Proprietary databases offer robust performance and support, but they come with several challenges:

• High Cost: These databases often require significant investment in licensing, maintenance, and support.

• Proprietary Nature: Users are dependent on the vendor for updates, customizations, and enhancements.

• Vendor Lock-In: Switching from one vendor to another can be complex and expensive, limiting flexibility.

• Punitive Licensing & Audits: Users may face strict licensing terms, surprise audits, and unexpected costs, making long-term use unpredictable.

• Limited Integration Options: Integrating with other tools or platforms can be costly and time-consuming due to proprietary restrictions.

Open-source databases offer a flexible, cost-effective alternative:

• Cost-Effective: These databases are free to use, modify, and distribute with no licensing fees, making them highly scalable at no additional cost.

• Flexibility & Customization: Users can modify the database to fit their unique needs, offering a level of customization that proprietary options cannot match.

• Easy Integration: Open-source databases integrate easily and freely with various platforms and tools.

• Community Support: A strong community of developers continuously improves these databases, providing free resources, support, and updates.

• Excellent Performance: They deliver great performance for both OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) and OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) workloads.