Top 12 Free Database Software For Data Management in 2023

As businesses and organizations increasingly rely on digital data, the need for effective database management tools becomes more important than ever. Finding the right database software to meet your data needs can be daunting, especially if you're looking for a free solution. 

Whether you need an app to store employee contact information, help manage medical records, or track customer order histories, selecting the best free database software is key to ensuring that your data remains secure and organized. 

In this blog post, we’ll give a thorough review of the 12 best free database software tools that can be used to create, edit, and store your data files in an organized manner. 

Read on and explore all of our favorites designed specifically to give users control over their important files and records.

1. ClickUp

ClickUp is a powerful project management tool that also offers a built-in database system. This app is made for super-productive teams from startups to large corporations. As an all-in-one work management tool, ClickUp is also a free database software with a wide range of customizable features that enable teams to build their database according to their specific needs.

ClickUp’s Hierarchy allows you to create and manage your own database and organize it into Workspace, Spaces, Folders, and more for effortless management. You can then use ClickUp’s filtering and search features to query the database and retrieve data based on specific criteria. ClickUp also allows users to import and export data, which can be helpful when working with large sets of data.

Best Features

• Link similar tasks and ideas or even create an advanced database
• Utilize ClickUp’s Table View to create spreadsheets and visual databases to manage all kinds of information and data
• Use Relationships and Dependencies to link tasks, documents, and dependencies to access everything you need in one place
• Use dashboards to see what’s happening in your projects and teams with a quick glance
• Use Workload view, Pulse, Profiles, and more to manage your resources efficiently

Limitations

• Table view is currently not offered on mobile app
• Limited number of custom fields on free plan

Pricing

• Free Forever Plan
• Unlimited—$5 per member/month
• Business— $12 per member/month
• Business Plus—$19 per member/month
• Enterprise—Contact Sales for pricing

Get started with ClickUp for free, no credit card required

2. MySQL

MySQL is an open-source relational database management system known for its reliability, security, and speed. This is another free database software that is compatible with a wide range of applications and is widely used by developers, enterprises, and independent software vendors (ISVs) for both small and large projects. This system offers a variety of products such as MySQL HeatWave, MySQL Enterprise Edition, and My SQL OEM/ISV.

Best Features

• High performance and scalability
• Wide range of data types and functions
• Large community of users and developers

Limitations

• Software can be challenging to set up and configure for first-time users with no prior experience
• Free version does not offer technical support or add-ons available in the enterprise version

Pricing

• Community edition: Free
• Enterprise edition: Contact for pricing

3. MariaDB

MariaDB Server is a free and open-source relational database software that is developed by the original developers of MySQL. It is built upon the values of performance, stability, and openness, ensuring that contributions will be accepted based on technical merit. MariaDB Server is one of the most popular open-source relational databases around, and it is a default option on most Linux distributions. As part of most cloud offerings, MariaDB is an excellent choice for web-based applications that require fast, reliable, and scalable data storage.

Best Features

• MariaDB Server is an open-source and free database software
• Built upon the values of performance, stability, and openness
• Enterprise-level security and monitoring feature

Limitations

• Some features require a license from the MariaDB Corporation
• Some advanced features require paid version

Pricing

• Free version available
• Enterprise edition: Contact for pricing

4. DBeaver

DBeaver is an open-source SQL client software application and database administration tool. It is a cross-platform database tool for developers, database administrators, analysts, and all those who work with data. DBeaver supports popular SQL databases like MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Apache, and more. DBeaver Community is a free and open-source tool with an enterprise version called DBeaver Enterprise.

Best Features

• SQL editor with syntax highlighting and formatting
• Supports all popular SQL databases and their respective drivers.
• Provides features for database administration and SQL editing.

Limitations:

• Limited charting and visualization capabilities
• Can be difficult to navigate for beginners

Pricing

• DBeaver Community: Free
• DBeaver Enterprise: Contact for pricing

5. Couchbase

Couchbase is an open-source, distributed multi-model NoSQL document-oriented database software package optimized for interactive applications. It is a fast, feature-rich distributed NoSQL database that combines the flexibility of JSON documents with unmatched speed and scale in a modern cloud database platform. Other features of Couchbase include full-text search capabilities, real-time data updates, and easy integration with other databases and systems. It is backed by a large and active community of users and developers, as well as a dedicated support team.

Best Features

• Microsecond latency and lightning-fast performance
• Easy scale-out to accommodate your growing workloads
• Automatic sharding, automatic failover, and automatic replication

Limitations

• Not suitable for traditional, transaction-based systems 
• Some advanced features require paid version
• Limited community compared to other databases

Pricing

• Basic: Starts at $0.28/hr per node 
• Developer Pro: Starts at $0.35/hr per node 
• Enterprise: Starts at $0.56/hr per node 

6. Amazon RDS

Amazon RDS is a cloud-based relational database service that provides a managed service to set up, operate, and scale databases effortlessly. It is an easy-to-manage, flexible, and economical solution that enables efficient and fast deployment, offering a variety of MySQL-compatible and PostgreSQL-compatible relational database engines and enterprise database engines from Oracle and Microsoft to choose from. Amazon RDS also offers a free-tier for its customers to get started, enabling them to run small database workloads for free for up to 750 hours per month.

