Flyway (Redgate) vs. Liquibase in 2025

This post is maintained by Bytebase, an open-source database DevSecOps tool that is a Liquibase/Flyway alternative. We update the post every year.

Update History	Comment
2023/06/27	Initial version.
2025/05/23	Update for 2025.

When looking for a database CI/CD and schema migration change tool, Flyway (Redgate) and Liquibase are two common options. Understanding the differences between these two tools can help potential users choose the one that best meets their needs.

What Flyway and Liquibase have in common#

Java-based, providing Java SDK and CLI.
Provide open-source community version and closed-source commercial version.
Native SQL supported, however Liquibase requires XML changelog to define the changes.
Database CI/CD with version control system #GitOps (see Database GitOps configuration).
Auto SQL check (see Auto SQL check).
Schema Synchronization (see Sync schema).
Tiered pricing, offering both free and paid plan.
Open source, both has long history.

What are the differences between Flyway and Liquibase?#

While both Flyway and Liquibase are tools for database CI/CD, there are some key differences between the two. The following table summarizes the differences between Flyway and Liquibase.

	Flyway	Liquibase
Product position	Schema Change & Version Control	Schema Change & Version Control
Developer interface	CLI + Flyway Desktop	CLI
Supported databases	22 Only SQL + MongoDB (preview)	50 SQL & NoSQL DB
Programming language and installation	Java + JVM	Java + JVM
Change execution	SQL script + CLI	Changelog (SQL, XML, JSON, YAML) + CLI
Change orchestration	Numbering of SQL files	Changelog + Flow
Database GitOps	✅	✅
SQL auto check	✅	✅
Change history	✅	✅
Sync schema	✅	✅
Rollback	✅	✅
Schema drift detection	✅	✅

Product position#

Flyway: A database schema change and version control tool.
Liquibase: A database schema change and version control tool. It helps you track, manage, and automate changes to your database.

Developer interface#

Flyway: A command-line tool with Java API, Maven plugin, and Gradle plugin. Flyway Desktop has been enhanced with full Schema Model view and Git history tracking, available for SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and other supported databases.
Liquibase: Primarily a command-line tool. The Liquibase Hub GUI was sunset in May 2023, with focus shifting to CLI and integration capabilities.

Supported databases#

Flyway: 22+ SQL databases with expanded support in 2025 for:
- MongoDB (preview for NoSQL migration capabilities)
- SinglestoreDB
- Google Cloud Spanner
- EnterpriseDB
- TimescaleDB
- Full compatibility for all databases in Community version without age restrictions
Liquibase: 50+ SQL and NoSQL databases with enhanced support in 2025 for:
- Google BigQuery (including DATABASECHANGELOGHISTORY table support)
- Continued MongoDB support
- Broader NoSQL database coverage

Installation#

Flyway: Java-based tool requiring JVM installation. In 2025, configuration has moved to unified flyway.toml format, deprecating the older JSON format.
Liquibase: Java-based tool requiring JVM installation. In 2025, MacOS .dmg installer was deprecated in favor of Homebrew installation.

Change execution#

Flyway: CLI or GitOps. Users write SQL files and then run command flyway migrate. In 2025, enhanced capabilities for script migrations and callbacks have been added to the Community version.

flyway-change

Liquibase: CLI or GitOps. Users specify the changes by defining a changelog and then run a command. In 2025, flow enhancements provide more sophisticated orchestration capabilities.

liquibase-changelog liquibase-update

Change orchestration#

Flyway: Number the SQL files in the order you want them to be executed.
Liquibase: Specify the order of changes in the changelog file. In 2025, Flow capabilities have been enhanced with conditionals and more advanced orchestration features.

Liquibase continues to be more flexible as it can specify arbitrary orders, and the enhanced flow file capabilities in 2025 make orchestrating complex steps even more powerful.

Database GitOps configuration#

Flyway: Configure with VCS CI/CD workflow manually. In 2025, integration with Test Data Manager and Docker for dedicated development databases improves the GitOps workflow.
Liquibase: Configure with VCS CI/CD workflow manually. In 2025, enhanced validation and error messaging improve the GitOps experience.

