# Page 5 | Microsoft SQL Server Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 5 - 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 5 - Reviews of Microsoft SQL Server ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 101-125 of 1977 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use KS Ketan S. Manager I.T. Machinery Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Benefits Using Microsoft SQL Server " February 11, 2023 5.0 SQL server is overall very good product considering performance and price Pros SQL Server is very easy to deploy. Very fast performance, Backup and restoration is also a simplified Maintain it is not a big task and SQL server is able to Store and retrieve multiple records very fast. Cons yet not found any such thing as it's a good product. Alternatives considered [Oracle PeopleSoft](https://www.capterra.com/p/155958/Oracle-PeopleSoft/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server Product with performance and price Review Source VR Verified Reviewer NURSE INCHARGE Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft is the best software to use and it has helped in storing my data." November 7, 2023 5.0 My experience with software is very incredible cause it has really made my work easier. Pros It helps me in storing processing data in and out. Makes my work easier and fast and its very reliable. Cons If one is using the outdated type it gives worst experience ever. Review Source Anuj S. Business Intelligence Analyst Internet Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Two words - "Best RDBMS"!" September 5, 2018 5.0 Highly recommended - The Best RDBMS Package I have worked so far. Best IDE - let the wizard do basic things with you few clicks so you can focus on actual DB tasks and writing query. Developers in your team are going to love this Database! Pros • Microsoft SQL Server is the best RDBMS package I have ever worked on! (Other DBs I have used are - Oracle, Teradata, MySQL, and Redshift) • Just like other Microsoft products; SQL Server is by far the most User-friendly Database Server - best IDE • Lots of wizard features from import, export, backup, query builder etc that anyone can easily learn and do just with few clicks! • Intellisense (like visual studio) to complete code while typing and showing common mistakes before you even execute • Built-in execution plan viewer which is nice enough to start with. • Free Plugins and third-party tools available to make your life even easier like: Poorman SQL Formatter, SentryOne Plan Explorer etc • Integrates very well with other MS products. Full MS BI stack includes SSIS ETL, SSRS BI Tool, SSAS etc. Cons • No considerable cons. Maybe Microsoft should consider offering built-in features/tools for which developers use third-party tools and plugins. Like builtin execution plan viewer is not as great as SentryOne Plan Explorer. • With so many built-in features one little must have to include is One click code indentation. Until Microsoft can add this feature, we can live with Poorman SQL formatter. Review Source Scott S. M. Sr. Data Analyst Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Solid relational database ecosystem with useful accessories" August 1, 2018 5.0 The ability to solve data problems and syndicate actionable information to the right audiences in a timely manner. Pros I have been using Microsoft SQL Server for about 20 years and have watched the product evolve into a very mature and vibrant offering. SQL Server gives me the flexibility and performance needed for many different relational database solutions ranging from application OLTP databases to enterprise level business intelligence implementations. With my main focus being business intelligence, I have been very impressed with the SQL Server 2016 releases and improvements. It seems the Microsoft is very dedicated to this BI ecosystem and they seem committed to continuity in the products. Some of my favorite things to note are the new SSRS portal interface in 2016, the ColumnStore indexing in Enterprise versions, SSAS tabular models, and the ease of use with Power BI. Overall, I feel extremely confident in this product in terms of its use to solve almost any problem related to data. I find most things very easy to use and due to the wide use of this product, figuring out the more complex issues is not difficult thanks to Google. Cons I sometimes don't appreciate the complexities related to transnational logging and the time it takes to roll back large transactions. Purely a performance and optimization issue, but the ambiguities in terms of when a task like this will complete can be frustrating. Review Source ML Mohamed L. Data analyst Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Meilleur outil de gestion de base de données - DB" August 24, 2021 5.0 tout simplement ma experience est parfaite avec SQl-server . Je l'utilise depuis près de 2 ans et il a beaucoup aidé dans mon projet de business intelligence. C'est magnifique a utiliser. Pros SQL-Server est simple à installer et l'utiliser les configurations sont également faciles. Comme il s'agit d'un système de GBD relationnelle, c'est un outil parfait pour les analystes de données. Il permet aux utilisateurs de extraire , tronsformer et télecharger les données requises en quelques secondes. Le produit est livré avec de nombreuses fonctionnalités telles que l'analyseur de requêtes, les services d'intégration, le planificateur de tâches et les services de rapports. De