Best Features

• Offers a variety of relational database engines to choose from
• Automatic backups and updates
• Scalable and highly available

Limitations

• Advanced version can be expensive for large databases
• Requires some experience with AWS

Pricing

• Custom Amazon pricing approach

7. OpenOffice Base

OpenOffice Base is an open-source and free database management software that is part of the OpenOffice suite. It is designed for small to medium-sized databases and is compatible with other OpenOffice applications. Base provides users with wizards to assist those who are new to database design to create tables, forms, queries, and reports. It also comes with a set of predefined table definitions for tracking assets, sales orders, customers, invoices, and much more. 

Best Features

• Integration with other OpenOffice applications
• Supports HSQL relational database engine and native support for dBase flat files
• Native support drivers for multi-user database engines such as MySQL, Adabas D, MS Access, and PostgreSQL

Limitations

• Can be slow for large databases
• Limited community support

Pricing

• Free

8. RethinkDB

RethinkDB is a NoSQL document-oriented database that is designed for real-time applications such as chat applications, gaming, and real-time analytics. This open-source JSON database is designed for the realtime web. It features a unique push architecture that ensures real-time feeds to data, which is necessary for modern applications to communicate directly with clients. RethinkDB provides a flexible query language, straightforward monitoring APIs, and intuitive operations. Moreover, it is simpler and faster to use than conventional databases.

Best Features

• Scalable JSON database designed for the realtime web
• Provides continuous push of query results in real-time
• Flexible query language, intuitive operations, and monitoring APIs

Limitations

• Limited community support
• Limited integration with other tools, making it challenging to implement in some projects

Pricing

• Free version available

9. MongoDB

MongoDB is a source-available cross-platform document-oriented database program that has gained a lot of traction among developers. As a NoSQL database program, MongoDB uses JSON-like documents with optional schemas, which provides flexibility in building and scaling applications. MongoDB offers a robust developer data platform that provides the services and tools necessary to build distributed applications quickly while ensuring optimal performance and scalability.

Best Features

• Flexible data model for complex structures
• Cross-platform document-oriented database program
• Developer data platform for building distributed applications

Limitations

• Some advanced features require paid version
• Can be difficult to set up for non-developers

Pricing

• MongoDB offers a pay-as-you-go plan, which costs $0.10 per million reads
• Dedicated plan starts at $57 per month

10. Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server is a reliable and well-known proprietary relational database management system developed by Microsoft for storing and retrieving data. It offers a wide range of editions for different audiences and workloads, from small applications to large, concurrent internet-facing applications. Another important feature of Microsoft SQL Server is its integration with other Microsoft products, including Excel, SharePoint, and Power BI.

Best Features

• Enterprise-level security and monitoring features
• Fast and agile performance with a consistent experience across platforms
• Built-in artificial intelligence capabilities to gain deep knowledge into business and customers

Limitations

• Limited support for free version
• Requires expertise in database management to use effectively

Pricing

• Express edition: Free
• Standard and Enterprise editions are available with per-core licensing for on-premises use via Azure with a variety of pricing options

11. Altibase

Altibase is a powerful hybrid database software that is widely used by businesses of all sizes. This software is designed to provide users with a consistent experience across platforms, helping them to get their innovative ideas to the market faster. Altibase comes with a built-in intelligence feature that enables businesses to gain deep knowledge about their customers and their business operations. It also provides enterprise-proven security, performance, and availability needs with an industry-leading total cost of ownership. 

Best Features

• High performance and scalability
• Supports SQL and ACID transactions
• Hybrid architecture for optimal performance

Limitations

• Some advanced features require paid version
• Limited community support

Pricing

• Free trial available
• Per feature pricing model

12. PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is a free database software system that has garnered a reputation for reliability, robustness, and performance. This powerful database software is highly extensible and can be easily customized to suit your unique requirements. PostgreSQL is aimed at helping developers build high-quality applications, administrators to maintain data integrity and build resilient environments, and data managers to effectively manage datasets of all sizes.

Best Features

• Supports advanced features such as JSON and XML functions
• Highly extensible with custom data types and functions
• Strong reputation for reliability, feature robustness, and performance

Limitations

• Some advanced features require paid version
• Can be difficult to set up for non-developers

Pricing

• Free and open source
• Single node clusters begin at $15.00 per month for a single node cluster with 1 GB of RAM
• High availability clusters begin at $30.00 per month for a 2 GB RAM/1 vCPU primary node 
• Read-only nodes begin at $15.00 per month

Get a Free Database Software and More with ClickUp

Choosing the right database software for your business can be a challenging process, as there are many factors to consider. If you’re not just maintaining and organizing a database, you might need an application where you can monitor and work on all of your projects and tasks.

ClickUp is an all-in-one work management tool for all of your resources, database, and projects. Find features such as ClickUp’s Hierarchy and Dashboards to organize all of your information in one neat workspace.

Find out more by signing up for a free ClickUp account today!