and unlimited storage, transfer and email. They also allow you to run up to 20 websites on their server. High-performance is guaranteed by the latest hardware, including 30GB to 240GB SSDs.

InterServer strives to keep their uptime as close as possible to that perfect 100%, and they are doing really well so far. At this provider, only 100 new users are allowed each day. This limit guarantees that their servers won’t slow down unexpectedly on a busy day. If you pick one of their VPS plans, you will have plenty of customization options. You will be able to choose the software tools, control panel, OS and processing power that suit you the best.

If you choose InterServer, there will be no unexpected exit fees or any kind of long-term contract. On top of that, you will get your money back in 30 days in case you were not satisfied with their service. You will be able to manage your databases seamlessly with the help of the latest MySQL and phpMyAdmin.

In terms of support, you can contact them in every way, whenever you want. InterServer support is available via phone, chat, email, while you can use their extensive knowledge base and forum as well. Their VPS plans are so scalable that you can choose from 16 different variations with a starting price of only $10.00 per month for Windows and $6.00 per month for Linux.

 

14. HostPapa

HostPapa is a web hosting provider straight from Canada which got established back in 2006. Their target audience is small businesses, as they state it on their website and via their ads as well. They are utilizing green energy to power their hardware, which is highly popular right now among hosting companies. Compared to other green hosting providers, their prices are fairly low.

Although HostPapa does not offer dedicated servers, their shared and VPS plans are quite powerful. No matter which plan you choose, you get a website builder as well. However, you can upgrade the website builder to an even better one by switching to a more expensive plan. cPanel and FTP accounts are also included in every package. Their cheapest shared hosting plan costs $3.95 and lets you have two websites.

If you need VPS, you can choose from 5 different plans according to your needs. Their first VPS plan costs only $19.99 per month and you get a 4-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, 50GB storage space and 1TB transfer. With these plans, you can get both Linux and Windows-based servers. When it comes to databases, you get MySQL 5 and they allow you to manage unlimited databases.

Their plans include the powerful administration tool phpMyAdmin that lets you easily handle the most frequent MySQL tasks. If you are a beginner developer or webmaster, HostPapa is a perfect choice for you. With their plans, every tool that is required to effectively set up and maintain a website will be at arm’s length.

 

15. JustHost

At JustHost, you can find some excellent hosting plans for small businesses and beginner webmasters. Although providing reliable shared hosting plans is clearly their main goal, they also have some decent VPS and dedicated server plans. You can get a shared hosting plan for only $3.95 per month that grants you a domain name, a website, 50GB of space and some more basic features.

With their hosting plans, you get free site builders with templates and the ability to install a wide range of useful software with a single click. In their software package, you can find tools for blogging, forums and eCommerce as well. They offer a generous starter package for databases with the latest MySQL, allowing you to have 20 databases. However, if you upgrade to a more powerful plan, it becomes unlimited.

You will be able to create and manage databases with phpMyAdmin. Thankfully, JustHost doesn’t store the databases and your other data on the same server. This is a great practice that became popular among web hosting providers, ensuring stability for their customers.

You can choose from four VPS plans with prices ranging from $19.99 per month up to $59.99 per month. With the first one, you get dual core CPU, 2GB of RAM, 30GB storage, 1TB bandwidth and a free domain name. They also offer three dedicated server plans that you can manage with cPanel. The first one costs $79.99 per month and you can scale it up to the most powerful plan which costs $119.99 per month.

 

Conclusion

Certainly there are other great hosting providers that offer MySQL database hosting, and are not listed in this article. If you choose one of the companies listed on the page, you can’t go wrong with hosting and managing your MySQL databases.

If you have any questions regarding these hosting companies or have any suggestion about this article, please let us know in the comments section below.