# Actian Zen vs Microsoft SQL Server Comparison
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## AI Generated Summary
- **G2 reviewers report** that Microsoft SQL Server excels in overall user satisfaction, boasting a significantly higher score compared to Actian Zen. Users appreciate features like the 'Always On' functionality, which enhances database durability and application performance by effectively managing read and write operations.
- **Users say** that Microsoft SQL Server is particularly user-friendly, even for beginners. The straightforward interface in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and clear setup steps make implementation a breeze, which is a notable advantage over Actian Zen, where users have reported a steeper learning curve.
- **Reviewers mention** that Microsoft SQL Server's integration with other Microsoft tools is seamless, allowing for powerful data management and analysis capabilities. This integration is a strong point that Actian Zen users find less robust, as they often rely on specific environments like Heroku for deployment.
- **According to verified reviews** , Microsoft SQL Server is praised for its reliability and strong performance, with users highlighting its extensive features such as views and stored procedures. In contrast, while Actian Zen is noted for its optimization and fault tolerance, it lacks the same breadth of features that users find beneficial in SQL Server.
- **Users highlight** that Microsoft SQL Server's support quality is commendable, with many reviewers expressing satisfaction with the assistance they receive. Actian Zen, while having a smaller user base, has not received recent reviews that reflect on its support, leaving potential buyers uncertain about this aspect.
- **Reviewers note** that Microsoft SQL Server has a substantial number of reviews, indicating a well-established presence in the market. In contrast, Actian Zen has significantly fewer reviews, which may raise questions about its reliability and user experience in comparison to the more widely adopted SQL Server.



| | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.3 out of 5 | 4.4 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 12 | 2,284 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Mid-Market (50.0% of reviews) | Enterprise (45.3% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | Starting at $3,895.00 20 File Storage in GB With One-Time Purchase | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Actian Zen

**Not enough data**

### Microsoft SQL Server

Pros:
- Ease of Use (32 reviews)
- Database Management (29 reviews)

Cons:
- Expensive (21 reviews)
- High Licensing Cost (12 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | Not enough data | 9.0 (1872 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | Not enough data | 8.6 (1890 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | Not enough data | 8.1 (1013 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | Not enough data | 8.3 (954 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | Not enough data | 8.3 (1666 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | Not enough data | 8.4 (903 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | Not enough data | 8.4 (1841 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Actian Zen

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: Actian Zen Cloud Server V15

Price: Starting at $3,895.00 20 File Storage in GB With One-Time Purchase

Description: Cloud Ready version of Actian Zen Enterprise.  Deploy on any public or private cloud.  Runs on VMware, HyperV, and AHV hypervisors and in Docker containers with Kubernetes orchestration on Windows orLinux.  20GB to unlimited storage.

Key Features:
- Unlimited Session Counts - Zen Cloud Server v15 is licensed based on the amount of data in use only. Unlimited users, unlimited cores. Still single server
- SQL/NoSQL API calls from C/C++/C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, VisualBasic, Delphi, Perl, COBOL
- Single data table/file size maximum of 64TB with AES 256-bit Encryption

[Browse all 4 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/actian-zen/pricing)

#### Free Trial

Yes

### Microsoft SQL Server

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Database Management Systems (DBMS)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Actian Zen** | N/A | N/A |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | 9.0/10 | 176 |

#### Management

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Data dictionary** | Not enough data | 8.9 (155 reviews) | 
| **Data Replication** | Not enough data | 8.8 (153 reviews) | 
| **Query Language** | Not enough data | 9.2 (161 reviews) | 
| **Data Modeling** | Not enough data | 8.9 (155 reviews) | 
| **Performance Analysis** | Not enough data | 8.9 (160 reviews) | 

#### Maintenance

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Data Migration** | Not enough data | 8.9 (158 reviews) | 
| **Backup and Recovery** | Not enough data | 9.0 (163 reviews) | 
| **Multi-User Environment** | Not enough data | 9.1 (155 reviews) | 

