Flyway vs. Liquibase: The Definitive Comparison in 2026

When looking for a database CI/CD and schema migration tool, Flyway and Liquibase are the two names that come up first. Both have a long open-source history, both are Java-based, and both solve the same core problem: getting schema changes into production in a repeatable, versioned way. The differences are in how they get there.

This guide breaks down every aspect — interface, database coverage, orchestration, rollback, pricing, and the recent 2026 releases — so you can decide which database migration tool fits your team. If you're in a hurry, start with the decision guide below.

Flyway or Liquibase: which should you choose?#

Most comparisons bury the recommendation at the bottom. Here it is up front. Read the table, then dig into the sections that matter for your case.

For most teams the choice comes down to SQL-first simplicity (Flyway) versus changelog flexibility and broader database coverage (Liquibase). They're also popular alternatives to each other, so the rest of this guide is a fair, feature-by-feature breakdown.

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.

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: 20+ SQL databases, plus a growing set of Native Connectors for non-JDBC engines:

  • MongoDB (Native Connectors mode only; JDBC support removed in 2025)
  • Cassandra (Native Connectors mode as of Flyway 12.5.0; the JDBC approach is deprecated)
  • SinglestoreDB
  • Google Cloud Spanner
  • EnterpriseDB
  • TimescaleDB
  • Postgres 18, SQL Server 2025, Oracle 26ai (added 2025)
  • Full compatibility for all databases in Community version

• Liquibase: 50+ SQL and NoSQL databases with enhanced support for:

  • Databricks (added 2025)
  • Google BigQuery (including DATABASECHANGELOGHISTORY table support)
  • Continued MongoDB support
  • Snowflake with OAuth/PKI authentication

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. Liquibase 5.0+ requires Java 17 minimum (Java 8/11 deprecated). 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.

• 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.

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: Enterprise only (Teams discontinued in 2025)
• Liquibase: Paid tiers only (Starter 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. Python-based Custom Policy Checks available in paid tiers.

  

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. Enterprise only (Community does not support rollback).

• Liquibase: Support rollback-one-changeset or rollback. Enhanced Rollback Report in paid tiers.

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 2025-2026#

Key features released in 2025:

• State-based deployments - Work the way you want with declarative schema definitions
• Backups as baseline - Use database backups instead of lengthy baseline scripts, solving issues with invalid objects or external server references
• Improved drift detection - Snapshots and drift resolution scripts to identify and resolve schema drift
• Database support - Added support for Postgres 18, SQL Server 2025, Oracle 26ai

January 2026 updates:

• AI-powered migration descriptions - Flyway Desktop 8 generates descriptions based on migration script contents
• New shadow database dialog - Option to let Flyway create shadow databases automatically
• Schema model view - View all object definitions in Flyway Desktop
• SQLFluff 4.0.0 - Upgraded from 3.5.0

The spring 2026 release train (Flyway 12.5.0 through 12.10.0, with 12.9.0 landing June 18 and 12.10.0 on June 30, 2026) added a run of engine-level changes worth calling out:

• Cassandra Native Connectors (12.5.0) - Cassandra joins MongoDB as a non-JDBC Native Connectors target; the older JDBC approach is deprecated
• Azure Key Vault secrets resolver (12.5.0) - Pull credentials directly from Azure Key Vault
• Native Connectors for the Deploy command (12.6.0) - Deploy now works against Native Connectors engines, not just Migrate
• Custom SQLFluff rules for Check (12.7.0) - Load your own SQLFluff rules into the Check command
• Distinct CLI exit codes (12.9.0) - The CLI now returns specific exit codes derived from Flyway's error codes, so CI pipelines can branch on the exact failure
• check.driftResolutionFolder (12.9.0) - Configure where drift-resolution scripts are written, plus phase-level progress reporting for check, drift, changes, and dryrun
• docker-compose provisioner (12.10.0) - The preview docker environment provisioner was renamed to docker-compose, spinning up throwaway databases from a Docker Compose file for shadow/build steps (existing docker configs that use a Compose file keep working)
• Smart docker provisioner (12.10.0) - A keepAlive option reuses the build-database container across Flyway commands instead of recreating it each run

That 12.9.0 drift-resolution and exit-code work is squarely aimed at teams wiring Flyway into CI/CD pipelines — the same audience deciding between Flyway, Liquibase, and a governance layer.

