# Page 3 | Microsoft SQL Server Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 3 - Is Microsoft SQL Server the right Database solution for you? Explore 1977 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/1417/SQL-Server/reviews --- Microsoft SQL Server 4.6 (1977) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/1417/SQL-Server/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 25th, 2026 # Page 3 - Reviews of Microsoft SQL Server ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 51-75 of 1977 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use CS Christian S. Software Development Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "SQL Server Review" August 29, 2024 5.0 It has worked very well for our desktop applications. Pros It is straight forward and is a relational database. Cons It could have more modern syntax updates. Review Source LS Lauren S. Accounting Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Resource" July 22, 2024 5.0 Pros Great resource to utilize information securely Cons Sometimes their are glitches and we are booted from the server Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Senior FullStack Developer Internet Used the software for: 2+ years ### "L'un des meilleurs systèmes de gestion de base de données disponibles" January 18, 2024 5.0 J'utilise SQL Server depuis plusieurs années maintenant. Je l'ai vu employé sur des projets de taille et de domaines très différents, sur des architectures on premise et cloud. Il est très polyvalent. Pros Microsoft SQL Server est très complet. Il s'intègre avec tous les outils Microsoft relativement facilement. Il possède toutes les fonctionnalités qu'on attends d'un système de gestion de base de données de cette envergure. Il est disponible en version on premise et dans le cloud (notamment sur Azure). De nombreux outils permettent de le manipuler (Management Studio, Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, les outils RedGate...). Il est plus facile à appréhender, installer et gérer que son concurrent Oracle Database. Cons Microsoft SQL Server est plus complexe à mettre en place et le gérer efficacement est un véritable métier. Pour un projet assez léger, il faudra se tourner vers d'autres outils mais quand il s'agit d'un projet important qui va monter en puissance, il s'en sort très bien. Alternatives considered [Oracle Database](https://www.capterra.com/p/5938/Oracle-Database/)[MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/)[MariaDB](https://www.capterra.com/p/132005/MariaDB/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server Il s'intègre très facilement dans Azure avec les autres outils Microsoft... notamment avec les programmes réalisés avec la technologie .NET. Review Source SA Shubham A. SQL Database Consultant Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best Relational Database with great data capabilities" February 13, 2024 5.0 Pros It supports RDBMS, so it is easy to write SQL queries in SQL Server. User Interface is very good and its easy to implement. It can handle large amount of data. You can mask the data if it contains sensitive or PII information. By Implementing Disaster recovery, at any point in time we can recover the data. Cons Unlike Databricks SQL, SQL server does not provide data visualization functionality. Data Extraction is show if the table contains large amount of data. Review Source HC Humberto C. Systems Engineer Import and Export Used the software for: 2+ years ### " Successful data management and administration" December 6, 2023 5.0 A great tool for database administration and management, the ability to perform easy tasks in terms of backups, restores and replications makes it one of the great options for productive environments where you work. Pros Its ease and versatility in administration tasks, its great integration with bi and bigdata environments, as well as its stability in production environments. Cons The biggest disadvantage I see is that it is not as mature in its implementation in unix environments. Alternatives considered [PostgreSQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/48791/PostgreSQL/)[Oracle Database](https://www.capterra.com/p/5938/Oracle-Database/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server Its integration with Microsoft applications was a determining factor at the time of choice. Review Source GJ Gordon J. Senior SAP Consultant Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft SQL Server will meet all your Database Server needs" September 11, 2023 5.0 Overall, Microsoft SQL server is a powerful database server option in the market. Pros \- Microsoft SQL server is indeed a robust Database Server option. In this review, I will talk about Microsoft SQL in terms of SAP and compare it to its alternative option in SAP - the HANA Server. - When it comes to SAP ERP, our clients have two options for their database server needs - Microsoft SQL Server or HANA server. Microsoft SQL server is great option that will get the job done. Most of us consultants, have the SQL server installed in our local machines since it is impossible to install the HANA server in our local machines because of the heavy resources needed. SAP HANA requires a minimum of 32 GB ram for example.- Microsoft SQL server is easy to install especially the if you are installing the Express Version which is very light and install quickly. - I did not require much training to be able to use the basic features of Microsoft SQL server and I get a free license for my local machine if you install the evaluation version on your machine. Cons \- Compared to SAP HANA Server, Microsoft SQL Server has less analytical capabilities but generally, Microsoft SQL is a powerful database server option in the market.- There is a bit of a learning curve involved. If you want to be able to do some complex tasks in Microsoft SQL server, you might need to employ the use of some learning material. Review Source Giuliana A. Salesperson Entertainment Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Consideraciones al migrar a SQL" January 15, 2024 4.0 En general mi experiencia ha sido buena y siempre he tenido un equipo que me ha respaldado ante cualquier eventualidad. Pros Ofrece diferentes ediciones para adaptarse a diversas necesidades desde la gratuita hasta las versiones pagas. Cons Una de las desventajas es el consumo de recursos, hay un poco de complejidad en la implementación y para escalar horizontalmente se pueden necesitar soluciones avanzadas. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer DIgital Operations Executive Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "The complete database solution! " July 9, 2024 5.0 It's a whole platform that can be installed on any Windows computer, is free for developers, and is well worth a try Pros Excellent relational database management system for massive data analytics; yet, for smaller databases or projects, it might even be too much Cons Since it is difficult to integrate with non-Microsoft products, support for other suppliers and products is not really possible Review Source Liam B. IT MANAGER Transportation/Trucking/Railroad Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SQL -Industry leading Data Storage" September 13, 2023 5.0 the overall experience has been positive. with 100% uptime. Pros My favourite feature of SQL is how it seamlessly integrates with all windows environments to make developing for it super easy! Cons the cost is very high if you have allot of users rolled out and using the software. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Support Team Lead Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SQL Server Management Studio 18" November 7, 2023 5.0 Overall, a great experience over the last 13 years of use. Easy to set up databases, query them and performance is great. Pros The interface is very easy to use and once you have connected up, the expandable and collapsible views of your databases, tables, stored procs, views, sql jobs etc and easily viewable and excellent to navigate through. You can customise the icon and buttons to suit your setup preferences. The performance of SSMS has dramtically increased over the past few years and the features and functions they offer are great. For someone who has been in support and not a full fledged developer, this is an excellent enterprise tool to manage your data and connect it with .NET applications. Cons Nothing as of yet. I have found it to meet my needs each and every time. Review Source Martha Leah N. Infrastructure CEO Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft SQL Server Review" May 16, 2024 5.0 Seriously? This is not a question worth replying to. Pros I have lived and breathed MS SQL Server for all my life in the IT Industry. I am still breathing SQL. Cons Seriously? Microsoft SQL Server is one of the best ever. ORACLE is still up there. Switched from [IBM Db2](https://www.capterra.com/p/240589/IBM-Db2/) Because one has to work with the most powerful tools in the trade. Review Source Anthony G. CEO Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The Only Enterprise Level DBMS I Use" July 21, 2021 5.0 We build enterprise level SAAS, Desktop, Web and Mobile applications and API's. I've been SQL Server for over a decade mainly as a DB Developer but at times as an administrator as well. Pros A mature DBMS with no limits. Anything we or our customers wanted has always been possible with SQL Server. First class security, speed, and connection capabilities have enabled us to create world class applications for desktop, mobile, and web. The SQL Server community is huge which is critical for those new or rarely used features. I've been working in SQL Server for over a decade and still haven't touched many of the features available. Having a robust community makes learning any new feature quick and easy! Cons It's not a SQL Server thing per se... but Microsoft's support in general is weak at best. I've never really had a good experience using Microsoft support as it is slow and cumbersome and many times the reps don't communicate well. The huge community is what really what makes all Microsoft products manageable as most anything you want to learn or figure out is a quick browser search away. Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server Since I develop on the Microsoft stack it goes hand in hand. Switched from [MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) MySQL worked for single standalone web apps. But when it came to generating a full scale relational model we needed to step it up to SQL Server. Review Source CF Carnisha F. Freelancer Computer Software Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Microsoft SQL Server Review" April 21, 2023 5.0 SQL server is perfect since I can utilize a similar language same application, and for little clients, it utilizes free choice, and just for best execution or greater information need to pay for it Can utilize it locally on the cloud Pros "One of the most famous information base stages gives you the ideal permeability of the tables. Simple client association permits you to deal with your information base from any place...""Microsoft SQL Server is an extraordinary information the executives, dissecting, and revealing device which helps in the everyday running of a business. The extremely strong highlights it ...""I have had a decent involvement in SQL Server as it has shown how itself can be dependable, secure, and proficient." Cons "Permitting is confounding, at whatever point you have a permit by call or by central processor center, it's a digit hard to comprehend how they apply the costs.""The last thing I found about the product is blunder explanations, a few times an additional room can cause an enormous issue, and tossing the mistake which isn't like...""The absence of detailing administrations is a horrendous deficiency. It could have an option in Apache, or even permit combination with Windows servers for this demand...." Review Source GB Griffin B. Senior Strategic Planning Analyst Hospitality Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SQL Server is the backbone of my life!" February 4, 2019 5.0 Overall, my experience with SQL Server is amazing! I am able to store all of our Las Vegas luxury casino data (gaming, hotel, food & beverage, entertainment, etc.) and query that for information that we then turn into automated or ad-hoc reports. These then go to the operators of the business as well as the executives who analyze the reports and make better decisions daily, weekly, and monthly. The goal is simple: just become better over time...better than you were last year, last month, last week. And SQL Server is the vehicle to empower your organization to find those valuable insights hiding in plain sight to do just that! Pros I absolutely LOVE SQL Server. It is my favorite software to use because the possibilities for query-writing are endless. I would say this is the most reliable and flexible of all the database software I have ever used. SQL Server allows you to write in T-SQL (T = transact, SQL = structured query language), which means that you can create variables, use temp tables, and write code in a procedural format that runs akin to a module in other programming languages. We use SQL Server 2008 at work, though I am really loving the new features in the latest version (as of today) SQL Server 2016. Overall, SQL Server is a platform for creating table schema, storing information, and then writing scripts (queries) to manipulate that data--to find insights that are useful to making better business decisions. The interface is easy to understand, the error-checking is strong (and actually tells you what is wrong). It doesn't hold your hand like other simplified coding languages, but it becomes very reliable and easy to use once you obtain a solid foundation in relational database theory and SQL language. Cons Hmm...if I had to speak ill of SQL Server...I would probably say that it is a bit tricky to get up to speed quickly with. There's a lot to it, so to speak, so it's taken me the better part of five years working in the data analytics industry to finally say that I feel I am completely proficient in utilizing the software to its full potential. Topics such as query optimization remain my areas of biggest weakness. I can write a query to pull any kind of desired information; however, the art lies in being able to pull it quickly and with reasonable efficiency. If your query takes more than 15 minutes (or even hours!) to run, it's probably not written correctly and likely poses a major threat to the server you are connecting to (and tying up!) in the process. I would like more information in the software (GUIs, warnings, etc.) regarding poorly-written queries from an execution standpoint. Review Source KF Kevin F. DBA Consumer Goods Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft SQL Server - A stable enterprise base and development platform." June 3, 2021 5.0 I've used MSSQL for a wide variety of applications from the very large (SAP and Hybris) to small boutique and custom applications. It's amazingly easy to use and administer and users never complain about it. Pros The development and administration tools are amazing and third party offerings are numerous. There is an amazing support network from Microsoft and millions of users around the world. Cons I've always thought the text search was a little clumsy to implement and administer. Clustering is still very complicated but the Azure offering simplifies this a great deal, Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server Ease of use on a Windows platform. Review Source Gajanan S. Consultant specialist Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Fact, efficient and scalable relation database system" July 11, 2021 5.0 Its been around 10 Yrs I am using Microsoft SQL server is for development and I would be recommending to all business consumers to use this database and save the cost. Pros Simple and easy interface for developers. for end-use it supports all dashboarding tools. For the business users, low cost compared to other DBs. Security standards are implemented. Cons Some of the advanced functions should be added in SQL servers like for hieratical data connect by clause. packages. Alternatives considered [MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server It's very user-friendly and easy and efficient. Review Source Andy H. Technology Planning for Transport Networks Telecommunications Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Microsoft products are usually stable and reliable." September 3, 2022 4.0 SQL Server allows a large number of accesses without affecting performance. Once switched, there are no performance issues. Many users and developers have stated that the process is faster and more convenient thanks to the application. Access is used for the database and this has led to slow performance when the number of data increases. Large amounts of data sometimes require slow operations. Pros SQL Server is the enterprise system database, and its toolset is provided as standard. Many departments in the company use it as a database when creating a small system. Its graphical user interface is easy to use even for beginners, and its data can be queried seamlessly from other Microsoft products such as Access. Cons The application has very few bugs and offers stable operation. The core elements of the product's usability remain the same despite repeated changes. Both the cost and feature set of Oracle is superior to NetSuite. Alternatives considered [Amazon S3](https://www.capterra.com/p/174285/Amazon-S3/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server We decided to test it first and check the features and advantages it offers when integrating with Microsoft products by purchasing the free Express edition, which allows us to use up to 10 GB of database capacity. The GUI is easy to use and provides stable performance, which has not led to any complaints. Before buying the paid version, try the free EXPRESS version. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) An Excel database can be shared with other BI tools and used to store personal information. As the database increases in size, searches will take longer because the search speed depends on device specifications. In reality, however, more records mean longer search time. Review Source BH Brian H. Software Engineer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SQL Server a powerful and affordable solution" August 26, 2021 5.0 I have been creating software solutions for customers that have limited budget and smaller data needs for many years and SQL Server is almost always my first choice for relational databases. Its a solid platform, feature rich, and predictable (for me at least). Pros Fully featured for express version (free with up to 10 gb of capacity) is great for small to mid sized software needs. Easy to work with and configure. It runs on Windows and Linux. Cons It feels a bit bloated at times when resources are scarce (RAM and CPU). Review Source jjV juan jose V. ANALYST PROGRAMMER "A" Aviation & Aerospace Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft SQL Server for Business" November 17, 2022 4.0 I have 5 years working with Microsoft SQL Server, I have adapted well, I like the functionality it has, the practical way in which you can perform queries, scheduled tasks for my daily and weekly backups are excellent, accompanied by the crystal report, works great, I tried to try other database managers like ORACLE, but I think it is better Microsoft SQL server, to this day, I prefer to work with it. Pros Personally, I like that the application is easy to use, obviously if you already have time using it and you are familiar with the concepts and terms used, the tools to create backups or schedule tasks to run on specific dates and times is quite good, the price is affordable not too expensive unlike oracle. Cons to install it is a bit time consuming, since you have to configure it on the fly, it does not bring any preconfigured default settings, this takes a little time to the user, to migrate to other operating systems other than windows, you have to make other extra configurations. Alternatives considered [MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server It is the manager used by the company for which I work, since it adapts better to their needs, for this reason we have always worked with Microsoft SQL Server. Review Source Duane D. CTO Medical Devices Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft SQL Server is the all-around best out there." October 14, 2021 5.0 The best thing about is is that I can write all the business logic in Store Procedures and only have to write code to display and manipulate data sets. Pros I started using Microsoft SQL Server in 1999 loaded on a dual 1GH Pentium processor workstation motherboard with the Microsoft NT 4 OS Server. I soon upgraded to Windows 2000 Advanced Server. I wanted see to just what it would do on basically a low end