#### Security

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Data Encryption** | Not enough data | 8.9 (153 reviews) | 
| **User Access Control** | Not enough data | 9.1 (155 reviews) | 

### Relational Databases

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Actian Zen** | N/A | N/A |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | 8.8/10 | 1469 |

#### Management 

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Data Schema** | Not enough data | 9.1 (152 reviews) | 
| **Query Language** | Not enough data | 9.2 (157 reviews) | 
| **ACID - Complaint** | Not enough data | 8.8 (141 reviews) | 
| **Data Replication** | Not enough data | 8.8 (141 reviews) | 

#### Support 

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Text Search** | Not enough data | 8.5 (144 reviews) | 
| **Data Types** | Not enough data | 9.0 (150 reviews) | 
| **Languages** | Not enough data | 8.6 (144 reviews) | 
| **Operating Systems** | Not enough data | 8.3 (154 reviews) | 

#### Security

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Database Locking** | Not enough data | 8.8 (149 reviews) | 
| **Access Control** | Not enough data | 9.0 (151 reviews) | 
| **Encryption** | Not enough data | 8.8 (147 reviews) | 
| **Authentication** | Not enough data | 9.0 (149 reviews) | 

#### Performance 

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Disaster Recovery** | Not enough data | 8.7 (149 reviews) | 
| **Data Concurrency** | Not enough data | 8.8 (142 reviews) | 
| **Workload Management** | Not enough data | 8.7 (152 reviews) | 
| **Advanced Indexing** | Not enough data | 8.6 (147 reviews) | 
| **Query Optimizer** | Feature Not Available | 8.8 (150 reviews) | 

#### Database Features

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Storage** | Not enough data | 8.9 (1299 reviews) | 
| **Availability** | Not enough data | 9.0 (1302 reviews) | 
| **Stability** | Not enough data | 8.9 (1314 reviews) | 
| **Scalability** | Not enough data | 8.7 (1281 reviews) | 
| **Security** | Not enough data | 8.8 (1278 reviews) | 
| **Data Manipulation** | Not enough data | 8.8 (1281 reviews) | 
| **Query Language** | Not enough data | 9.1 (1301 reviews) | 

### Big Data Processing and Distribution

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Actian Zen** | N/A | N/A |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | 8.4/10 | 62 |

#### Database

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Real-Time Data Collection** | Not enough data | 8.6 (58 reviews) | 
| **Data Distribution** | Not enough data | 8.8 (57 reviews) | 
| **Data Lake** | Not enough data | 8.4 (54 reviews) | 

#### Integrations

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Hadoop Integration** | Not enough data | 7.8 (45 reviews) | 
| **Spark Integration** | Not enough data | 8.2 (46 reviews) | 

#### Platform

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Machine Scaling** | Not enough data | 8.2 (50 reviews) | 
| **Data Preparation** | Not enough data | 8.5 (54 reviews) | 
| **Spark Integration** | Not enough data | 8.2 (46 reviews) | 

#### Processing

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Cloud Processing** | Not enough data | 8.6 (53 reviews) | 
| **Workload Processing** | Not enough data | 8.5 (56 reviews) | 

### Big Data

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Actian Zen** | N/A | N/A |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | N/A | N/A |

#### Building Reports

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Data Transformation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Modeling** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **WYSIWYG Report Design** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Integration APIs** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Platform

| Feature | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Mobile User Support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customization ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **User, Role, and Access Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Internationalization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Sandbox / Test Environments** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Performance and Reliability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Breadth of Partner Applications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories
**Shared Categories (1):** [Relational Databases](https://www.g2.com/categories/relational-databases)


**Unique to Microsoft SQL Server (3):** [Database Management Systems (DBMS)](https://www.g2.com/categories/database-management-systems-dbms), [Big Data Processing And Distribution Systems](https://www.g2.com/categories/big-data-processing-and-distribution), [On-Premise Data Integration Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/on-premise-data-integration)


