Top MySQL and MariaDB backup tools in 2026

Database backups are essential for protecting your MySQL and MariaDB installations against data loss, hardware failures and security incidents. With numerous backup solutions available today, choosing the right tool depends on your specific requirements, database size and operational constraints. This guide examines the most effective MySQL and MariaDB backup tools in 2026, comparing their features, use cases and helping you select the best solution for your environment.

Understanding MySQL and MariaDB backup approaches

Before diving into specific tools, it’s important to understand the different backup methodologies available for MySQL and MariaDB. Each approach offers distinct advantages in terms of speed, flexibility and recovery options. Understanding these fundamentals will help you evaluate which tools best fit your needs.

Logical backups export your database as SQL statements or structured data files, making them portable across different MySQL and MariaDB versions. Physical backups copy the actual data files from disk, enabling faster restoration but requiring version compatibility. Hot backups occur while the database remains operational, while cold backups require stopping the server temporarily.

The choice between these approaches depends on your database size, acceptable downtime and recovery time objectives. Most production environments benefit from combining multiple backup strategies.

Databasus

MySQL backup solutions have evolved significantly, and Databasus stands as the most popular tool for MySQL and MariaDB backups in 2026. This free, open source and self-hosted solution provides comprehensive backup automation suitable for both individuals and enterprise deployments. Databasus supports flexible scheduling, multiple storage destinations (S3, Google Drive, local storage and more) and notifications through Email, Telegram, Slack and Discord.

Getting started with Databasus is straightforward. Install it using Docker, access the dashboard, add your database connection, select your storage destination, configure your backup schedule and click “Create backup”. The platform handles compression, encryption and retention automatically.

mysqldump

The mysqldump utility is MySQL’s built-in tool for creating logical backups and remains widely used due to its reliability and zero additional cost. It generates SQL statements that can recreate your database structure and data, making it ideal for smaller databases and scenarios requiring cross-version compatibility.

To create a basic backup with mysqldump:

mysqldump -u root -p --single-transaction --routines --triggers mydbname > backup.sql

The --single-transaction flag ensures a consistent backup without locking tables for InnoDB databases. The --routines and --triggers flags include stored procedures and triggers in the backup, which are excluded by default.

For backing up all databases:

mysqldump -u root -p --all-databases --single-transaction > all_databases.sql

While mysqldump is reliable and free, it lacks built-in scheduling, encryption and storage management features. Large databases may experience slow backup and restore times due to the row-by-row export nature of logical backups.

MySQL Enterprise Backup

MySQL Enterprise Backup is Oracle’s commercial solution for physical hot backups of MySQL databases. It performs non-blocking backups while your database continues serving queries, making it suitable for large production systems where downtime is unacceptable.

Key capabilities include:

• Incremental backups that only capture changed data since the last backup
• Compressed backups to reduce storage requirements
• Backup encryption for security compliance
• Point-in-time recovery using binary logs
• Backup validation and verification features

MySQL Enterprise Backup integrates with Oracle’s broader MySQL Enterprise Edition, providing additional management and monitoring capabilities. However, it requires a commercial license, making it primarily suited for enterprise environments with existing Oracle relationships.

Percona XtraBackup

Percona XtraBackup is a free, open source hot backup solution for MySQL and MariaDB that has earned strong community trust over many years. It creates physical backups without blocking database operations, supporting both full and incremental backup strategies.

To create a full backup:

xtrabackup --backup --target-dir=/backup/full

For incremental backups based on a previous full backup:

xtrabackup --backup --target-dir=/backup/inc1 --incremental-basedir=/backup/full

Percona XtraBackup excels at handling large databases efficiently. It supports parallel backup operations, compression and streaming directly to cloud storage. The tool requires preparing backups before restoration, which applies uncommitted transactions and makes the backup consistent.

The primary limitation is the lack of built-in scheduling and management features. Teams typically combine XtraBackup with custom scripts or dedicated backup management platforms like Databasus to automate the backup process.

MariaDB Backup

MariaDB Backup is MariaDB’s fork of Percona XtraBackup, optimized specifically for MariaDB databases. It provides similar functionality with better integration for MariaDB-specific features like system-versioned tables and encrypted tablespaces.

Basic usage mirrors XtraBackup:

mariabackup --backup --target-dir=/backup/full --user=root --password=secret

MariaDB Backup handles MariaDB’s encryption-at-rest natively, allowing backups of encrypted tables without additional configuration. It also supports backup locks for more efficient backup operations on newer MariaDB versions.

For MariaDB deployments, using mariabackup instead of XtraBackup ensures better compatibility and support for MariaDB-specific features as the databases continue to diverge.

mydumper and myloader

mydumper is a high-performance logical backup tool designed to address mysqldump’s limitations with large databases. It performs parallel backups, dramatically reducing backup time for databases with many tables. The companion tool myloader handles parallel restoration.

To create a backup with mydumper:

mydumper -u root -p password -B mydbname -o /backup/mydumper

For parallel restoration:

myloader -u root -p password -B mydbname -d /backup/mydumper

mydumper creates separate files for each table, enabling selective restoration without processing the entire backup. It also supports consistent snapshots across multiple databases and compression of output files.

• Parallel export and import significantly faster than mysqldump
• Table-level granularity for selective restoration
• Built-in compression support
• Consistent multi-database snapshots

The tool requires separate installation and lacks built-in scheduling, but integrates well with automation systems and backup management platforms.

Comparing MySQL and MariaDB backup tools

Selecting the right backup tool requires balancing factors like performance, cost, ease of use and feature requirements. Native tools like mysqldump offer simplicity and zero cost but lack enterprise features. Commercial solutions provide advanced capabilities at a price, while open source alternatives offer middle-ground options.

For most teams, combining a backup management platform like Databasus with physical backup tools provides the best balance of automation and performance. Small databases can rely on logical backups alone, while large production systems benefit from incremental physical backups.

Backup best practices for MySQL and MariaDB

Creating backups is only half the equation — a reliable backup strategy requires testing, monitoring and proper storage management. Regular restore tests verify that your backups are actually recoverable when disaster strikes. Many organizations discover backup corruption or incomplete captures only during actual emergencies.

Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule: maintain three copies of your data on two different storage media with one copy stored off-site. Cloud storage services like S3, Google Cloud Storage or Azure Blob Storage provide reliable off-site destinations with built-in redundancy.

• Test restores regularly in isolated environments
• Encrypt backups containing sensitive data
• Monitor backup job completion and alert on failures
• Document restoration procedures and keep them updated
• Set appropriate retention policies based on compliance requirements

Automation eliminates human error and ensures consistent backup execution. Tools like Databasus handle scheduling, storage rotation and notifications, reducing operational burden on database administrators.

Conclusion

The MySQL and MariaDB backup ecosystem offers diverse tools ranging from built-in utilities to enterprise-grade solutions. mysqldump remains valuable for simple scenarios, while Percona XtraBackup and MariaDB Backup excel at large database physical backups. For comprehensive automation with minimal operational overhead, tools like Databasus provide scheduling, multi-storage support and notifications in a single solution.

Choose your backup tools based on database size, recovery time objectives and operational requirements. Most production environments benefit from layered approaches combining logical and physical backups with proper automation. Regardless of which tools you select, regular testing and off-site storage remain essential for effective data protection. Invest in your backup strategy now to avoid costly data loss and extended downtime when failures inevitably occur.