# InterSystems IRIS, Microsoft SQL Server vs IBM Db2 Comparison

| | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.6 out of 5 | 4.4 out of 5 | 4.1 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 68 | 2,283 | 682 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (50.0% of reviews) | Enterprise (45.3% of reviews) | Enterprise (66.0% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | No pricing available | No pricing available | Free Trial 1 License | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### InterSystems IRIS

Pros:
- Features (9 reviews)
- Ease of Use (8 reviews)

Cons:
- Difficult Learning (6 reviews)
- Expensive (5 reviews)

### Microsoft SQL Server

Pros:
- Ease of Use (29 reviews)
- Database Management (24 reviews)

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

### IBM Db2

Pros:
- Performance (6 reviews)
- Reliability (6 reviews)

Cons:
- Feature Limitations (3 reviews)
- Complexity (2 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 9.0 (47 reviews) | 9.0 (1871 reviews) | 8.5 (488 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 8.0 (47 reviews) | 8.6 (1889 reviews) | 8.0 (497 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.0 (27 reviews) | 8.1 (1012 reviews) | 7.7 (263 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 7.9 (19 reviews) | 8.3 (953 reviews) | 7.7 (242 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.7 (47 reviews) | 8.3 (1665 reviews) | 8.1 (461 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.8 (17 reviews) | 8.4 (902 reviews) | 8.3 (234 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 8.9 (43 reviews) | 8.4 (1840 reviews) | 6.8 (456 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### InterSystems IRIS

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

Yes

### Microsoft SQL Server

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

### IBM Db2

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: Db2 On Cloud - Lite 

Price: Free Trial 1 License

Description: A completely free edition of DB2 on Cloud.

Key Features:
- Enjoy high performance and elastic scaling with Db2’s fully managed database and warehouse solutions in the cloud. Try for free.

[Browse all 6 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-db2/pricing)

#### Free Trial

Yes

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Data Fabric

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | N/A | N/A |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | N/A | N/A |
| **IBM Db2** | N/A | N/A |

#### Data Management

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Discovery** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multi - Platform** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Metadata** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Analytics

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Security

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Compliance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Governance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Protection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI Text Generation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **AI Text Summarization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Agentic AI - Data Fabric

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-step Planning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Data Warehouse

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | N/A | N/A |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | N/A | N/A |
| **IBM Db2** | 8.2/10 | 63 |

#### Data Management

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.6 (52 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Data Compression** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (48 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Data Quality** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.6 (49 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Built-In Data Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (48 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **In-Database Machine Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.5 (34 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Data Lake Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.6 (34 reviews) ✓ Verified | 

#### Integration

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI/ ML Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.8 (43 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **BI Tool Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (45 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Data lake Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (42 reviews) ✓ Verified | 

#### Deployment

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **On-Premise** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.4 (50 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Cloud** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.8 (41 reviews) ✓ Verified | 

#### Performance 

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Scalability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.6 (51 reviews) ✓ Verified | 

#### Security

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Governance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.7 (46 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Data Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (35 reviews) ✓ Verified | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI Text Generation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (8 reviews) | 
| **AI Text Summarization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (8 reviews) | 

### Database Management Systems (DBMS)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | 9.0/10 | 16 |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | 9.0/10 | 176 |
| **IBM Db2** | N/A | N/A |

#### Management

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data dictionary** | 8.8 (14 reviews) | 8.9 (155 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Data Replication** | 9.2 (13 reviews) | 8.8 (153 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Query Language** | 9.0 (14 reviews) | 9.2 (161 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Data Modeling** | 8.7 (13 reviews) | 8.9 (155 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Performance Analysis** | 9.2 (13 reviews) | 8.9 (160 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Maintenance

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Migration** | 9.2 (13 reviews) | 8.9 (158 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Backup and Recovery** | 9.3 (12 reviews) | 9.0 (163 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-User Environment** | 8.7 (13 reviews) | 9.1 (155 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Security

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Encryption** | 8.8 (12 reviews) | 8.9 (153 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **User Access Control** | 9.2 (14 reviews) | 9.1 (155 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Relational Databases

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | 9.2/10 | 43 |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | 8.8/10 | 1468 |
| **IBM Db2** | 8.5/10 | 370 |

#### Management 

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Schema** | 9.4 (18 reviews) | 9.1 (152 reviews) | 8.6 (60 reviews) | 
| **Query Language** | 8.9 (17 reviews) | 9.2 (156 reviews) | 8.4 (62 reviews) | 
| **ACID - Complaint** | 9.2 (14 reviews) | 8.8 (141 reviews) | 8.2 (52 reviews) | 
| **Data Replication** | 9.6 (17 reviews) | 8.8 (141 reviews) | 8.5 (55 reviews) | 