plus, on peut facilement planifier des tâches dans la section des outils de travail, ce qui est également une fonction très utile de cet outil. Vraiment c'est un outil trés efficace pour un processus complet de business Intelligence. Cons En effet, elle occupe plus de stockage de données pour installer le moteur de la BD par rapport aux autres BD SQL. Aussi l'interface et l'espace de travail. Lorsqu'on déplace une partie de l'interface, Il n'est pas très intuitif de la replacer à l'endroit par défaut. Alternatives considered [Talend Data Fabric](https://www.capterra.com/p/118978/Data-Integration/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server C'est trés pratique et facile a utiliser. Switched from [Google Analytics 360](https://www.capterra.com/p/177042/Google-Analytics/) Pour faire des analyses. Review Source Iago G. Planificador de producción Mechanical or Industrial Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Gestiona tus bases de datos de la manera más sencilla" February 7, 2023 5.0 Es una de la mejores herramientas que puedes encontrar en el mercado, además tiene la ventaja de poder integrarse con los productos de Microsoft, aunque al trabajar con SQL lo puedes utilizar con múltitud de aplicaciones sin tener que se de Microsoft. Pros Microsoft SQL Server es una herramienta polivalente para la administración de bases tus datos que proporciona un entorno seguro y estructurado para el almacenamiento y la recuperación de datos. Ofrece características sólidas para la manipulación de datos, incluida la optimización avanzada de consultas y el procesamiento de transacciones. La interfaz es fácil de usar y el lenguaje de codificación es intuitivo, lo que lo hace adecuado tanto para desarrolladores experimentados como novatos. Cons Un poco el precio, ya que la licencia empresarial es un poco cara. En ocasiones cuando los conjuntos de datos se hacen más grandes disminuye el rendimiento y esto importante si pretendes trabajar con bases de datos grandes. Alternatives considered [Oracle Database](https://www.capterra.com/p/5938/Oracle-Database/)[kintone](https://www.capterra.com/p/143607/kintone/) Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Billing and Operations Analyst Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SQL server Aka the OG" March 16, 2024 4.0 My first machine language and I have fallen in love with it Pros \* best source to extract required data \* easy to learn and will get more fun by time you progress in your career Cons \* Slow for huge data set loading \* intellisense doesn’t work Review Source KB Kwabena B. Senior Research Scientist Research Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Modern Relational Database Management System" May 11, 2023 5.0 My experience with it has been very good. We were looking for a database management system for our time and attendance system, and Microsoft SQL Server was the best choice because it supported the system very well. Pros It served as a Database management system for our attendance management system, and It served the purpose very well. Cons The initial setup is a bit complicated, but it is worth it. Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server Microsoft SQL Server was the database that could integrate with the system at that time. Review Source Kudakwashe N. Software Developer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Data Management made so easy with MS SQL Server" March 20, 2020 5.0 Pros For any developer, before first they can this own what their apps are going to be developed in their should think of what server should host their database. I do believe that MS SQL Server is the best on the marketing when comes to data management and administration. The best feature that i really love the most on MS SQL Server is the ability to disable remote execution of your queries and really helps protect data integrity in case your server authentication has been compromised. You can also be rest assured that your data is consistent and accurate at all times. Yes hackers some times can try sql injection but i believe MS SQL Server its the most secure servers around. Cons The license key for MS SQL might cost you an arm and a leg but at the end of the day its really worth it when you think of a platform where you are able to develop enterprise apps that secure and helps with Business Intelligence. Alternatives considered [Oracle Database](https://www.capterra.com/p/5938/Oracle-Database/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server In the case of Oracle DB vs MS SQL Server, MS SQL Server is easy to manage, easy to configure and has a huge community in case when you are stuck with any problem you are guaranteed to get a solution online. Review Source Ron V. Techncal Consultant Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Awesome database management" January 31, 2021 5.0 I started working as a technical consultant for a company that supplies ERP software, based on Microsoft Dynamics (NAV and Business Central). When I started, I didn't now anything about SQL server, other than having heared from it and seen it a couple of times. I followed a lot of online trainings and watched a lot of videos on Youtube, but now I am able to implement SQL server at our customers, administer the most common tasks and even take performance analysis when there are issues at our customers. I still need to learn a lot, but I find this application so great that I am looking forward to it. Pros First of all, I'm