Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft SQL Server

Composite Score

8.7 /10

CX Score

9.0 /10

251 Reviews Write a Review

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What is Microsoft SQL Server?

Apply intelligence across all your data with SQL Server 2022. Whether your data is structured or unstructured, query and analyze it using the data platform with industry-leading performance and security. Regardless of where your data is stored, query and analyze it with the data platform known for performance, security, and availability.

Company Details

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Awards & Recognition

Microsoft SQL Server won the following awards in the Data Integration category

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2025 Data Quadrant Champion

Latest Award, 2025

1 Top Rated Capabilities

1 Top Rated Features

Latest Award, 2025

2024 Emotional Footprint Champion

2024

2024 Data Quadrant Champion

2024

1 Top Rated Capabilities

1 Top Rated Features

2024

2023 Emotional Footprint Champion

2023

Microsoft SQL Server Ratings

Real user data aggregated to summarize the product performance and customer experience.
Download the entire Product Scorecard to access more information on Microsoft SQL Server.

Product scores listed below represent current data. This may be different from data contained in reports and awards, which express data as of their publication date.

89 Likeliness to Recommend

1
Since last award

98 Plan to Renew

1
Since last award

84 Satisfaction of Cost Relative to Value

1
Since last award

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Emotional Footprint Overview

Product scores listed below represent current data. This may be different from data contained in reports and awards, which express data as of their publication date.

+90 Net Emotional Footprint

The emotional sentiment held by end users of the software based on their experience with the vendor. Responses are captured on an eight-point scale.

How much do users love Microsoft SQL Server?

2% Negative

4% Neutral

94% Positive

Pros

Reliable
Performance Enhancing
Trustworthy
Helps Innovate

Feature Ratings

Average 80

Administrative Features

Data Security

Exception Handling and Notifications

Batch Integration

Real Time Integration

Synchronization and Replication

Metadata Management

Data Quality Profiling and Cleansing

Data Virtualization

Multi Channel Support

API Management and Orchestration

Vendor Capability Ratings

Average 81

Business Value Created

Ease of Implementation

Quality of Features

Ease of Data Integration

Breadth of Features

Availability and Quality of Training

Usability and Intuitiveness

Product Strategy and Rate of Improvement

Vendor Support

Ease of IT Administration

Ease of Customization

Also Featured in...

Transaction Data Store

Score 8.9

View Microsoft SQL Server in this category (opens in a new tab)

Desktop Publishing

Score 8.2

View Microsoft SQL Server in this category (opens in a new tab)

Microsoft SQL Server Reviews

Emmanuel A.

Role: Information Technology
Industry: Technology
Involvement: End User of Application

Validated Review

Verified Reviewer

Submitted Jul 2025

Reliable and feature-rich Database Engine

Likeliness to Recommend

10 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

All-in-one enterprise-grade database platform. This means a strong integration with Microsoft Ecosystem

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

Strong integration with the Microsoft Ecosystem and the expression version is flexible to attend to a number of small companies

What do you dislike most about this product?

Major target for attacks

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

Understand the differences between Express, Standard and enterprise editions to avoid overpaying of missing out on critical features. Leverage integration with Microsoft Stack Stay updated

Pros

Helps Innovate
Continually Improving Product
Reliable
Performance Enhancing

Blessing N.

Role: Consultant
Industry: Technology
Involvement: End User of Application

Validated Review

Verified Reviewer

Submitted Jul 2025

Trusted, but Long Overdue for Modern Features

Likeliness to Recommend

10 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

Offers advanced features such as Transparent Data Encryption, Always Encrypted, row-level security, dynamic data masking, and deep auditing covering stringent compliance needs (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI)

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

My favorite aspect of Microsoft SQL Server is its advanced in-database analytics the ability to perform machine learning directly within the database environment.

What do you dislike most about this product?

Heavy disk I/O, tempdb contention, and memory shortages are common headache triggers, Storage is the slowest component even with SSDs I/O contention slows everything

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

Conduct regular audits to ensure you're compliant use tools like SAM and monitor core counts, deployments, and Azure usage. Over-licensing or non-compliance can lead to costly penalties

Pros

Helps Innovate
Continually Improving Product
Reliable
Performance Enhancing

Thakur Anjali R.

Role: Information Technology
Industry: Technology
Involvement: Business Leader or Manager

Validated Review

Verified Reviewer

Submitted Apr 2025

Experience with Microsoft SQL Server

Likeliness to Recommend

10 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

Microsoft SQL Server has a strong identity in the database landscape, and it's often chosen for specific reasons over competitors like Oracle, PostgreSQL, or MySQL. 1. Integrated Tooling (Especially with Microsoft Ecosystem) 2.Advanced Analytics with Built-In AI & ML 3.Security Features

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

ntelligent Query Processing & Performance Tuning Tools

What do you dislike most about this product?