SQL auto check#

SQL auto check helps developers write less buggy SQL and save DBAs manual review efforts.

Flyway: Code Analysis with enhanced drift detection in 2025
Liquibase: SQL Quality check with improved Policy Checks in 2025

Supported plan#

Flyway: Only in Team Plan or above
Liquibase: Only in Pro Plan and above

Number of rules#

Flyway: 10+ general rules or integrate SQLFluff for more rules
Liquibase: Enhanced policy checks with more comprehensive validation in 2025

How to configure#

Flyway: Predefined, users may set them active or not. In 2025, improved configuration through unified flyway.toml.
Liquibase: Predefined, users may set levels while calling. In 2025, Python-based Custom Policy Checks for Pro users offer more flexibility.

How to trigger#

Flyway: Run flyway check -code .... command to produce a report.
Liquibase: Run check command or manually integrate this command in automation. Users may go to admin console to view logs.

Change history#

Flyway: Run flyway info to show flyway_schema_history table. In 2025, enhanced info filters provide more granular control.
Liquibase: Simple Database Change Logs. In 2025, new parameters for the history command and improved Operation Reports.

Sync schema#

Flyway: Via Flyway Desktop, generate a migration script to bring the target database schema in sync. In 2025, the new backup-based baseline approach allows restoring a backup file instead of creating a database from scratch in the baseline script.
Liquibase: Support diff-changelog to compare databases and create a deployable changelog to sync. In 2025, enhanced Drift Report capabilities improve schema synchronization.

Rollback#

Flyway: Write rollback scripts manually. Supported in Team version. No significant changes in 2025.
Liquibase: Support rollback-one-changeset or rollback. In 2025, enhanced Rollback Report for Pro users.

Schema drift detection#

Flyway: Run flyway check -drift ... to produce a report indicating difference between target database and the one created by the migrations applied by Flyway. Enhanced in 2025 with more comprehensive code analysis.
Liquibase: Run liquibase diff --format=json to produce a report indicating difference between target database and source database. In 2025, improved Drift Report capabilities with better visualization.

Flyway enhancements in 2025#

One of the most significant Flyway enhancements in 2025 is the backup-based baseline approach. Instead of using lengthy baseline scripts that can be problematic, Flyway now allows using a backup to represent the baseline for shadow databases.

This approach solves two main problems:

Eliminates the need for baseline scripts that can be thousands or millions of lines long
Avoids issues with invalid objects or references to external servers in baseline scripts

This feature is particularly valuable for SQL Server users and is available in Flyway Enterprise.

Liquibase enhancements in 2025#

Liquibase has significantly improved its Flow capabilities in 2025, adding:

Flow conditionals for more sophisticated migration logic
Variable functionality in flow files
Better orchestration of complex migration steps

These enhancements make Liquibase even more flexible for complex database migration scenarios, particularly in enterprise environments with multiple databases and dependencies.

Pricing#

Flyway uses a per-user licensing model, while Liquibase uses a per-target (database instance) licensing model.

Aspect	Flyway	Liquibase
Free Tier	Community Edition	Community Edition
Entry-Level Paid	Teams: $3,000/year	Pro: $5,000/year (10 targets minimum)
Enterprise	Custom pricing, starting at $10,000+	Custom pricing based on targets
Licensing Model	Per-user based	Per-target based
Minimum Commitment	None specified	10 targets for Pro edition
Volume Discounts	Available based on user count	Available based on target count
Pricing Structure	Tiered by edition	Target-based with minimum commitment

Summary#

Both Flyway and Liquibase are Java-based, offering with SDKs and CLI support, and follow a migration-based approach to schema changes. They also leverage the same open-source monetization strategy. While Flyway is generally considered more developer-friendly, Liquibase offers a broader set of advanced features.

The key difference is that Liquibase introduces the Changelog and Flow concepts, enabling users to specify explicit migration ordering, preconditions, labels, and contexts. In contrast, Flyway determines migration order based solely on file naming conventions.

Both tools offer a Git-like experience for database migrations. However, if you're seeking a GitHub/GitLab-style experience with a user-friendly GUI and team collaboration features, consider our own Bytebase. Continue reading for a side-by-side comparison with each tool: