MyDAC: Direct MySQL and MariaDB Access for Delphi, C++Builder and Lazarus
MySQL Data Access Components (MyDAC) is a Devart library, $229.95 for Standard or $349.95 for Professional, that connects Delphi, C++Builder and Lazarus applications to MySQL and MariaDB directly, without libmysql.dll, in every edition. It's for developers building on MySQL or MariaDB, from a single Windows tool up to cross-platform apps.
Shipping a MySQL application usually means shipping the right libmysql.dll, in the right bitness, and hoping it matches the server. MyDAC talks to the server over its own protocol implementation instead, so even the Standard edition deploys as a single executable.
Quick facts
- Version: 14.1.0, released September 29, 2026
- Developer: Devart
- IDEs: Delphi and C++Builder from version 6 up to RAD Studio 13 Florence, every edition including Community, plus Lazarus 4.8 and Free Pascal 3.2.2 (Professional with Source Code edition only)
- Targets: Windows (32-bit, 64-bit, ARM64EC), macOS (64-bit, Apple Silicon), Linux, iOS and Android. The Standard edition builds for Windows only
- Frameworks: VCL, FireMonkey (FMX) and Lazarus LCL
- Databases: MySQL 9.7 back to 3.23, MariaDB 5 to 12, Azure Database for MySQL, Amazon RDS and Aurora, and Google Cloud for MySQL
- Price: $349.95 for Professional, one developer, with a year of updates and support. Standard is $229.95
- Trial: 60 days, fully functional, for evaluation only. A free Devart account is needed to download it
- Guarantee: 60-day money-back guarantee
- Download size: 40.59 MB for the RAD Studio 13 installer
- What we checked: version 14.1.0 and its 40.59 MB RAD Studio 13 installer on Devart's download page, and the Professional license for one developer at $349.95 on the order page (renewing at $179.95 a year), both on October 15, 2026
Before you buy: Standard or Professional?
MyDAC is the one DAC where Standard is a real option. Direct mode is included in every edition, so MyDAC Standard ($229.95) is enough for a Windows application that just needs fast MySQL or MariaDB access. Buy Professional ($349.95) to target macOS, Linux, iOS or Android, or to get TMyLoader, TMyDump, TMyBackup, TMyServerControl, the embedded server connection, the encryptor and the DataSet Manager. Lazarus needs the Professional with Source Code edition.
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Overview
MyDAC's components mirror the standard Delphi data access set: TMyConnection, TMyQuery, TMyTable, TMyStoredProc, TMyCommand and TMyScript. They descend from TDataSet, so grids, data-aware controls and reports work with them as usual, and a BDE- and ADO-compatible interface helps move older code over.
Version 14.1, released September 29, 2026, added MySQL 9.7, generated columns, LDAP SASL authentication with GSSAPI, handling of the new ER_CLIENT_INTERACTION_TIMEOUT packet, RAD Studio 13 Florence Release 2 and Lazarus 4.8, and fixed INSERT generation for queries across several tables and a false "Record was changed by another user" error when locking.
Features
Direct connection in every edition
MyDAC implements the MySQL protocols itself, including the binary prepared-statement protocol, and supports all current authentication plugins, so no MySQL client library is needed on any PC. Connections can run over SSL (including password-protected private keys), and over SSH or HTTP tunnels with Devart's SecureBridge. You can also search the local network for MySQL servers, and set connection and command timeouts.
MySQL and MariaDB, old and new
MyDAC 14.1 works with MySQL from 3.23 to 9.7 and MariaDB from 5 to 12, plus Azure, Amazon RDS and Aurora, and Google Cloud for MySQL. It supports MariaDB's UUID, INET4 and INET6 types (10.7 and newer), the vector data type used for AI embeddings, the HANDLER syntax, generated columns, and retrieving ENUM and SET value ranges.
Server control, backup and embedded MySQL
MyDAC Professional includes components most libraries don't: TMyServerControl for administration tasks, TMyBackup and TMyDump for backing up and scripting a database, and TMyEmbConnection for the embedded MySQL server. TMyLoader inserts records in bulk, and TMyDump's InsertBatchSize controls how big its bulk inserts are.
Data handling that saves code
MyDAC updates data automatically from TMyQuery and TMyTable, retrieves auto-increment values and default field values, checks whether another user changed a row, supports row- and table-level locks, and can break off a long-running query. Cached updates, local sorting and filtering, and master/detail work offline, and TVirtualTable stores data in memory.
