SQL Server
MySQL

MSSQL to MySQL Converter

Move from SQL Server to open-source MySQL or MariaDB. Schema conversion, type mapping, and optional two-way sync.

Convert a SQL Server or MSSQL database to MySQL, MariaDB, Percona Server, or a managed MySQL-compatible cloud target.

DBConvert handles the practical migration work: reads SQL Server catalogs, recreates MySQL-compatible tables, maps data types, transfers rows, and preserves supported indexes and foreign keys. The hard part is not only moving rows; SQL Server and MySQL differ in data types, identity behavior, schema names, and T-SQL syntax.

What DBConvert does on this path: handles the database move as a repeatable desktop workflow:

  • Reads SQL Server catalogs from on-prem SQL Server, Express, Azure SQL, or Amazon RDS for SQL Server.
  • Maps SQL Server types to MySQL equivalents and recreates supported indexes and foreign keys.
  • Transfers rows into MySQL, MariaDB, Percona Server, Amazon RDS / Aurora MySQL, Azure Database for MySQL, or Google Cloud SQL.

What it does not do: T-SQL stored procedures, functions, triggers, MERGE, and SQL Server-specific built-ins are not converted to MySQL syntax — treat them as a rewrite task.

Which tool: DBConvert or DBSync?

DBConvert for SQL Server → MySQL

One-time conversion. Connect SQL Server or Azure SQL, connect MySQL / MariaDB / RDS / Aurora / Cloud SQL, select objects, review mappings, and run.

DBSync for SQL Server ↔ MySQL

The separate tool when both databases must stay aligned after the first transfer: one-way sync, bi-directional sync, scheduled runs, or trigger-based repeat sync.

Both are Windows desktop tools with GUI and CLI execution. They are not log-based CDC products.

Need more context? Compare DBConvert and DBSync side by side →

How DBConvert handles the SQL Server → MySQL differences

SQL Server and MySQL differ in identity behavior, type mapping, date precision, schemas vs databases, and server-side code. DBConvert maps most of those differences in the wizard with sensible defaults that you can review or override per table; T-SQL code rewrite is the one item that still needs a human.

  • Identity columns. Maps SQL Server IDENTITY to MySQL AUTO_INCREMENT and reseeds the target above the loaded maximum key value — so the next insert does not collide.
  • Type mappings. Defaults to UNIQUEIDENTIFIER → CHAR(36) (or BINARY(16) per column policy), BIT → TINYINT(1), NVARCHAR(max) / VARCHAR(max) → LONGTEXT, and creates Unicode columns as utf8mb4. Each mapping is overridable per column in the type-mapping review.
  • Date/time precision. Maps SQL Server DATETIME2 to MySQL DATETIME(6) so sub-second precision is preserved, and routes DATETIMEOFFSET to a DATETIME + offset column pair when the application needs the TZ offset preserved — pick the policy per column.
  • Schemas and identifiers. Collapses SQL Server schemas (dbo, user-defined) into the MySQL database namespace and rewrites bracketed identifiers ([Order]) into backtick-quoted MySQL form — or merges schemas into table-name prefixes if you prefer to keep separation visible.
  • Views translation — two-way. Translates view definitions and supported queries between SQL Server and MySQL in both directions during the migration — one of the three native two-way-translation pairs (MySQL ↔ SQL Server, MySQL ↔ Oracle, SQL Server ↔ Oracle).
  • Stored procedures, triggers, and other procedural code — outside DBConvert's scope. DBConvert's migration covers tables (with their fields, types, defaults, and indexes), views, and foreign keys. T-SQL stored procedures, functions, triggers, and table-valued parameters stay in the source and are rewritten manually in MySQL's stored-procedure dialect — T-SQL MERGE, TOP, table-valued parameters, and system functions like GETDATE() have no direct MySQL equivalent. Typically a small fraction of the schema, but the one item the tool does not handle.

Why teams move SQL Server workloads to MySQL

License cost

SQL Server is licensed per core: Standard runs into four-figure USD per core, Enterprise into five-figure, and Software Assurance is on top. SQL Server Express is free but capped at 10 GB per database, 1 socket / 4 cores, and 1.4 GB buffer pool. MySQL Community (GPL), MariaDB, and Percona Server have no edition tiers and no per-core fee on any size of box.