#### Support 

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Text Search** | 8.7 (18 reviews) | 8.5 (144 reviews) | 8.0 (57 reviews) | 
| **Data Types** | 8.5 (20 reviews) | 9.0 (150 reviews) | 8.4 (60 reviews) | 
| **Languages** | 8.6 (19 reviews) | 8.6 (144 reviews) | 7.9 (60 reviews) | 
| **Operating Systems** | 9.4 (18 reviews) | 8.3 (154 reviews) | 8.4 (61 reviews) | 

#### Security

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Database Locking** | 9.3 (15 reviews) | 8.8 (149 reviews) | 8.5 (60 reviews) | 
| **Access Control** | 9.5 (18 reviews) | 9.0 (151 reviews) | 8.8 (60 reviews) | 
| **Encryption** | 9.5 (18 reviews) | 8.8 (147 reviews) | 8.4 (58 reviews) | 
| **Authentication** | 9.1 (18 reviews) | 9.0 (149 reviews) | 8.4 (56 reviews) | 

#### Performance 

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Disaster Recovery** | 8.9 (17 reviews) | 8.7 (149 reviews) | 8.6 (62 reviews) | 
| **Data Concurrency** | 9.2 (16 reviews) | 8.8 (142 reviews) | 8.6 (58 reviews) | 
| **Workload Management** | 9.1 (17 reviews) | 8.7 (152 reviews) | 8.5 (56 reviews) | 
| **Advanced Indexing** | 9.6 (16 reviews) | 8.6 (147 reviews) | 8.4 (57 reviews) | 
| **Query Optimizer** | 9.4 (16 reviews) | 8.8 (150 reviews) | 8.4 (57 reviews) | 

#### Database Features

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Storage** | 9.2 (32 reviews) | 8.9 (1298 reviews) | 8.7 (306 reviews) | 
| **Availability** | 9.2 (32 reviews) | 9.0 (1302 reviews) | 8.8 (309 reviews) | 
| **Stability** | 9.3 (33 reviews) | 8.9 (1313 reviews) | 8.8 (309 reviews) | 
| **Scalability** | 9.1 (33 reviews) | 8.7 (1280 reviews) | 8.4 (304 reviews) | 
| **Security** | 9.1 (33 reviews) | 8.8 (1278 reviews) | 8.8 (302 reviews) | 
| **Data Manipulation** | 8.9 (31 reviews) | 8.8 (1280 reviews) | 8.4 (303 reviews) | 
| **Query Language** | 9.0 (31 reviews) | 9.1 (1300 reviews) | 8.4 (308 reviews) | 

### Key Value Databases

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | 9.2/10 | 8 |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | N/A | N/A |
| **IBM Db2** | N/A | N/A |

#### Data Management

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Model** | 9.3 (7 reviews) ✓ Verified | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Types** | 8.8 (7 reviews) ✓ Verified | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Availability

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Auto Sharding** | 8.9 (6 reviews) ✓ Verified | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Auto Recovery** | 9.2 (6 reviews) ✓ Verified | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Replication** | 9.0 (7 reviews) ✓ Verified | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Performance 

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Integrated Cache** | 9.3 (7 reviews) ✓ Verified | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Security

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Role-Based Authorization** | 9.2 (6 reviews) ✓ Verified | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Authentication** | 8.3 (7 reviews) ✓ Verified | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Audit Logs** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Encryption** | 9.2 (6 reviews) ✓ Verified | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Support

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Multi-Model** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Operating Systems** | 9.3 (7 reviews) ✓ Verified | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Document Databases

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | 9.1/10 | 8 |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | N/A | N/A |
| **IBM Db2** | N/A | N/A |

#### Data Management

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Model** | 9.5 (7 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Types** | 9.0 (7 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Built - In Search** | 8.3 (7 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Event Triggers** | 8.9 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Availability

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Auto Sharding** | 9.3 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Auto Recovery** | 9.0 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Replication** | 9.4 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Performance

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Query Optimization** | 9.7 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Security

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Role-Based Authorization** | 9.2 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Authentication** | 9.4 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Audit Logs** | 9.7 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Encryption** | 8.6 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Support

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Multi-Model** | 9.0 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Operating Systems** | 9.0 (7 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **BI Connectors** | 8.6 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Data Warehouse Automation

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | N/A | N/A |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | N/A | N/A |
| **IBM Db2** | 8.0/10 | 11 |

#### Automation

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Workflow Automation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (9 reviews) | 
| **Multi-platform support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (9 reviews) | 
| **Data Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (9 reviews) | 
| **Data Simplicity** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.5 (9 reviews) | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Documentation management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.4 (9 reviews) | 
| **Platform support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (9 reviews) | 
| **Template functionality** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.0 (9 reviews) | 