no certified DBA but I work with Microsoft SQL Server on daily bases. I install SQL server on servers of our customers, to be used with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (and previously Dynamics NAV). I install it, I configure it and I administer it. Everything I know about SQL server, I have learned myself from online training and trying things out. What I like most about SQL server, is solving performance issues. Using SQL Profiler for instance by grabbing what SQL server does and try to find bottlenecks. Cons SQL server is so extensive, that it takes a very long time to learn it. I have been working with SQL server for over 4 years now and I still learn daily more and more about it. But I don't mind that, I even love it. Review Source John R. Database Administrator Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "MS SQL Server as our database engine" May 12, 2022 5.0 The experience has been great! Since day 1 doing my first query, up to now, many years later, doing advanced stuff, I am happy for all the support and capabilities we can develop using this tool. Pros The language for querying is easy to follow. Also, there is a lot of help available on the web, in order to improve your queries. A lot of communities also, are ready to assist. Cons A bit difficult to get assistance from experts from Microsoft when it comes to really tech issues. Switched from [Microsoft Access](https://www.capterra.com/p/233275/Microsoft-Access/) For more data processing capacity and security. Review Source Guillermo B. Owner Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "A good choice as a database manager, but it can be improved." November 9, 2022 4.0 It is good software, as I mentioned before. It syncs well with other Microsoft tools. In almost 2 years of use, I feel comfortable when working with this software. I hope that the improvements I mention in the negative points will be included. Otherwise excellent. Pros I like that it allows me to use my Windows login credentials as user authentication to connect to the server. Plus it integrates easily with other Microsoft programs such as Visual Studio 2022, Business Intelligence tools, etc. I am a Software Engineering student, and I have been testing many database managers. Of all the ones I have used Microsoft SQL Server is the easiest to install and very intuitive regarding the use of its tools. In addition to being a student, I give small tutorials on how to use the software, such as tips for new users, and database backup. Cons I don't have much to criticize in this space. For me, the Software is very complete. But if I would like you to implement a dark theme throughout the interface, it would be very helpful to rest your eyes and avoid fatigue after hours of work. Switched from [MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) I changed the product because I was asked to do so at my place of work and the truth is that I am satisfied with the performance. Review Source Anjali G. Senior software developer Used the software for: 2+ years ### "I have been working with this software from last 8 years. I like this software and used its features" May 25, 2018 5.0 Pros This software offers a lot of features that are very handy to work with. And frankly it took very less time to understand this software and get used to it. I have used this software for creating stored procedures, functions, views, database schema. Easy to connect with external database as well. I have heavily used the SQL profiler which again is a very useful feature. SQL profiler let you see the request that SQL receive from a source and it help you debug your code. Generating backup, restoring backup, importing and exporting data tiers all features are so easy to understand. Even I never googled to know how to do it, I just saw the option and start following the instructions and it's done. Its easy to use and all its features are very useful. Even when you didn't saved your file and accidentally your laptop got off,it help recover your files. Easy interface to create database tables even if you do not remember the script syntax. Cons There is nothing that I don't like kind of this with this useful software. Its just if the edit rows option could have been made easy by auto showing the SQL pane to write query while editing the rows. I found it one step extra. It should be like when we select rows. Also running the query on edit rows if could be done via f5 only, then it would be easier for the user. Review Source Giovanni P. Analyst Programmer Banking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A fairly robust database engine with excellent functionalities" October 8, 2021 5.0 As a database engine it is a very powerful and good tool, currently very portable between Windows and Linux systems, which allows you to choose between several operating systems for its implementation, although its cost can be somewhat high, it does not require an annual licensing to maintain its use. Pros A very robust and quite reliable database engine provides a wide variety of tools and options that allow you to perform settings as daily tasks in an efficient way. Today it is compatible with almost any operating system allowing you to configure it in the environment that best suits your needs. Cons Although it is a very portable and robust database engine, its refusal comes with its licensing, which can be very expensive, also its resource consumption can be high in very complex tasks, this