MySQL vs Turso for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

MySQL Overview

MySQL is the most popular open-source relational database. It runs behind an enormous percentage of the web, from WordPress to major tech companies. Setting it up is straightforward, every hosting provider supports it, and the documentation has been refined over decades of use.

For solo developers, MySQL is a reliable workhorse. It handles CRUD operations efficiently, the community is massive, and you can find answers to almost any problem within minutes. If you are building something with PHP or Laravel, MySQL is the natural pairing.

The downside is that MySQL is a traditional client-server database. You run it on a server, connect your app to it, and manage it yourself. There is no concept of edge distribution or embedded replicas. For global applications where latency matters, MySQL requires you to set up read replicas in different regions manually.

Turso Overview

Turso takes SQLite and makes it work for production web applications. Built on libSQL (a fork of SQLite), Turso hosts your database at the edge with replicas distributed globally. The killer feature is embedded replicas, where your application literally has a copy of the database running alongside it for reads, giving you sub-millisecond query latency.

I tested Turso on a project where latency mattered and the experience was surprisingly good. You write SQLite queries, which are dead simple if you have used SQLite before. The embedded replica concept means reads are local while writes sync through Turso's infrastructure. For read-heavy applications, this architecture is hard to beat on latency.

The free tier is reasonable for side projects. You get 9 GB of storage and 500 databases. The paid Scaler plan at $29/month gives you more headroom for production workloads.

Key Differences

Architecture is fundamentally different. MySQL is a traditional database server. Your app connects to it over the network, and every query involves a network round trip. Turso can embed a replica directly in your application, making reads essentially free from a latency standpoint. For a solo developer building a global app, this is a significant advantage.

SQL dialect matters. MySQL uses its own SQL dialect with features and quirks specific to MySQL. Turso uses SQLite's SQL, which is simpler and more limited but also easier to reason about. If you need advanced features like stored procedures, triggers, or complex joins, MySQL has more to offer. If your queries are straightforward, SQLite's simplicity is a benefit.

Write scaling is different. MySQL handles concurrent writes well with its locking mechanisms. Turso routes writes to a primary instance and replicates to edge locations. For write-heavy workloads, MySQL is the more traditional and predictable choice. For read-heavy workloads with occasional writes, Turso's edge architecture shines.

Operational overhead. MySQL requires server management. You handle backups, updates, connection pooling, and scaling. Turso is a managed service. You create a database, get a connection URL, and the infrastructure is handled for you. Edge replication, backups, and distribution are all automatic.

Ecosystem and tooling. MySQL has decades of tooling, ORMs, and integrations. Turso is newer and the ecosystem is growing but smaller. Drizzle ORM has excellent Turso support, and the JavaScript/TypeScript ecosystem is well covered. But if you are using a framework that expects MySQL, switching to Turso requires more thought.

When to Choose MySQL

• You are building a PHP, WordPress, or Laravel application
• Your workload is write-heavy with complex transactions
• You need advanced SQL features like stored procedures
• Your existing stack is built around MySQL-compatible tools
• You want the largest possible ecosystem and community support

When to Choose Turso

• Low latency globally matters for your application
• Your app is read-heavy and benefits from edge replicas
• You want SQLite's simplicity with production-grade hosting
• You are building with JavaScript/TypeScript and modern frameworks
• You want zero database server management

The Verdict

For solo developers building modern web applications in 2026, Turso is the more interesting choice. The edge-hosted architecture gives you global performance without managing replicas. Embedded replicas eliminate read latency. The managed infrastructure means one less thing to maintain. MySQL remains the right call if you are in the PHP/WordPress ecosystem or need heavy write throughput with complex transactions. But for a new project where you control the stack, Turso offers a simpler, faster path to production with better global performance out of the box.