MaxDB runs as a client/server system. MySQL can run as a client/server system or as an embedded system.

MaxDB might not run on all platforms supported by MySQL. For example, MaxDB does not run on IBM's OS/2.

MaxDB uses a proprietary network protocol for client/server communication. MySQL uses either TCP/IP (with or without SSL encryption), sockets (under Unix-like systems), or named pipes (under Windows NT-family systems).

MaxDB supports stored procedures. For MySQL, stored procedures are implemented in version 5.0. MaxDB also supports programming of triggers through an SQL extension, which is scheduled for MySQL 5.1. MaxDB contains a debugger for stored procedure languages, can cascade nested triggers, and supports multiple triggers per action and row.

MaxDB is distributed with user interfaces that are text-based, graphical, or Web-based. MySQL is distributed with text-based user interfaces only; graphical user interface (MySQL Control Center, MySQL Administrator) are shipped separately from the main distributions. Web-based user interfaces for MySQL are offered by third parties.

MaxDB supports a number of programming interfaces that also are supported by MySQL. However, MaxDB does not support RDO, ADO, or .NET, all of which are supported by MySQL. MaxDB supports embedded SQL only with C/C++.

MaxDB includes administrative features that MySQL does not have: job scheduling by time, event, and alert, and sending messages to a database administrator on alert thresholds.