leading to the need to invest in very high-end resources in order to meet the demand. Alternatives considered [MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) Review Source Mrinmai S. Software Engineer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best SQL for Data Analysis" August 19, 2022 4.0 The overall experience so far till now has been great. Whenever I have some data that needs to be stored in a database my first choice is always SQL Server. Pros SQL server is rich in a lot of features that make it stand out from its competitors, but the important feature would be how it is best suited for the MSBI stack and works great as a SQL Data Warehouse. Also works best for transactional processing when compared to other SQL. Cons Well even though I like working with SQL Server, there are some things that can be better. - The installation process is a little complicated. - It also takes up a lot of space and needs more RAM when compared to others. Review Source VC Vincent C. Senior Technical Level Designer Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A robust and professional way to store your data" November 12, 2022 5.0 Microsoft SQL has been available for years and is one of the most popular database service on the market. We use that database to store a lot of our data and it always been reliable. If there are issue, we are able to restore quickly and efficiently. Pros Microsoft SQL is one of the best database available on the market. Its efficiency and power has no limit which make it a good choice for storing large amounts of data. Cons The price of Microsoft SQL is very high and there are open source database that can to pretty much everything that MS SQL do but for free. Although it won’t be as efficient as MS SQL the smaller alternative might be a good choice for smaller project. I would consider MS SQL gor large scale database. Review Source MD Masoud D. Software Developer Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A database system that you can trust your data with!" March 10, 2022 5.0 I believe we rely on Microsoft SQL Server and its great features and performance a lot. It's our first choice in terms of an RDBMS database and I believe it remains as such for a long time. Pros I've been using Microsoft SQL Server since version 2000 and I must say that every year the team behind it adds tons of improvements and great new features that keep this software a fantastic competitor in the market. The database engine is very clever in optimising your queries, giving insights on improvements and dealing with your complex queries. Microsoft's TSQL is very easy to understand and very easy to grasp even though in recent years the team have introduced more complex query templates but still it stands out impressively amongst the others. I also love that they have released the full version as a Developer version where you can try all the software's great features without any cost at all! Cons The huge cost difference between the Standard and the Enterprise version is a put off as certain features like table partitioning should be part of the Standard version. Alternatives considered [MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server The greater community behind it and the performance difference made us go to Microsoft SQL Server as our first choice. Review Source Ashish C. System Administrator Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Most widely used database" February 6, 2023 5.0 Microsoft MySQL is great. I definitely suggest it to anyone seeking a robust and user-friendly database programme. Pros I recently tried Microsoft MySQL and was very impressed with its performance. Installing and configuring the software was simple. The documentation made it easy to start using the product. Microsoft MySQL was powerful and feature-rich. It offered everything I needed to set up a database quickly, and the assistance was great. Complex searches on massive datasets ran smoothly. Cons Microsoft MySQL is good, but some has disappointed me. The interface was slow and poorly documented. The information was dispersed and hard to find, so I had trouble answering my simple queries. Microsoft MySQL cost more than a generic database. Technical support was also poor. My questions were answered slowly and generically. It required time to explore and solve problems on my own. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Data Engineer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SQL server " November 14, 2022 5.0 In this software, we can also import or export the flat files, csv files l, excel files also. So we can update and modelling on it. Performing different types of queries. So overall I'm satisfied with this software. Pros It is a very good software for performing queries. Create, update, alter even everything like ddl, dml, tcl commands we used on it. Whether it's a table or its a database. We can create also triggers and stored procedure, function also. This platform differentiate the color of syntax like function, keywords etc. Which is very easy to readable of anybody. Cons I like this software much so there is nothing to tell or write which I face consequences in that software. Review Source EB Eros B. Sviluppatore Mechanical or Industrial Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft Sql Server un potente database SQL" October 9, 2023 4.0 Utilizzo Microsoft SQL Server nella maggior parte dei programmi aziendali che richiedono l'archiviazione di dati. La sua robustezza garantisce una buona soluzione database Pros SQL Server è un potente ed efficiente database relazionale che consente di sviluppare soluzioni performanti per il mondo Windows Cons Gli strumenti messi a disposizione da Microsoft per la gestione dei database potrebbero essere migliorati e arricchiti di funzionalità. Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server SQL Server è un ottimo prodotto ben integrato nell'ambiente Windows Review Source VS Vinicius S. Software Engineer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Review for Microsoft SQL Server" January 17, 2023 5.0 SQL Server is my main RDBMS for Windows environments because it has a wide range of features and is completely compatible with the operating system since it runs on its native platform. Pros Easy to install, configure, update and use. Through tools such as SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) the system has a very friendly graphical user interface. SQL Server has extensive documentation on the Internet. Cons Full installation takes up a lot of disk space. Depending on the version, the software license can be very expensive. Alternatives considered [Oracle Database](https://www.capterra.com/p/5938/Oracle-Database/)[MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server Compatibility with the operating system and its features. Review Source Prabhu S. associate projects Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "All time market leader" August 29, 2020 5.0 When comes to business critical it can consume the raw data, process it and provide to the user understandable format. More than decades, this software providing tremendous help to business to evolve and reach their goals by fetching data from any formate and load it into structured form and with help of powerful Tsql query languge we able to fetch the right data from database. We can also connect with any visualization tool to provide the better UI(Power BI) to users to take right decision. Pros 1\. Optimized storage and querying business critical data. 2. Powerful Tsql Query language. 3. Query execution plan to predict and optimize the data. 4. Query profiler to find out anomaly and query latency. Cons 1\. We need to take care of all patching works. 2. We need to take care of all infrastructure scalability(RAM,HDD and IO etc) 3. Server maintenance and outrage time is high. Switched from [Azure Synapse Analytics](https://www.capterra.com/p/170434/SQL-Data-Warehouse/) Microsoft grown to cloud platform and provided high effective tool than sql server. Azure sql database & Azure Sql data warehouse. Highly scalable and data replication, we never care about our data lost again. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer software engineer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft excellent product for data processing and storing data." October 21, 2021 4.0 \- I have been using SQL Server for 6 years and have been creating multiple databases and serving the customer. - using this product , We are easily storing confidential data without any fear. Pros \- User friendly user interface. - Databases and tables can be created to store data easily, it's very easy process that doesn't require viewing documentation. - Can be easily connected to Microsoft Visual Studio. - It is safe and reliable as well as efficient product so we can store data without any fear. - All features available in it to sorting the data. - installation is so easy . Cons \- Many times they need to improve the window authentication functionality due to problems signing in. - They should provide correct error in detail instead of standard as I observed while executing query and providing standard error. Review Source Innocent B. Software engineer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft SQL Server Review" June 22, 2022 5.0 The SQL Server Product bas allowed us to build a powerful database, witch made it easier to save time in costumer relations. Pros The Microsoft SQL Server Product is easy to use and its integration with business processus is not a problem. Cons What I don't like : 1. The SQL Server Product is not suitable for small Database on personal computer 2. SQL Server versions are strongly related to Windows versions 3. The CVE-2022-23276 elevation of privilege vulnerability for Linux containers. Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server We chose the Microsoft SQL Server Product because it is robust and it offers a high level of performance. Review Source Victor G. Infraestructure Analyst Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 2+ years ### "the best SQL tool you will ever use!" February 9, 2023 5.0 We currently have more than 10 databases in our company, all under SQL Server, with good maintenance and applying good resources, we have guaranteed stability and scalability. excellent product. Pros For me it is the best tool for managing databases, the functionalities it has meet my needs, being able to add Microsoft Integration Services is the best I have been able to use. Cons it may take a bit of resources to get its full potential Alternatives considered [Oracle Database](https://www.capterra.com/p/5938/Oracle-Database/)[MySQL](https://www.capterra.com/p/11482/MySQL/) Reason for choosing Microsoft SQL Server from the beginning our systems were always designed with the structure of SQL server since it is a tool that we handle very well 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.