--- description: Review of Microsoft SQL Server Software: system overview, features, price and cost information. Get free demos and compare to similar programs on Software Advice New Zealand. image: https://gdm-localsites-assets-gfprod.imgix.net/images/software_advice/og_logo-55146305bbe7b450bea05c18e9be9c9a.png title: Microsoft SQL Server | Reviews, Pricing & Demos - SoftwareAdvice NZ --- Breadcrumb: [Home](/) > [Business Intelligence Tools](/directory/4336/bi/software) > [Microsoft SQL Server](/software/399511/microsoft-sql-server) # Microsoft SQL Server Canonical: https://www.softwareadvice.co.nz/software/399511/microsoft-sql-server Page: 1 / 80\ Next: [Next page](https://www.softwareadvice.co.nz/software/399511/microsoft-sql-server?page=2) > Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence (BI) Edition is a database management and BI software solution designed for companies of all sizes. The system offers relational database management, which allows users to access enterprise data using structured query language. The solution allows users to perform complex analysis on the database. The product also features a BI Semantic model that allows users to extract and analyze data from heterogeneous sources. Microsoft SQL Server features "in-memory analytics," which allows users to perform queries and analytics while the data is in the RAM, thereby improving the speed of access. The software has scalable and corporate reporting features that help management to make decisions that are more informed. Organizations can improve the data quality by using the organizational knowledge and third-party reference data providers to profile, clean and match the data. The IT department can manage data through a BI Semantic Model, which provides a consistent view across multiple data sources. > > Verdict: Rated **4.6/5** by 1977 users. Top-rated for **Likelihood to recommend**. ----- ## Quick Stats & Ratings | Metric | Rating | Detail | | **Overall** | **4.6/5** | 1977 Reviews | | Ease of Use | 4.3/5 | Based on overall reviews | | Customer Support | 4.3/5 | Based on overall reviews | | Value for Money | 4.3/5 | Based on overall reviews | | Features | 4.6/5 | Based on overall reviews | | Recommendation percentage | 90% | (9/10 Likelihood to recommend) | ## About the vendor - **Company**: Microsoft - **Location**: Redmond, US - **Founded**: 1975 ## Commercial Context - **Starting Price**: US$13,748.00 - **Pricing model**: Flat Rate (Free version available) (Free Trial) - **Pricing Details**: SQL Server offers a 180-day free trial for new users, after which the software is available across various pricing tiers Enterprise - $13748 Standard (per core) - $3586 Standard (server) - $899 Standard (CAL) - $209 Developer – Available to users for free Express – Available to users for free Additional cost for subscriptions and add-ons include - SQL Server Enterprise - $5434/year SQL Server Standard - $1418/year Big data node cores - $400/year - **Target Audience**: Self Employed, 2–10, 11–50, 51–200, 201–500, 501–1,000, 1,001–5,000, 5,001–10,000, 10,000+ - **Deployment & Platforms**: Cloud, SaaS, Web-based, Windows (Desktop), Linux (Desktop), Windows (On-Premise), Linux (On-Premise) - **Supported Languages**: English, French - **Available Countries**: France, Italy, United States ## Features - API - Access Controls/Permissions - Ad hoc Query - Ad hoc Reporting - Authentication - Backup and Recovery - Benchmarking - Collaboration Tools - Dashboard - Data Connectors - Data Dictionary Management - Data Extraction - Data Import/Export - Data Mapping - Data Migration - Data Replication - Data Storage Management - Data Synchronisation - Data Transformation - Data Visualisation ## Integrations (5 total) - Microsoft Azure - Microsoft Excel - Microsoft Power BI - Microsoft Visual Studio - MySQL ## Support Options - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat ## Category - [Business Intelligence Tools](https://www.softwareadvice.co.nz/directory/4336/bi/software) ## Related Categories - [Business Intelligence Tools](https://www.softwareadvice.co.nz/directory/4336/bi/software) - [Database Software](https://www.softwareadvice.co.nz/directory/4512/database-management-systems/software) - [Manufacturing BI Software](https://www.softwareadvice.co.nz/directory/3828/manufacturing/software) ## Alternatives 1. 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This is not a question worth replying to. ----- ### ""A Robust and Scalable Database Solution for Enterprise Data Management"" — 5.0/5 > **Verified Reviewer** | *3 February 2026* | Computer Software | Recommendation rating: 9.0/10 > > **Pros**: "Excellent performance with large datasets and highly reliable security features. I particularly like the seamless integration with other Microsoft tools and the robust SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) for database administration." > > **Cons**: "The licensing costs can be quite high for smaller businesses. Additionally, it requires significant system resources to run smoothly compared to some lightweight alternatives." > > "My experience with Microsoft SQL Server has been very positive, especially for building and managing complex data architectures. It is a powerful, enterprise-grade RDBMS that offers high stability, advanced query optimization, and excellent data security features for professional workflows." ----- ### "Worked with Sql Server over the years" — 5.0/5 > **Verified Reviewer** | *30 November 2021* | Retail | Recommendation rating: 10.0/10 > > **Pros**: The list of functions that makes easy to show the data is one of the features that makes me stay with SQL Server, Reporting Services and Analysis Services are a great value to the bundle that works great with other microsoft products. > > **Cons**: The lack of features in lesser types of licences ----- ### "Reliable over time" — 5.0/5 > **Daniel** | *23 April 2026* | Health, Wellness & Fitness | Recommendation rating: 8.0/10 > > **Pros**: We use Microsoft SQL Server (via Azure) for our database operations. It's excellent and reliable. My favorite flow is using migrations to do database updates. I've also really gotten used to the syntax compared to postgres. > > **Cons**: I don't like how difficult it can be to update certain roles for specific ip addresses. Feels like the tools could be a little more helpful. > > Overall, I really like Microsoft SQL Server because it's grown on me over the years of using it. Our company has learned to rely on it. ----- ### "Not the cheapest option but powerful" — 4.0/5 > **Verified Reviewer** | *20 August 2025* | Mechanical or Industrial Engineering | Recommendation rating: 10.0/10 > > **Pros**: What I like most about SQL Server is how reliable and stable it is. It handles large amounts of data without breaking a sweat, and features like stored procedures, indexing, and reporting make life a lot easier. The integration with other Microsoft tools (like Power BI and Azure) is also a big plus. > > **Cons**: The pricing can be steep, especially for enterprise editions, and licensing feels complicated. It can also be resource-hungry, so you need good hardware to get the most out of it. ----- Page: 1 / 80\ Next: [Next page](https://www.softwareadvice.co.nz/software/399511/microsoft-sql-server?page=2) ## Links - [View on SoftwareAdvice](https://www.softwareadvice.co.nz/software/399511/microsoft-sql-server) ## This page is available in the following languages | Locale | URL | | de | | | en | | | en-AU | | | en-GB | | | en-IE | | | en-NZ | | | fr | | ----- ## Structured Data