Last Updated: 21/03/2025 | Fact Checked
Research Highlights: As of March 2025 (1), Oracle remains the worlds most popular database management suite, as of data provided by DB-Engines. Their ranking system has shown that Oracle has been the top database management suite since 2012 (2), and looks set to continue this way for sometime.
Database management systems are fundamental to modern computing infrastructure, supporting everything from enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to real-time analytics and cloud-native applications. With the continuous evolution of data storage, retrieval, and processing needs, the popularity and utility of DBMSs are constantly shifting. This research provides an overview and analysis of the most popular DBMSs as of March 2025.
Methodology
This research utilises the monthly DB-Engines Ranking, which aggregates popularity scores using various metrics, including:
- Number of mentions on websites (measured via search engine queries)
- Frequency of technical discussions (e.g., Stack Overflow)
- Job postings that require knowledge of the DBMS
- Profiles on professional networks (e.g., LinkedIn)
- Relevance in social networks
Results
According to the DB-Engines Ranking (March 2025), the top 10 most popular DBMSs are:
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Oracle – 1268.91
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MySQL – 1158.59
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Microsoft SQL Server – 1081.33
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PostgreSQL – 677.89
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MongoDB – 436.18
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Redis – 180.35
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Elasticsearch – 162.99
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SQLite – 138.97
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MariaDB – 124.80
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IBM Db2 – 111.87
These rankings reflect the dominance of both traditional relational DBMSs (RDBMS) like Oracle and MySQL, and modern NoSQL or document-based systems like MongoDB and Elasticsearch.
Analysis
- Relational DBMSs Remain Dominant: Oracle, MySQL, and Microsoft SQL Server continue to lead the market. Their widespread enterprise adoption, robust performance, and extensive tooling ecosystems contribute to their resilience.
- Growth of Open Source and Community-Driven Systems: PostgreSQL has steadily gained popularity due to its extensibility, compliance with standards, and strong community support.
- Emergence of NoSQL and Specialised DBMSs: MongoDB, Redis, and Elasticsearch indicate a shift toward more flexible, scalable solutions, particularly for real-time and unstructured data use cases.
- Embedded and Lightweight Databases: SQLite's consistent ranking highlights its importance in mobile, embedded, and lightweight applications.
- Commercial Offerings Still Strong: Oracle and Microsoft remain heavily used in corporate environments where support, compliance, and integration with existing enterprise systems are critical.
Trends and Future Outlook
Looking forward, the following trends are likely to shape the DBMS landscape:
- Cloud-Native Architectures: Increasing adoption of cloud-based solutions will favour databases with seamless cloud integration.
- AI and Automation Integration: Databases that can support AI/ML workloads or integrate with data pipelines are likely to gain traction.
- Data Security and Compliance: With tightening data regulations, DBMSs offering strong security features and compliance tools will remain in demand.
The database management software market in 2025 reflects a blend of long-standing systems and newer, more agile solutions. While enterprise favourites like Oracle and SQL Server remain dominant, open source and NoSQL alternatives are reshaping how organisations store and process data. Continuous innovation, cloud integration, and adaptability to new workloads will define the future trajectory of DBMS popularity.
Sources:
(1) DB-Engines Database Management Suite Rankings March 2025