Licensing Complexity & Cost

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

1. Know Your Edition Needs First :Start with Developer Edition for testing—it’s full-featured and free,If you’re deciding between Standard vs Enterprise,map out the features you need (e.g., Always On, partitioning, in-memory OLTP) and check what’s supported.Use SQL Server Feature Comparison charts to avoid surprises later.

Pros

Helps Innovate
Continually Improving Product
Reliable
Performance Enhancing

Microsoft SQL Server

What is Microsoft SQL Server?

Company Details

Need Assistance?

Awards & Recognition

2025 Data Quadrant Champion

2024 Emotional Footprint Champion

2024 Data Quadrant Champion

2023 Emotional Footprint Champion

Microsoft SQL Server Ratings

89 Likeliness to Recommend

1 Since last award

98 Plan to Renew

1 Since last award

84 Satisfaction of Cost Relative to Value

1 Since last award

Emotional Footprint Overview

+90 Net Emotional Footprint

How much do users love Microsoft SQL Server?

Pros

Feature Ratings Average rating of all product features, some of which may not be shown below

Administrative Features Includes basic aspects of data extraction, transformation, and loading. Administrative console and process viewing, interruption, restart, cancel, and rollback.

Data Security Includes ability to hide sensitive data by masking with special characters or anonymous information.

Exception Handling and Notifications Ability to catch, report, and handle exceptions; includes transaction logging and event viewing.

Batch Integration Includes ability to schedule integration processes to run on a periodic basis to control the movement of data from a source to target.

Real Time Integration Able to integrate data in near-real time and handle movement of data from a source to target. Monitoring for changes in a data source in a non-invasive manner.

Synchronization and Replication Includes the ability to accurately catch, reflect, and correct changes in data across multiple data stores.

Metadata Management A metadata layer makes reporting easy and eliminates the need for coding and SQL, allowing users to see and access information in simple business language.

Data Quality Profiling and Cleansing Includes data cleansing, reconciliation, and profiling across multiple sources in batch mode.

Data Virtualization Includes ability to create views joining disparate data sources without the need for persistence.

Multi Channel Support The ability to support and connect with channels including Cloud Services, Big Data Platforms, web, mobile, social, IoT, wearables, etc.

API Management and Orchestration Includes publishing, promoting and overseeing APIs and Orchestration Services.

Vendor Capability Ratings Average rating of all vendor capabilities, some of which may not be shown below

Business Value Created Software needs to create value for employees, customers, partners, and, ultimately, shareholders. This data expresses user satisfaction - or lack thereof - with the product's business value.

Ease of Implementation Successfully implementing new software is necessary to realize its full value and promote end user adoption. This data indicates whether or not the product is easy to implement.

Quality of Features Feature quality is just as important as quantity. Use this data to determine if this product will do what you're purchasing it to do, easily, intuitively, reliably, and effectively.

Ease of Data Integration Use this data to determine whether the product will cause headaches or make data integration easy.

Breadth of Features Users prefer feature rich software that enables them to perform diverse series of tasks. This data expresses user satisfaction with the product's breadth of features.

Availability and Quality of Training Effective and readily available training enables users to get the most out of the software you've chosen. Use this section to make sure your vendor's training programs and materials measure up.

Usability and Intuitiveness End user learning curves cost the organization money. Pay attention to your end users' technical ability to determine how important UX is in your purchase.

Product Strategy and Rate of Improvement Vendors who don't stay on top of emerging needs and trends won't enable you to meet your business goals. Use this data to separate innovators from imposters.

Vendor Support The importance of vendor support will vary for each organization depending on internal capabilities, but there will always be issues that only the vendor can resolve.

Ease of IT Administration This data indicates whether IT personnel will be able to resolve issues and perform configurations efficiently and effectively.

Ease of Customization Don't get bogged down in a difficult customization; use this data to make sure you can easily achieve the functionality you need for your particular situation.

Also Featured in...

Transaction Data Store

Desktop Publishing

Microsoft SQL Server Reviews

Emmanuel A.

Reliable and feature-rich Database Engine

Likeliness to Recommend

Pros

Blessing N.

Trusted, but Long Overdue for Modern Features

Likeliness to Recommend

Pros

Thakur Anjali R.

Experience with Microsoft SQL Server

Likeliness to Recommend

Pros

Most Popular Microsoft SQL Server Comparisons

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Feature Ratings

Administrative Features

Data Security

Exception Handling and Notifications

Batch Integration

Real Time Integration

Synchronization and Replication

Metadata Management

Data Quality Profiling and Cleansing

Data Virtualization

Multi Channel Support

API Management and Orchestration

Vendor Capability Ratings

Business Value Created

Ease of Implementation

Quality of Features

Ease of Data Integration

Breadth of Features

Availability and Quality of Training

Usability and Intuitiveness

Product Strategy and Rate of Improvement

Vendor Support

Ease of IT Administration

Ease of Customization