MySQL application compatibility

Teams often move when the application stack, hosting provider, CMS, or SaaS integration expects MySQL or MariaDB.

Managed cloud options

MySQL-compatible targets exist across Amazon RDS, Amazon Aurora MySQL, Azure Database for MySQL, and Google Cloud SQL. The migration is often part of moving into a simpler managed database shape.

Lighter operational footprint

MySQL / MariaDB are common choices for small and mid-size web applications where the database must be easy to host, replicate, and hand off to standard web operations teams.

DBConvert vs MySQL Workbench and other options

Pick by the migration workflow, not by brand.

Route Where it fits Where it falls short
MySQL Workbench Migration Wizard free Oracle GUI Evaluating a small one-way move into MySQL. No repeat migrations, no reverse direction, no scheduled sync, no mixed on-prem / cloud cut-overs.
AWS SCT + AWS DMS log-based CDC, AWS-native Target is Amazon RDS / Aurora MySQL and the rest of the stack lives in AWS. SCT handles schema assessment, DMS handles full-load plus ongoing replication. Coupled to AWS endpoints and AWS billing; not useful when the target is outside AWS.
Commercial code-conversion specialists T-SQL → MySQL SQL When the project is mostly stored procedures, functions, triggers, and SQL script translation rather than schema + data transfer. Code-translation focus; not the right shape for schema + data + repeat sync in one tool.
DBConvert / DBSync commercial GUI + sync Object selection, mapped schema + data transfer to MySQL cloud variants, repeat jobs, reverse-direction coverage (MySQL → SQL Server), and optional scheduled DBSync after the first copy. Commercial license; desktop tool (Windows). For continuous log-based CDC on AWS, AWS DMS is the native fit.
Read the full MySQL Workbench vs DBConvert comparison

Supported versions

  • SQL Server 2008–2022, including Express editions
  • Azure SQL Database and Amazon RDS for SQL Server
  • SQL Server schemas (dbo, custom schemas)
  • Windows authentication or SQL authentication
  • MySQL 5.x, 8.x; MariaDB; Percona Server
  • Amazon RDS / Aurora MySQL, Azure Database for MySQL, Google Cloud SQL

Supported in this path

Source SQL Server
Target MySQL
Microsoft SQL Server SQL Server Express Azure SQL Database Amazon RDS for SQL Server MySQL MariaDB Percona Server for MySQL Amazon RDS for MySQL Amazon Aurora MySQL Azure Database for MySQL Google Cloud SQL for MySQL
SQL Server

All SQL Server Tools

Other directions and pairs
MySQL

All MySQL Tools

Migration & sync options

Reverse Conversion

MySQL to SQL Server

Using SQL Server to MySQL Tools

When launching the DBConvert or DBSync application in GUI mode, it guides you through the steps to start database migration or synchronization:

1

Connect to SQL Server source database

Specify the username/password and host/port parameters if your source database requires login credentials.

Connect to SQL Server source database from DBConvert

SQL Server source

Connect by TCP/IP or Named Pipes, use Azure SQL, or read from Amazon RDS for SQL Server.

2

Connect to MySQL destination database

Specify parameters for the destination database similar to the source, defining connection settings and username/password pairs.

Connect to MySQL target database from DBConvert

MySQL target

Use the MySQL connection guide for local MySQL or MariaDB, or Amazon RDS / Aurora for MySQL, Azure Database for MySQL, or Google Cloud SQL for MySQL. Create the target schema as utf8mb4.

More guides for SQL Server ↔ MySQL

Next steps: configure, validate, run

After connecting source and target, the remaining steps are the same for every database pair:

  • Configure migration options — pick tables, fields, indices, views.
  • Issue detection — the built-in checker flags integrity problems before migration starts.
  • Execute — commit the job, monitor progress, save the session for reuse.
  • Schedule and CLI — rerun saved sessions on a schedule or from the command line.
Open the full guide

Steps 3–5, software features, command-line mode, scheduler, and system requirements.

See all features