#### Administration

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Error Alerts** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (8 reviews) | 
| **Service Automation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.7 (8 reviews) | 
| **Workflow management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.7 (8 reviews) | 

#### Agentic AI - Data Warehouse Automation

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Database as a Service (DBaaS)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | N/A | N/A |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | N/A | N/A |
| **IBM Db2** | 8.7/10 | 78 |

#### Configuration

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Application Performance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.5 (65 reviews) | 
| **Orchestration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (60 reviews) | 
| **Database Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.5 (66 reviews) | 
| **Anomaly Detection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (61 reviews) | 
| **Network Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.6 (62 reviews) | 

#### Database Administration

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Provisioning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.6 (60 reviews) | 
| **Governance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (60 reviews) | 
| **Auditing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (59 reviews) | 

#### Availability

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Scalability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.9 (63 reviews) | 
| **Backup** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (62 reviews) | 
| **Archiving** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (63 reviews) | 
| **Indexing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.9 (63 reviews) | 

#### Security

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Masking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.4 (41 reviews) | 
| **Authentication And Single Sign-On** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (42 reviews) | 
| **Data Anonymization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (41 reviews) | 

#### Data Management

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Replication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.7 (45 reviews) | 
| **Advanced Data Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.6 (44 reviews) | 

### Big Data Processing and Distribution

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | N/A | N/A |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | 8.4/10 | 62 |
| **IBM Db2** | N/A | N/A |

#### Database

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Real-Time Data Collection** | Not enough data | 8.6 (58 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Data Distribution** | Not enough data | 8.8 (57 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Data Lake** | Not enough data | 8.4 (54 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Integrations

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Hadoop Integration** | Not enough data | 7.8 (45 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Spark Integration** | Not enough data | 8.2 (46 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Platform

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Machine Scaling** | Not enough data | 8.2 (50 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Data Preparation** | Not enough data | 8.5 (54 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Spark Integration** | Not enough data | 8.2 (46 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Processing

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Cloud Processing** | Not enough data | 8.6 (53 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Workload Processing** | Not enough data | 8.5 (56 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Big Data

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | N/A | N/A |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | N/A | N/A |
| **IBM Db2** | N/A | N/A |

#### Building Reports

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Transformation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Modeling** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **WYSIWYG Report Design** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Integration APIs** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Platform

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Mobile User Support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customization ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **User, Role, and Access Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Internationalization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Sandbox / Test Environments** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Performance and Reliability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Breadth of Partner Applications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### NoSQL Databases

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **InterSystems IRIS** | 9.0/10 | 42 |
| **Microsoft SQL Server** | N/A | N/A |
| **IBM Db2** | 8.7/10 | 366 |

#### Database Features

| Feature | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Storage** | 9.2 (32 reviews) | 8.9 (1298 reviews) | 8.7 (306 reviews) | 
| **Availability** | 9.2 (32 reviews) | 9.0 (1302 reviews) | 8.8 (309 reviews) | 
| **Stability** | 9.3 (33 reviews) | 8.9 (1313 reviews) | 8.8 (309 reviews) | 
| **Scalability** | 9.1 (33 reviews) | 8.7 (1280 reviews) | 8.4 (304 reviews) | 
| **Security** | 9.1 (33 reviews) | 8.8 (1278 reviews) | 8.8 (302 reviews) | 
| **Data Manipulation** | 8.9 (31 reviews) | 8.8 (1280 reviews) | 8.4 (303 reviews) | 
| **Query Language** | 9.0 (31 reviews) | 9.1 (1300 reviews) | 8.4 (308 reviews) | 

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

**Unique to InterSystems IRIS (6):** [XML Databases](https://www.g2.com/categories/xml-databases), [Key Value Databases](https://www.g2.com/categories/key-value-databases), [Document Databases](https://www.g2.com/categories/document-databases), [Object-Oriented Databases](https://www.g2.com/categories/object-oriented-databases), [Database Management Systems (DBMS)](https://www.g2.com/categories/database-management-systems-dbms), [Data Fabric Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/data-fabric)

**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)

**Unique to IBM Db2 (5):** [Data Warehouse Solutions](https://www.g2.com/categories/data-warehouse), [Object-Oriented Databases](https://www.g2.com/categories/object-oriented-databases), [XML Databases](https://www.g2.com/categories/xml-databases), [Database as a Service (DBaaS) Providers](https://www.g2.com/categories/database-as-a-service-dbaas), [Data Warehouse Automation Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/data-warehouse-automation)


---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | InterSystems IRIS | Microsoft SQL Server | IBM Db2 | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 50.0% | 18.2% | 13.6% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 30.4% | 36.5% | 20.4% | 
| **Enterprise** | 19.6% | 45.3% | 66.0% | 