Monitoring and design-time help
TMySQLMonitor and the free dbMonitor tool trace every statement, and you can read information about the last query run. Professional adds the DataSet Manager. Every edition has enhanced component editors and the Migration Wizard for BDE projects.
Benefits
MyDAC's main benefit is simple deployment at a low price: no libmysql.dll, even in the $229.95 Standard edition. Because it handles both MySQL and MariaDB, including cloud versions, the same build can serve customers on either. And it's been around long enough that some users have run it for well over a decade, across many MySQL versions.
The Professional extras matter for products that manage their own database: TMyBackup and TMyServerControl let the application back up and maintain MySQL itself, so customers don't need a DBA.
Real-World Uses
- Line-of-business tools on MySQL: Windows applications that read and write a company MySQL or MariaDB server, on the Standard edition.
- Products with built-in backup: software that backs up its own MySQL database with TMyBackup.
- Migrating legacy data: moving ClientDataSet or BDE data to MySQL while the old system stays live.
- Sports and membership databases: multi-user systems where many users search the same tables at once.
- Cloud MySQL front ends: desktop or mobile apps for Azure, Amazon RDS/Aurora or Google Cloud MySQL databases.
Who It's For
MyDAC is for Delphi, C++Builder and Lazarus developers building on MySQL or MariaDB. Standard suits Windows-only applications on a budget, and Professional suits cross-platform work and software that manages its own database. If MySQL is one of several databases you support, UniDAC is the better fit.
Usage Guide
- Create a Devart account and download. On the MyDAC download page, choose the installer for your IDE version and sign in to start the 60-day trial.
- Install. Close the IDE and run the installer. If you use other Devart DACs in the same IDE, keep them at versions with the same release date.
- Add a connection. Drop a TMyConnection from the MyDAC palette page on a VCL or FireMonkey form.
- Connect. Set Server, Port, Database, Username and Password, then set Connected to True or call Connect.
- Query. Add a TMyQuery and a TMyDataSource, link a DBGrid, write your SELECT and open it.
Tips
- Run dbMonitor while you develop to see every statement MyDAC sends.
- For SSL, SSH or HTTP tunneling to a hosted server, add Devart's SecureBridge components.
- MyDAC includes the MySQL provider for UniDAC Standard, so you can add UniDAC later without losing your MyDAC code.
What Users Say
MyDAC has one of the larger review profiles among Devart's Delphi libraries, and it's mostly positive. Below are comments from Devart's testimonials page, then a summary of user reviews on Capterra.
From Devart's testimonials page
"Let me tell you that I think the MyDAC component set is first class. It is the best way to access mySQL databases from Delphi."
Matthew Vesperman, Admin at Angelic Technology
"This year we upgraded to professional. We implemented the backup system in our software. One of our customers is happy to say that your tool saved their business."
Taco Wijtzes, CEO of QMS software, WFC Food Safety
"Don't wish to pester you but I thought its nice to praise when due. We wished to migrate CDS dbs to SQL, whilst still maintaining live systems under existing equipment. MyDAC has turned a nightmare project into a dream. Very well done to all you guys - An excellent job."
Graham Bolderson, Managing director, JayBox Ltd.
"We use the MySQL Data Access Components to manage a complete soccer league database system. The database handles teams, playing dates, results, and other properties of each match in the league. Also a complete referee managment system is build around the MyDAC. Each week about 70.000 values are send to the MySQL database using your MySQL components. The database tables are intensive searched by multiple users without any problems. So we may say that your components are very good and stable. Keep up the good work!"
GDC
"I'am using the Devart (Core lab's) products (Mydac, Odac, Unidac) since the year 2004. And I always be very satisfied with the Devart's products and technical support."
Stéphane Deriaz, Managing director, Bluelib Sàrl, Switzerland
What Capterra reviewers say
MyDAC averages 4.8 out of 5 on Capterra from about 37 reviews, with sub-scores of 4.8 for ease of use, 4.7 for features, 4.5 for customer support and 4.3 for value for money (we read them through search summaries, as Capterra blocks direct access). Reviewers single out long-term stability (several have used it for around 15 years), speed from connecting directly instead of through ODBC or ADO, smooth integration with RAD Studio, and helpful support.
The complaints: price is the most common one, with some pointing to cheaper options. When a new Delphi version ships, you wait for a matching MyDAC build. Opinions on the documentation are split, and one reviewer missed some operations such as totaling fields.
The recurring themes
What people like: stability over many years, direct connection without extra drivers, ease of use and support. What gives them pause: the price compared with free alternatives, a short wait after each new Delphi release, and uneven documentation.