Important licensing change: Since May 2025, Flyway only offers Community (free) and Enterprise (paid). The Teams tier was discontinued for new customers, which moved rollback, code analysis, and drift detection behind the Enterprise license.

Liquibase enhancements in 2025-2026#

Liquibase 5.0 was released in September 2025 as a major release:

• Java 17 minimum requirement - Java 8 and 11 deprecated for improved performance and security
• Liquibase Secure 5.0 - Certified enterprise distribution with integrated extensions, drivers, and policies
• Liquibase Secure Developer - New VS Code extension for enterprise users
• AI Changelog Generator - MCP Server powered tool to convert natural language to production-ready changelogs (Private Preview)
• Databricks support - Added database connection support

Flow and automation enhancements:

• Conditional Flow File logic - Based on action exit codes with new continueOnError property
• Snowflake OAuth/PKI authentication - Simplified authentication for Snowflake's token-based requirements
• New policy check - FormattedSqlHeaderRequired ensures proper SQL file formatting
• Python checks enhancements - New get_config_value() helper function

Liquibase Community follows a quarterly cadence (February, May, August, November), and the 5.0 line has picked up two maintenance releases since:

• Liquibase 5.0.2 (March 2026) - Cross-database bug fixes and refreshed JDBC driver versions
• Liquibase 5.0.3 (May 2026) - Input sanitization for generate-changelog that closes two reported vulnerabilities, plus more accurate PostgreSQL sequence discovery

Important licensing change: Liquibase Community has adopted the Functional Source License (FSL) to ensure long-term sustainability while keeping the software free for developers.

Pricing#

Flyway uses a per-user licensing model, while Liquibase uses a per-application/database-type licensing model.

Summary#

Both Flyway and Liquibase are Java-based, ship SDKs and a CLI, and follow a migration-based approach to schema changes. They also lean on the same open-source monetization strategy. Flyway is generally considered more developer-friendly; Liquibase offers a broader set of advanced features and 50+ databases.

The key difference is that Liquibase introduces the Changelog and Flow concepts, enabling explicit migration ordering, preconditions, labels, and contexts. Flyway determines migration order from file naming conventions alone. Both saw meaningful 2026 releases — Flyway 12.9.0 sharpened CI/CD ergonomics with distinct exit codes and drift-resolution controls; Liquibase 5.0 reset its baseline with a Java 17 requirement, the FSL license, and an AI changelog generator.

Pick Flyway for simplicity or Liquibase for flexibility. Both give you a Git-like experience for schema changes; if you also want a web GUI and team collaboration on top of either engine, Bytebase is our own take — see the side-by-side comparisons:

• Bytebase vs. Liquibase
• Bytebase vs. Flyway

For a wider field, see our roundup of open-source Postgres migration tools, which covers Atlas, pgroll, Reshape, and others alongside Flyway and Liquibase.

FAQ#

Which is better, Flyway or Liquibase?#

It depends on your team. Flyway is simpler and SQL-first, so it fits teams that want plain versioned SQL scripts. Liquibase is more flexible thanks to its changelog and flow concepts, supports 50+ databases versus Flyway's 20+, and gives you finer control over migration ordering. Teams that need a GUI, approval workflows, and audit logging on top of either engine tend to reach for a governance layer like Bytebase.

Is Flyway free?#

Flyway Community Edition is free and open source. Since May 2025 the only paid option is Flyway Enterprise; the Teams tier was discontinued for new customers, so features like rollback and code analysis now sit behind Enterprise.

Is Liquibase free?#

Liquibase Community Edition is free under the Functional Source License (FSL) adopted in Liquibase 5.0. Paid tiers (Starter, Growth, Business, Enterprise) unlock policy checks, advanced orchestration, and support.

Does Flyway support rollback?#

Flyway supports rollback only in the Enterprise edition, and you write the undo scripts manually. Liquibase supports rollback in its paid tiers, including automatic rollback for changes it can reverse.

What are the alternatives to Liquibase and Flyway?#

Common alternatives include Bytebase, Atlas, SchemaHero, and Skeema. Bytebase adds a web GUI, built-in SQL review, approval workflows, GitOps, and audit logging that neither Flyway nor Liquibase provide out of the box, while Atlas and SchemaHero lean toward declarative, Kubernetes-native schema management.