---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Actian Zen | Microsoft SQL Server | 
|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 25.0% | 18.2% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 50.0% | 36.5% | 
| **Enterprise** | 25.0% | 45.3% | 

### By Industry

#### Actian Zen

- **Information Technology and Services:** 66.7%
- **Real Estate:** 8.3%
- **Financial Services:** 8.3%
- **Construction:** 8.3%
- **Accounting:** 8.3%

#### Microsoft SQL Server

- **Information Technology and Services:** 24.1%
- **Computer Software:** 13.8%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 5.4%
- **Financial Services:** 4.3%
- **Higher Education:** 2.9%
- **Education Management:** 2.6%
- **Banking:** 2.5%
- **Government Administration:** 2.4%
- **Insurance:** 2.4%
- **Telecommunications:** 2.2%
- **Other:** 37.5%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Actian Zen

- [PostgreSQL](https://www.g2.com/products/postgresql/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (682 reviews)
- [MySQL](https://www.g2.com/products/mysql/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (1680 reviews)
- [Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS)](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-relational-database-service-rds/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (908 reviews)
- [IBM Db2](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-db2/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (682 reviews)
- [Oracle Database](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-database/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (1012 reviews)
- [SAP HANA Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/sap-hana-cloud-2025-10-01/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (620 reviews)
- [Amazon Aurora](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-aurora/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (457 reviews)
- [Teradata Autonomous Knowledge Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/teradata-autonomous-knowledge-platform/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (375 reviews)
- [Google Cloud SQL](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-sql/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (366 reviews)
- [SQLite](https://www.g2.com/products/sqlite/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (261 reviews)

### Alternatives to Microsoft SQL Server

- [Teradata Autonomous Knowledge Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/teradata-autonomous-knowledge-platform/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (375 reviews)
- [SAP HANA Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/sap-hana-cloud-2025-10-01/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (620 reviews)
- [Google Cloud SQL](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-sql/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (366 reviews)
- [Snowflake](https://www.g2.com/products/snowflake/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (756 reviews)
- [MySQL](https://www.g2.com/products/mysql/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (1680 reviews)
- [Oracle Database](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-database/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (1012 reviews)
- [Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS)](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-relational-database-service-rds/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (908 reviews)
- [PostgreSQL](https://www.g2.com/products/postgresql/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (682 reviews)
- [IBM Db2](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-db2/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (682 reviews)
- [Amazon Aurora](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-aurora/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (457 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Actian Zen

No discussions available for this product.

### Microsoft SQL Server

- Title: [How can I work on the same query if the connection is lost (timeout) and then I reconnect?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/15675-how-can-i-work-on-the-same-query-if-the-connection-is-lost-timeout-and-then-i-reconnect) — 4 comments, 2 upvotes
  > **Top comment:** "You can change the timeout for the query:

In the object explorer, right click a server and select properties. 
Go to Remote server connections, look for ..."
- Title: [How could I make much easier the experience with the order of my database?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/13520-how-could-i-make-much-easier-the-experience-with-the-order-of-my-database) — 4 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "If you have SQL knowledge you can generate queries to obtain the specific data you're looking for based on selected criteria."
- Title: [What is the best way to save your queries?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/12127-what-is-the-best-way-to-save-your-queries) — 4 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "I recommend that you use the saved querys in plain text or .sql or txt format you can use the same sql server query creator or a notepad +++ tool, they are..."
- Title: [Is there a free version of Microsoft SQL Server?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-there-a-free-version-of-microsoft-sql-server) — 3 comments
  > **Top comment:** "yes, SQL Server Express offers it as a free edition. It provides service, albeit in a limited framework."
- Title: [how did you import a MySQL database?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-did-you-import-a-mysql-database) — 3 comments, 2 upvotes
  > **Top comment:** "You can use the LinkedServer feature to mySQL database using the provider.
Check here for further..."

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/actian-zen-vs-microsoft-sql-server)