The Best Cloud MySQL Services for 2025: AWS vs Azure vs GCP​

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You want the best cloud MySQL service for 2025. AWS leads with 30% market share, offering unmatched flexibility. Azure integrates well with Microsoft tools and holds 20%. GCP stands out for cost-saving and advanced AI, owning 13%. Multi-cloud solutions like TiDB Cloud now help organizations with hybrid needs.

• Market Share Table:

  Cloud Service	Market Share (%)
  AWS	30
  Azure	20
  GCP	13

• Feature Highlights Table:

  Provider	Flexibility	Integration	AI Capabilities
  AWS	High	Broad	Amazon SageMaker
  Azure	Moderate	Best for MS	Azure ML
  GCP	Good	Google Apps	Vertex AI

You can expect a clear side-by-side comparison to guide your decision on AWS Azure GCP MySQL Cloud services.

1. AWS MySQL

Amazon RDS

Amazon RDS for MySQL stands out as a top choice when you need managed database services in the AWS Azure GCP MySQL Cloud landscape. You can launch a MySQL instance in minutes. AWS automates backups, patching, and scaling, so you spend less time on maintenance. Multi-AZ deployments and read replicas boost availability and performance. You get built-in monitoring with CloudWatch and RDS Insights, which helps you track database health.

Tip: Choose Multi-AZ for higher availability if your application cannot tolerate downtime.

Features

AWS RDS offers a range of features that make it attractive for businesses of all sizes. Here is a quick overview:

Pricing starts at $0.068 per hour for a db.t3.medium instance. Storage costs about $0.115 per GB per month. Backups are free up to the database size. You can select paid support tiers based on your needs.

Pros & Cons

You should consider the advantages and disadvantages before choosing AWS RDS in the AWS Azure GCP MySQL Cloud environment.

AWS RDS delivers reliability and ease of use, but you may face higher costs and some scalability limits. Evaluate your workload and growth plans before making a decision.

2. Azure MySQL

Azure Database

Azure Database for MySQL gives you a fully managed cloud solution. You can deploy, scale, and manage MySQL databases with ease. Azure offers predictable monthly charges and pay-as-you-go options, so you control your costs. You benefit from automated infrastructure management, which reduces manual setup and maintenance. If you already use Microsoft products, Azure Database for MySQL fits well into your workflow, but it does not integrate as tightly as Azure SQL Database with other Microsoft tools.

Features

Azure Database for MySQL introduces several new features in 2025. You can use Azure Migrate to discover MySQL servers, assess compatibility, and get SKU recommendations. The unified migration experience with Azure DMS streamlines your move to the cloud. Azure Functions now support native bindings for MySQL, which simplifies event-driven app development.

You get strong performance and reliability. Azure Database for MySQL achieves 10,324 TPS and 24.79 ms average latency, outperforming other AWS Azure GCP MySQL Cloud services.

• Azure Database for MySQL processes up to 16% more TPS than Amazon Aurora MySQL.

• You see 14% lower latency compared to Amazon Aurora MySQL.

Pros & Cons

Note: Azure Database for MySQL offers reliable performance and predictable costs, but you may find integration with Microsoft tools less seamless than Azure SQL Database. You should consider your existing infrastructure and future growth when choosing among AWS Azure GCP MySQL Cloud providers.

3. GCP MySQL

Cloud SQL

Cloud SQL for MySQL gives you a fully managed database service on Google Cloud. You can deploy MySQL instances quickly and scale them as your needs grow. The platform automates backups, patching, and failover, so you spend less time on routine tasks. You get seamless integration with Google’s ecosystem, which makes it easy to connect with other cloud services.

Tip: Use Cloud SQL’s automated failover to keep your applications running during outages.

Features

You benefit from a straightforward pricing model with Cloud SQL for MySQL. You avoid hidden costs and complex licensing, which helps you manage budgets more effectively. Cloud SQL works well with major AI platforms, including AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure. This compatibility lets you handle data for AI workloads and run real-time analytics directly in your database.

Key features include:

• Automated backups and point-in-time recovery

• High availability with regional failover

• Built-in monitoring and alerts

• Seamless scaling for storage and compute

• Integration with Google’s security tools

Pros & Cons

Cloud SQL for MySQL stands out in the AWS Azure GCP MySQL Cloud landscape for cost-effectiveness and AI integration. You should consider it if you want predictable costs and advanced analytics.

4. AWS Azure GCP MySQL Cloud Comparison

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Performance

You see modest performance from AWS RDS and Azure at low to medium workloads. When you increase concurrency, AWS RDS and Azure both outperform Alibaba and Google, with AWS securing third place at high connections. GCP does not lead in MySQL benchmarks but excels in data analytics workloads.

Reliability

You get high reliability from all three providers. AWS, Azure, and GCP use primary and hot standby setups, synchronous replication, and automatic failover. Amazon Aurora offers advanced quorum replication and creates new servers on failure.

Security

You benefit from strong security standards across all platforms. AWS, Azure, and GCP meet SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, and FedRAMP requirements.

Pricing

You find predictable pricing models with all three providers. AWS and Azure offer pay-as-you-go and monthly charges. GCP stands out for cost-effectiveness and simple billing.

Scalability

• AWS lets you start small and scale up easily.

• Azure automates scaling and updates for cost-effective growth.

• GCP manages storage and server capacity with minimal effort.

Ease of Use

You experience fast setup and automated maintenance with each provider. AWS and Azure offer strong integration with their ecosystems. GCP provides simple management and strong analytics tools.

Table

Tip: You should match your choice to your workload, budget, and integration needs for the best results.

5. Decision Guide

Budget

You need to consider your budget before choosing a cloud MySQL provider. Costs vary by provider and instance size. AWS and Azure offer similar monthly prices for small instances, but Google Cloud provides the lowest cost. Larger instances show more variation, with AWS offering competitive hourly rates and Google Cloud using pay-per-second billing. Discounts such as reserved instances and sustained use can help you save money.

Tip: You can lower costs by choosing reserved or sustained use options.

Technical Needs

You should match your technical requirements to the strengths of each provider. AWS supports a wide range of database engines and offers strong automation. Azure integrates best with Microsoft tools and provides evergreen SQL Server versions. GCP excels in analytics and AI workloads, but does not support MariaDB as a PaaS service.

Note: You should select a provider that fits your existing infrastructure and future growth plans.

Support

You need reliable support for mission-critical workloads. AWS, Azure, and GCP offer different support models and unique features. AWS provides direct support for Oracle databases. Azure delivers evergreen SQL Server versions. GCP focuses on simplicity but lacks MariaDB support.

If you require hybrid or distributed deployments, consider multi-cloud solutions like TiDB Cloud. Multi-cloud strategies offer:

• Flexibility to choose the best services from each provider

• Scalability for growing businesses

• Enhanced disaster recovery and high availability

• Freedom from vendor lock-in

You can improve resilience and performance by mixing cloud providers for your MySQL workloads.

You should match your cloud MySQL choice to your priorities.

• Consider your current technology stack.

• Review your strategic goals.

• Look for features like automated backups, disaster recovery, and strong security.

Assess your needs before you decide. Each provider offers unique strengths for different organizations.