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Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft SQL Server

Composite Score

8.7 /10

CX Score

9.0 /10

284 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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2026 Data Quadrant Champion

Latest Award, 2026

1 Top Rated Capabilities

1 Top Rated Features

Latest Award, 2026

2025 Emotional Footprint Champion

2025

2025 Data Quadrant Champion

2025

1 Top Rated Capabilities

1 Top Rated Features

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

98 Plan to Renew

84 Satisfaction of Cost Relative to Value

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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
Enables Productivity
Performance Enhancing
Respectful

Feature Ratings

Average 80

Data Security

Administrative Features

Batch Integration

Real Time Integration

Exception Handling and Notifications

Metadata Management

Synchronization and Replication

Data Quality Profiling and Cleansing

API Management and Orchestration

Multi Channel Support

Data Virtualization

Vendor Capability Ratings

Average 81

Business Value Created

Quality of Features

Ease of Implementation

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)

Microsoft SQL Server Reviews

Pawan S.

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

Validated Review

Verified Reviewer

Submitted Sep 2025

Powerful and Reliable Database Management System

Likeliness to Recommend

10 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

Microsoft SQL Server differentiates itself from other database systems through its robust performance, strong security features, and seamless integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. It offers advanced tools for data analysis, reporting, and business intelligence, making it ideal for enterprise applications. Additionally, features like In-Memory OLTP, high availability, and scalability give it an edge over competitors for handling large, mission-critical workloads efficiently.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

My favorite aspect of Microsoft SQL Server is its powerful data management and analytics capabilities, which allow efficient handling of large datasets while providing robust tools for reporting, querying, and business intelligence.

What do you dislike most about this product?

The main drawback of Microsoft SQL Server is its complex licensing and higher cost, which can be a barrier for smaller businesses or projects with limited budgets.

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

I would recommend Microsoft SQL Server for organizations needing a robust, secure, and scalable database solution. Ensure you assess licensing costs and infrastructure requirements to choose the right edition and optimize performance for your workloads.

Pros

Performance Enhancing
Inspires Innovation
Saves Time
Transparent

Marco Aurelio C.

Role: Information Technology
Industry: Technology
Involvement: IT Development, Integration, and Administration

Validated Review

Verified Reviewer

Submitted Sep 2025

SQl Server Review from a Developer standpoint

Likeliness to Recommend

10 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

Its embedded features for reporting, integration, and analytics, plus the unique features for metadata management; support for external formats is also highly appreciated, APIs, full integration with Microsoft Tools, plus cloud integration.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

Metadata management is a real plus that saves a lot of time when organizing data

What do you dislike most about this product?

The licensing prices for on-premises versions is prohibitive

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

Design your databases locally and when fully optimized, move them to the cloud, probably to the Azure Data Lake for large installations, or Azure SQL for smaller platform demands

Pros

Helps Innovate
Continually Improving Product
Reliable
Performance Enhancing

FAITH F.

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

Validated Review

Verified Reviewer

Submitted Sep 2025

A Great Database, With Room for Innovation

Likeliness to Recommend

10 /10

What differentiates Microsoft SQL Server from other similar products?

SQL Server stands out due to its tight integration with the Microsoft ecosystem, especially with Windows Server and Azure. It is known for its strong performance on transactional workloads, advanced built-in security features, and a comprehensive suite of tools like SQL Server Management Studio and Reporting Services, making it a powerful choice for enterprise environments.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

My favorite part is the all-in-one tool suite. SSMS, SSRS, and SSIS give me everything I need for managing, developing, and reporting on databases right out of the box. It's a complete solution that's incredibly efficient.

What do you dislike most about this product?

What I dislike most is the high cost of the Enterprise edition and the often complex, licensing model. It can be a significant financial barrier for many organizations.

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

I can confidently say that if you're already in the Microsoft ecosystem, SQL Server is a fantastic choice. The way it seamlessly integrates with Windows, Azure, and tools like Power BI makes it incredibly powerful and efficient. I'd highly recommend starting with the free Developer edition to see firsthand how robust and feature-rich it is, you get a professional-grade database without any initial cost.

Pros

Helps Innovate
Continually Improving Product
Performance Enhancing
Unique Features

Microsoft SQL Server

What is Microsoft SQL Server?

Company Details

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Awards & Recognition

2026 Data Quadrant Champion

2025 Emotional Footprint Champion

2025 Data Quadrant Champion

2024 Emotional Footprint Champion

2024 Data Quadrant Champion

2023 Emotional Footprint Champion

Microsoft SQL Server Ratings

89 Likeliness to Recommend

98 Plan to Renew

84 Satisfaction of Cost Relative to Value

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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 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.

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

Microsoft SQL Server Reviews

Pawan S.

Powerful and Reliable Database Management System

Likeliness to Recommend

Pros

Marco Aurelio C.

SQl Server Review from a Developer standpoint

Likeliness to Recommend

Pros

FAITH F.

A Great Database, With Room for Innovation

Likeliness to Recommend

Pros

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Feature Ratings

Data Security

Administrative Features

Batch Integration

Real Time Integration

Exception Handling and Notifications

Metadata Management

Synchronization and Replication

Data Quality Profiling and Cleansing

API Management and Orchestration

Multi Channel Support

Data Virtualization

Vendor Capability Ratings

Business Value Created

Quality of Features

Ease of Implementation

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