Amazon RDS for MySQL vs Azure Database for MySQL: pricing
Managed MySQL · snapshot captured June 2026
On entry cost, Amazon RDS for MySQL has the lower entry cost (~$52/mo vs ~$125/mo). Amazon RDS for MySQL uses instance-hour + separate storage and Azure Database for MySQL uses vcore-hour + separate storage. Their representative entry tiers are ~$52/mo (db.t3.medium (2 vCPU / 4 GiB)) and ~$125/mo (D2ds_v5 (2 vCore / 8 GiB, compute only)). For scale, their top tiers we list are similarly priced. Prices are a June-2026 snapshot; verify on the linked vendor pricing page before relying on them.
Data as of June 2026.
Amazon RDS for MySQL vs Azure Database for MySQL side by side
| Factor | Amazon RDS for MySQL | Azure Database for MySQL |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | MySQL | MySQL |
| Vendor | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
| Pricing model | Instance-hour + separate storage | vCore-hour + separate storage |
| Representative tier | db.t3.medium (2 vCPU / 4 GiB) | D2ds_v5 (2 vCore / 8 GiB, compute only) |
| Est. entry / month | ~$52/mo | ~$125/mo |
| Free tier? | Yes | No |
| Free tier detail | 12-month AWS Free Tier: 750 hours/month of db.t3.micro Single-AZ + 20 GB storage for new accounts. | 12 months free of a B1ms Flexible Server (750 hours/month) plus storage for new accounts. |
| Storage / extras | General Purpose gp3 SSD storage billed separately at about $0.115/GB-month; backups and data transfer extra. | Storage billed separately per GB-month; reserved capacity and prepay discounts available. |
| Region note | US East (N. Virginia), us-east-1, on-demand Single-AZ. | East US, Flexible Server, on-demand. |
Sources: Amazon Web Services pricing · Microsoft Azure pricing.
Cheaper for small vs cheaper for scale
Small / starting out: Amazon RDS for MySQL wins — it has a free tier. On a flat entry tier, Amazon RDS for MySQL has the lower entry cost (~$52/mo vs ~$125/mo).
At scale: their top tiers we list are similarly priced. Remember that Amazon RDS for MySQL is provisioned while Azure Database for MySQL is provisioned, which flips the answer depending on whether your traffic is steady or spiky.
Verdict
On entry cost alone, Amazon RDS for MySQL has the lower entry cost (~$52/mo vs ~$125/mo). But price is only part of the story: Amazon RDS for MySQL (deep aws integration (iam, vpc, cloudwatch, read replicas)) versus Azure Database for MySQL (cheapest entry instance (b1ms ~$12/month) of the hyperscalers). Read each full breakdown — Amazon RDS for MySQL and Azure Database for MySQL — and model your real workload in the estimator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amazon RDS for MySQL or Azure Database for MySQL cheaper?
On entry cost, Amazon RDS for MySQL has the lower entry cost (~$52/mo vs ~$125/mo). And their top tiers we list are similarly priced. The right answer depends on your workload size and traffic pattern — Amazon RDS for MySQL uses instance-hour + separate storage and Azure Database for MySQL uses vcore-hour + separate storage. snapshot captured June 2026.
Amazon RDS for MySQL vs Azure Database for MySQL: which for a small project?
For a small project, lean to whichever has a usable free tier and the lower entry price. Amazon RDS for MySQL: 12-month AWS Free Tier: 750 hours/month of db.t3.micro Single-AZ + 20 GB storage for new accounts. Azure Database for MySQL has no real free tier.
Amazon RDS for MySQL vs Azure Database for MySQL: which scales better on cost?
At scale, their top tiers we list are similarly priced. Usage-based offerings (serverless) can be cheaper for spiky or low-duty workloads but more expensive for steady high throughput; provisioned/instance pricing is the opposite. Model your real traffic before deciding.
What is the pricing model for Amazon RDS for MySQL and Azure Database for MySQL?
Amazon RDS for MySQL: Instance-hour + separate storage. Azure Database for MySQL: vCore-hour + separate storage. Prices are a June-2026 snapshot; verify on the linked vendor pricing page before relying on them.
More comparisons
Last updated: 2026-06-20