### By Industry

#### InterSystems IRIS

- **Computer Software:** 28.6%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 23.2%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 17.9%
- **Health, Wellness and Fitness:** 8.9%
- **Information Services:** 7.1%
- **Program Development:** 3.6%
- **Automotive:** 3.6%
- **Legal Services:** 1.8%
- **Fund-Raising:** 1.8%
- **Facilities Services:** 1.8%
- **Other:** 1.8%

#### Microsoft SQL Server

- **Information Technology and Services:** 24.1%
- **Computer Software:** 13.7%
- **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%

#### IBM Db2

- **Information Technology and Services:** 21.6%
- **Banking:** 11.7%
- **Computer Software:** 10.1%
- **Financial Services:** 7.2%
- **Insurance:** 5.9%
- **Retail:** 4.7%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 3.7%
- **Government Administration:** 3.5%
- **Automotive:** 2.2%
- **Transportation/Trucking/Railroad:** 1.8%
- **Other:** 27.6%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to InterSystems IRIS

- [PostgreSQL](https://www.g2.com/products/postgresql/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (682 reviews)
- [Oracle Database](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-database/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (1010 reviews)
- [SAP HANA Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/sap-hana-cloud-2025-10-01/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (621 reviews)
- [MongoDB](https://www.g2.com/products/mongodb/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (558 reviews)
- [Amazon DynamoDB](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-web-services-aws-amazon-dynamodb/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (530 reviews)
- [MySQL](https://www.g2.com/products/mysql/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (1676 reviews)
- [MongoDB Atlas](https://www.g2.com/products/mongodb-atlas/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (371 reviews)
- [Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS)](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-relational-database-service-rds/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (908 reviews)
- [Amazon Aurora](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-aurora/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (457 reviews)
- [Snowflake](https://www.g2.com/products/snowflake/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (755 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 (621 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 (755 reviews)
- [MySQL](https://www.g2.com/products/mysql/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (1676 reviews)
- [Oracle Database](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-database/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (1010 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)
- [Amazon Aurora](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-aurora/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (457 reviews)
- [Google Cloud BigQuery](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-bigquery/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1226 reviews)

### Alternatives to IBM Db2

- [Oracle Database](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-database/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (1010 reviews)
- [Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS)](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-relational-database-service-rds/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (908 reviews)
- [SAP HANA Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/sap-hana-cloud-2025-10-01/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (621 reviews)
- [Teradata Autonomous Knowledge Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/teradata-autonomous-knowledge-platform/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (375 reviews)
- [MySQL](https://www.g2.com/products/mysql/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (1676 reviews)
- [Google Cloud BigQuery](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-bigquery/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1226 reviews)
- [Snowflake](https://www.g2.com/products/snowflake/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (755 reviews)
- [PostgreSQL](https://www.g2.com/products/postgresql/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (682 reviews)
- [Amazon Redshift](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-redshift/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (402 reviews)
- [Amazon Aurora](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-aurora/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (457 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### InterSystems IRIS

- Title: [What is InterSystems IRIS used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-intersystems-iris-used-for) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "it's based on a great database, but today it`s a data plataform, were you can use as a middleware to your application, or use it as a database to your..."

### 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..."

### IBM Db2

- Title: [Where can I find answers to other questions I may have?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/faqs-6eb88878-1fbd-4fb6-aea7-4134624eebc7) — 2 comments, 1 upvote *(includes official response)*
  > **Top comment:** "Please visit: https://developer.ibm.com/answers/questions/436870/common-questions-about-the-db2-on-cloud-free-plan/"
- Title: [What is IBM Db2 used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-ibm-db2-used-for) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "It is a name of the database which is used in IBM I system."
- Title: [What does Ibm Dashdb do?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-does-ibm-dashdb-do) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "IBM dashDB is a fully managed in-memory cloud data warehousing service for developers, database administrators, business analysts, data scientists and more."
- Title: [What is IBM doing to facilitate connections with Db2 and cloud platforms of their own?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-ibm-doing-to-facilitate-connections-with-db2-and-cloud-platforms-of-their-own) — 1 comment, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "IBM is changing the SQL model internal to the DB2 platform, allowing all databases that utilize query tools like Python, SQL, etc. to utilize ALL commands..."
- Title: [Which tool do you use for deep monitoring of IBM DB2 databases (instances) ?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/which-tool-do-you-use-for-deep-monitoring-of-ibm-db2-databases-instances) — 1 comment, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Maxim, we have a dedicated management console that comes free with Db2. It was called Data Server Manager in the past, now we call it the Unified Management..."

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/intersystems-iris-vs-microsoft-sql-server-vs-ibm-db2)