Comparisons
MyDAC vs. UniDAC
UniDAC covers MySQL plus Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite and more, for $349.95 (Standard) or $599.95 (Professional). For MySQL alone, MyDAC is $120 cheaper at Standard and $250 cheaper at Professional, and has MySQL extras UniDAC doesn't list, such as TMyBackup, TMyServerControl and the embedded server connection. If you need MySQL and PostgreSQL in one Windows app, UniDAC Standard ($349.95) is cheaper than MyDAC Standard plus PgDAC Standard ($459.90).
MyDAC vs. FireDAC and free libraries
FireDAC ships with RAD Studio and connects to MySQL through libmysql.dll. Free libraries such as ZeosLib also exist. MyDAC's advantages are its direct connection with no client library, MariaDB and cloud coverage, the backup and server control components, and Devart's support. If price matters most and you can live with deploying a client library, the free options are worth testing.
Editions and Pricing
| Edition | Price (1 developer) | Platforms | What it adds |
|---|
| Standard | $229.95 | Windows | Direct MySQL and MariaDB connectivity (no client library), base components, scripts, SQL monitoring and the Migration Wizard |
| Professional | $349.95 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Mobile and desktop cross-platform targets, TMyLoader, TMyDump, TMyBackup, TMyServerControl, embedded MySQL server, TMyBuilder, encryption and DataSet Manager |
| Professional with Source Code | about $600 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Source code of the component classes, and the only edition that supports Lazarus and Free Pascal |
Every license covers one developer and includes a year of updates and premium support. MySQL Data Access Components is also sold for teams and whole sites, and with multi-year subscriptions at a discount. When the subscription ends, you keep a perpetual license for the version you have. Renewing Professional costs $179.95 a year. You can distribute applications you build with MyDAC royalty-free.
FAQs
Does MyDAC work with MariaDB?
Yes. MyDAC 14.1 supports MariaDB 5.x to 12.x, including MariaDB's UUID, INET4 and INET6 types, as well as MySQL 3.23 to 9.7.
Do I need libmysql.dll with MyDAC?
No. MyDAC connects to MySQL and MariaDB directly in every edition, including the $229.95 Standard edition, so there's no client library to deploy.
Do my customers need a MyDAC license to run my application?
No. A MySQL Data Access Components license covers you as the developer, and applications you build with MyDAC can be distributed royalty-free. You can't redistribute MyDAC itself, apart from the original trial package.
What happens when my year of MyDAC updates runs out?
You keep using the version you have under a perpetual license. Renewing MyDAC Professional costs $179.95 a year and brings new versions, premium support and nightly builds with fixes.
Does MyDAC work with Delphi Community Edition?
Yes. MySQL Data Access Components supports every Delphi and C++Builder edition, including the free Community Edition, from Delphi 6 up to RAD Studio 13 Florence.
Can I use MyDAC in Lazarus?
Yes, but only with the MyDAC trial or the Professional with Source Code edition (about $600). The current MyDAC release supports Lazarus 4.8 with Free Pascal 3.2.2 on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Can I use the MyDAC trial to build a production application?
No. The MyDAC trial runs for 60 days and is for evaluation only. Applications built with it may not be used in production or commercially, so buy a license before you ship.
System Requirements
- IDE: Delphi 6 (Update Pack 2) or C++Builder 6 (Update Pack 4) up to RAD Studio 13 Florence (Release 2), in any edition including Community, Starter, Professional, Enterprise and Architect. Lazarus 4.8 with Free Pascal 3.2.2 in the Professional with Source Code edition
- Target platforms: Windows 32-bit, 64-bit and ARM64EC, macOS 64-bit and Apple Silicon, Linux 64-bit (and 32-bit in Lazarus), iOS 64-bit, Android 32-bit and 64-bit. Standard edition: Windows only
- Database: MySQL 3.23 to 9.7, MariaDB 5.x to 12.x, and Azure, Amazon RDS/Aurora and Google Cloud for MySQL. No MySQL client library needed in any edition
- Other Devart DACs: MyDAC installs alongside UniDAC, ODAC, SDAC, MyDAC and PgDAC in the same IDE when they share the same common engine version, which versions released on the same date always do
Conclusion
MyDAC is one of the easiest Devart libraries to recommend: direct MySQL and MariaDB access in every edition, long-term stability that reviewers confirm, and backup and server control components that few alternatives offer. Standard is good value for Windows-only work, and Professional is the pick for cross-platform apps or software that maintains its own database. Try it for 60 days on your own server first.
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