--- title: "Microsoft SQL Server Pricing 2026 | Capterra" description: "Learn more about Microsoft SQL Server pricing plans including starting price, free versions and trials." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/1417/SQL-Server/pricing/" page_type: "pricing" language: "en" --- # Microsoft SQL Server Pricing - Overall rating: 4.6 out of 5 from [1,982 reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/1417/SQL-Server/reviews/) - Starting at $209.00 one time - Free trial: Available - Free version: Available - Credit card required: Not provided by vendor --- ## How much does Microsoft SQL Server cost? Microsoft SQL Server has **4 different plans**. The pricing **starts at $209 other one time** with a free plan available. ### Enterprise - Price: $13748.00 - Billing: Flat Rate, One Time ### Standard - Per Core - Price: $3586.00 - Billing: Flat Rate, One Time ### Standard - Server - Price: $899.00 - Billing: Other, One Time ### Standard - CAL - Price: $209.00 - Billing: Other, One Time --- ## Is Microsoft SQL Server worth the price? ### Value for Money - Overall rating: 4.3 out of 5 - Good or excellent value for money: 85% AI summary based on 346 value-for-money rating reviews: Users think Microsoft SQL Server offers good value for money due to its powerful features and flexibility across different operating systems. Some reviewers find the availability of a free Express version, which is suitable for small businesses and testing, to be a significant advantage. However, some users feel that the licensing costs are high, especially for the Enterprise versions, and the pricing structure can be confusing. #### Rating breakdown - Ease of use: 4.3 - Customer service: 4.3 - Features: 4.6 - Ease of deployment: 4.3 - Likelihood to recommend: 85% Based on 1,982 total Microsoft SQL Server reviews. --- ## How does Microsoft SQL Server compare to other alternatives? Microsoft SQL Server starts at $209 other one time. Explore how its pricing and plan options compare with top alternatives below. Microsoft SQL Server pricing comparison | Product | Plans | Starting price | Free version | Free trial | Value for Money | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Microsoft SQL Server — 4.6 out of 5 ([1,982 reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/1417/SQL-Server/reviews/)) | 4 plans | $209.00 /one-time | Available | Available | 4.3 | | [MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) — 4.6 out of 5 ([2,099 reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/reviews/)) | 1 plan | $2000.00 /user/yr | Available | Available | 4.6 | | [Google Cloud](https://www.capterra.com/p/268690/Google-Cloud-Platform/) — 4.7 out of 5 ([2,330 reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/268690/Google-Cloud-Platform/reviews/)) | 2 plans | Not available | Available | Available | 4.4 | | [MongoDB](https://www.capterra.com/p/127374/MongoDB/) — 4.7 out of 5 ([473 reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/127374/MongoDB/reviews/)) | 4 plans | $30.00 /usage/mo | Available | Not available | 4.6 | | [Microsoft Access](https://www.capterra.com/p/233275/Microsoft-Access/) — 4.4 out of 5 ([212 reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/233275/Microsoft-Access/reviews/)) | 1 plan | Not available | Not available | Not available | 4.3 | --- ## What reviewers say about Microsoft SQL Server's pricing ### What they like - **Microsoft SQL Server offers good value for money due to its powerful features and flexibility across different operating systems** Some reviewers find the availability of a free Express version, which is suitable for small businesses and testing, to be a significant advantage. - **The free version includes many of the same features as the paid versions** Making it a cost-effective option for smaller projects. Some users report that the licensing model is less expensive compared to other tools, and they value the ability to use third-party extensions to enhance productivity. - **The software is scalable and can handle large workloads** Which they find beneficial for their business needs. ### What holds them back - **The licensing costs are high** Especially for the Enterprise versions, and the pricing structure can be confusing. They say that the cost of licenses, including client access licenses, can be prohibitively expensive for smaller companies. - **The high cost of licensing and implementation is a major drawback** And they find the significant price gap between the Standard and Enterprise editions to be off-putting. Users also report that the software consumes a lot of resources and has a steep learning curve, which can add to the overall cost. ## Price & value in reviewers' words * * * 5 out of 5 stars > "The liscense is expensive, but not as expensive as some other large companies and for a smaller project, there are lots of places where you can purchase hosted databases for a minimal cost. And with Azure there are lots of possibilites." Reviewer: Leslie P. Role: Software Developer * * * 4 out of 5 stars > "I use the .NET framework a lot so integration with .NET is a priceless feature for me personally." Reviewer: Verified Reviewer Role: Co-founder * * * 5 out of 5 stars > "Very Expensive, especially compared to open source alternatives" Reviewer: Adam N. Role: Director of IT * * * 5 out of 5 stars > "Given that there are numerous open-source options on the market that can offer comparable functionality but unquestionably lack the advantages I listed above, MS SQL can be a costly offering." Reviewer: Kawther B. Role: journalist [Check all reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/1417/SQL-Server/reviews/)