what i like best about Microsoft SQL server is how simple it is to use and set up. Even if you are not a database expert, the interface feels friendly and easy to understand. Installing and implementing it doesn't take forever, and once it is running, it works smoothly without much hassle. there are lot of features that help with managing data, and I use it almost every day because it is so reliable. whenever i have needed help, the customer support has been always helpful and quick which makes the experience even better. overall, it is a solid tool that does what you need without making things complicated. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The main thing I don't like about Microsoft SQL server is that it can feel heavy and resource-hungry, especially on smaller systems. Sometimes the licensing costs are high, which makes it hard for small businesses. A few advanced features can be tricky to learn if you are new, and upgrades or migrations take time and planning. It's a great tool overall, but it's not the budget friendly or lightweight option out there. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Microsoft SQL Server is one of the easiest databases to setup and use, especially if you are developing a .NET application using C# or VB. the visual editor available in Visual Studio makes it much easier to build relational databases. Configuring various constraints like Primary keys, Foreign keys, and mappings is quite straightforward.

With respect to coding, integrating SQL Server data objects with C# is simple with the help of ADO.NET.

Overall, a great product from Microsoft. I have used both the server version as well as the compact editions. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

You might have to struggle a bit to integrate Microsoft SQL server

setup if you plan to use it with languages like PHP and Python. However, if you install the right driver, then it shouldn't be much of an issue.

The pricing is a bit on the higher side, especially for the Enterprise Edition. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

It is all in one data platform for structured data, easy data mapping when used in outsystems and other technologies, secured and encryption is good, now it also supports vector database... Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

T-sql is complex and many a time fails in integrations or isnt supported... Pricing to use high end features Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

It stand out for its reliability, performance, and strong integration with the MS ecosystem. What I appreciate most is the maturity of the platform: it provides robust tools lik SQL Server Management Studio that simplify administration, performance and troubleshooting Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

In my opinion the main downside is the licensing cost, which can become significant as you scale, especially for enterprise features like HA and advanced analytics. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Balance of performance, reliability, and ease of management. The integration of tool and features such as Query Store, execution plans, and indexing options make it easier to optimize and troubleshoot complex queries. it’s easy to use SQL Server frequently in day-to-day operations, Its consistency and predictability make it an excellent choice for both development and production environments. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Certain advanced tuning operations can become cumbersome — especially when working with large datasets or deeply nested queries. Customer support, while responsive, can be inconsistent in terms of technical depth Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

It’s enterprise-grade stable with deep Microsoft integration and powerful T-SQL, so you get reliability, great tooling, and fast development in one stack. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Lower licensing cost, full feature parity on Linux, and better native JSON + dev tools for modern workflows. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

SSMS is a tool where we can monitor insights from the SQL Server instance and review execution plans. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Not on par with competitive AI tools; Co-Pilot still needs improvement. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I like most about Microsoft SQL Server is its combination of power, reliability, and ease of use. It’s a robust relational database system that handles both small and massive datasets efficiently, making it suitable for everything from single applications to large enterprise solutions. I appreciate its tight integration with the Microsoft ecosystem, including Azure, Power BI, and .NET, which makes reporting, analytics, and application development seamless. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One of the main drawbacks of Microsoft SQL Server is its cost, as licensing can be expensive, especially for enterprise editions or large-scale deployments. It can also be resource-intensive, requiring substantial memory and CPU for optimal performance. While it now supports Linux, it has historically been Windows-centric, which can limit flexibility in some environments. Advanced features like Always On, replication, or partitioning are powerful but often complex to configure and maintain. Additionally, the different editions with varying feature sets can be confusing, and Microsoft’s licensing rules can sometimes be tricky to navigate, particularly in cloud or hybrid setups. Overall, SQL Server is powerful but can be costly, resource-heavy, and complex for advanced use cases. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Performance and control in large volumes of data, seamless integration with .NET / C#.

I like SQL Server because it is solid, predictable, integrates perfectly with .NET, and gives me total control when working with large data and critical processes. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Be heavy on RAM and CPU, expensive licenses in production Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Strong security protection.

The embedded objects for automatic data management like triggers, task etc. Flexible sql scripts and SPs are great tools to extend the function. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

It didn’t provide smart coding, need to copy/paste from schema, table name to fields. And a bit slow when query large data. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.