server. I used the same box for the database and the web server running 10 data driven websites. The server was located in my bedroom and connected to the internet via broadband cable. Not the best type of connection for a server. I would test my websites offsite at work and at friends houses. The pages would load instantly. Imagine the performance on a monster server? The real kicker is with the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. Other databases like MySQL and Oracle are also great until you get to the UI part. At the time both of the latter UI's where rather primitive as with MySql or clunky and difficult to use like with Oracle. Over time, all the databases I mentioned improved but Microsoft SQL Server is still a step ahead. When it comes to moving a database from one machine to another Microsoft made it easy Cons I am totally happy with everything about it. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer software developer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "MS SQL Server Review" January 15, 2023 5.0 I love it, it is my first personal preference. And I love teaching others using Microsoft SQL server because it's easily understood. Pros It is easy to use for data transfer and data retrieval.It enables you to create stored procedures and views.There is security for data storage, backup, and restoring your databases. Cons When there's a large amount of data in the database it tends to slow down the speed of fetching data Switched from [MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) , simply because it cannot support huge database sizes and Transactions are not handled efficiently. Review Source NP Nikhil P. Sr. software developer Investment Banking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SQL Server: The Reliable and Scalable Database Management System" February 10, 2023 4.0 Overall, MS SQL server has a positive experience. It is widely used, reliable, and well-supported, with a large community of users and developers. The integration with Azure and other Microsoft products also makes it an attractive choice for organizations that use Microsoft technology. Pros MSSQL server is designed to be scalable . It is also very secured and reliable . It has very good performance usually when used with correct hardware and optimised queries Cons MS SQL server cost can be very high for demanding needs . It has got very steep learning curve .Also the cloud offering of MS SQL server is not to the mark Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Application Developer Senior Analyst Consumer Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Your Data and MS SQL Server will be BFFs" December 10, 2021 5.0 We use MS SQL Server to store client data and use it as a data source to carry out machine learning tasks. Pros 1\. It has data security at every step - from logins to database users 2. Users new to SQL queries can also carry out database activities due to very friendly GUI 3. Data migration within schemas, within databases, within and across instance, and across platforms are easy to implement 4. Backup and recovery is easy to implement Cons 1\. High availability technique such as Distributed Availability Groups have frequent synchronization issues 2. Some error messages are very difficult to understand, and hence gaining experience can be tedious for new users Alternatives considered [MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Fullstack Developer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Corporate relational databases" November 16, 2021 4.0 Its interface is so complete that any query and data transformation task can be carried out. As well as procedures and functions. It is a tool that combined with other systems such as SSIS can become vital for the BI of a company. Pros Being a software with so many years of experience, it has the solidity and stability of a highly efficient and corporate platform. Cons It is not a platform that is easy to implement and use for small or medium-sized companies. Its use would be very expensive and exhausting. Alternatives considered [PostgreSQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/48791/PostgreSQL/)[MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server For its stability and support as it is a highly efficient and corporate platform. For large companies it is the most successful option. Review Source AK Apurva K. Software Engineer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft SQL Server is one of the easiest and convenient SQL server to use for a beginner" April 20, 2023 5.0 Database management in an IT organization that deals with customer data is not an issue to be resolved, it is a necessity. Pros Microsoft SQL server is very efficient to use, as a developer with limited database management knowledge, I found it very helpful to get the prompts for the completion of commands, correction of syntax, and search/filter other tables for similar commands. I absolutely love using Microsoft SQL Server for database management. Cons Everything I noticed is great about Microsoft SQL Server, since I havent worked much upon other database applications, I found it very quick to learn and implement. No dislikes for me. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.