Hi everyone! I’m currently using a MySQL database hosted on AWS Lightsail and paying around $15 monthly for it. The problem is that I’m only storing a small amount of data right now, so this cost feels way too high for what I actually need. I’m looking for budget-friendly MySQL database options that won’t break the bank. Since my data storage requirements are pretty minimal at the moment, I need something that scales with usage or offers lower entry-level pricing. Has anyone found good alternatives that are more cost-effective for small projects? I’d really appreciate any recommendations for affordable MySQL hosting services or cloud providers that offer better pricing for light usage. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
I switched from AWS to PlanetScale’s free tier six months ago - best decision ever. You get 5GB storage and 1 billion row reads monthly for free, which should easily cover what you need. Performance’s been rock solid for my small apps, plus they handle all the maintenance crap. If you outgrow it, their pricing beats traditional cloud providers by miles. Only catch is you’re stuck with their branch workflow, but that’s fine for simple stuff. Check it out before paying for something else.
freesqldatabase.com has been great for small projects. You get 5MB free, which is perfect for testing. If you outgrow it, their paid options are way cheaper than what AWS charges.
DigitalOcean’s managed databases start at $15/month, but regular droplets work better for most situations. I run MySQL on a $6/month droplet and it handles my small projects perfectly. You’ll manage backups yourself, but it’s not complicated - just mysqldump and a cron job. I’ve run this setup for over two years without major issues. Performance is solid and you get full control over your database config. Just enable firewall rules and change default passwords. For minimal usage, try their $4/month droplet if traffic’s really light.
Skip hosting and automate your data management instead. I’ve moved most small projects away from dedicated database hosting - costs add up way too fast.
I use automation to sync data between lightweight storage solutions. Pull from APIs, spreadsheets, or JSON files and process through workflows that only run when needed.
One side project: replaced a $20/month database with automated data flows costing under $2/month. Automation handles validation, transformations, and backs up to multiple sources automatically.
You only pay for what you use. No idle servers draining your budget while your app sits unused.
Most people think they need traditional database setups, but automation handles way more than expected. I’ve built entire data pipelines this way that crush expensive hosted solutions.
Latenode makes setup ridiculously easy. Connect different data sources and create workflows that manage everything automatically.