Microsoft Access Pricing Overview

Recent updates have made Access friendlier for hybrid setups. The improved Linked Table Manager is a standout because it lets us filter, relink, and repair multiple ODBC links in one pass, which cuts downtime when connection strings or server names change. The Dataverse connector has been useful for teams dabbling in Power Platform. Being able to publish tables to Dataverse or link to them lets us prototype forms and reports in Access while exposing the same data to Power Apps and Power Automate.

Modern charts are a nice upgrade over the legacy graph objects. The cleaner visuals and easier formatting make quick dashboards inside a front end feel less dated. Support for the Large Number type and better handling of SQL Server data types like DateTime2 reduce the odd conversion issues we used to see when mixing Access with backend SQL. Small quality-of-life tweaks help too, like property sheet search, tabbed document interface improvements, and dark theme options that keep long sessions comfortable. Overall, these changes make Access a more credible front end for small line-of-business apps that still need to talk to cloud services and SQL backends. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Access would benefit from stronger multi-user concurrency on shared backends. Front ends still lock up or throw record conflicts under moderate load, especially over VPNs or high latency links. A more resilient caching layer and clearer conflict resolution would help.

Version control remains clunky. Storing forms, reports, and macros as text for Git is possible but awkward. Native export and import to a text-friendly format, plus a diff viewer for objects, would make team development far easier.

Deployment is fragile. Packaging and updating compiled ACCDE front ends across desktops needs a first-class updater with checksum validation and rollback, not just custom scripts. Broken references after Office updates are still too common.

Modernization of the UI stack would help adoption. More responsive form controls, better HiDPI handling, and consistent dark theme support in designers would make apps look current without heavy custom code.

VBA is powerful but isolated. Tighter integration with Power Platform, modern authentication libraries, and official support for async HTTP calls would reduce custom wrappers and improve reliability for API work.

Connectivity is uneven. ODBC linking to cloud databases and Dataverse works, yet type mappings and pagination quirks cause surprises. Better drivers, clearer guidance on data types like DateTime2 and decimal precision, and more stable long-running connections would reduce maintenance.

Security and governance could be simpler. Easier ways to apply Sensitivity labels to linked data, a template for least privilege patterns, and audit-friendly logs for data changes originating in Access would help regulated teams. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.