Aqua Data Studio vs IDERA ER/Studio comparison

Aqua Data Studio and IDERA ER/Studio are both solutions in the Database Development and Management category. Aqua Data Studio is ranked #14 with an average rating of 9.0, while IDERA ER/Studio is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.5. Aqua Data Studio holds a 1.9% mindshare in DDM, compared to IDERA ER/Studio’s 2.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Aqua Data Studio users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of IDERA ER/Studio users who would recommend it.

Aqua Data Studio

Read 1 Aqua Data Studio review

596 Views
590 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IDERA ER/Studio

Read 39 IDERA ER/Studio reviews

2,237 Views
805 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Aqua Data Studio

IDERA ER/Studio

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Aqua Data Studio and IDERA ER/Studio based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Nutanix, Quest Software, Oracle and others in Database Development and Management.

To learn more, read our detailed Database Development and Management Report (Updated: January 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

January 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 881,733 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Aqua Data Studio

Ranking in Database Development and Management

14th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IDERA ER/Studio

Ranking in Database Development and Management

8th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Enterprise Architecture Management (7th)

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Database Development and Management category, the mindshare of Aqua Data Studio is 1.9%, down from 2.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IDERA ER/Studio is 2.4%, down from 2.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Database Development and Management Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
IDERA ER/Studio	2.4%
Aqua Data Studio	1.9%
Other	95.7%

Database Development and Management

Featured Reviews

Jaime Caballero

Tech Support Analyst at Cibernética, S.A.

A great tool for managing multiple databases and centralizing them in one place

It's a very generic tool and could be more specific for certain types of DBMS. While it does have some specific tooling, like for Oracle, there are features for certain databases that can't be found because of its general nature. For example, tools tailored to specific databases, like Firebase, might offer features such as cache configuration directly within the tool. Other vendors, like Artisan, provide functionality that's specific to certain configurations. Improving its cloud capabilities could also be beneficial.

Read full review

reviewer2796111

Data Architect at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Improved data modeling has reduced system footprint and strengthened finance workflows

I assess the benefits of IDERA ER_Studio's metadata management for my organization as not as good as Erwin's. Erwin's metadata management is better in how it handles data. There is a lot more user involvement in managing the metadata, primarily because in IDERA ER_Studio, the logical and physical models are separately defined in the same file, so you have to map them every single time. In Erwin, it has a unified structure, so if you make a change in the logical model, it automatically shows up in the physical model. You have to go through a couple of steps in the IDERA model to make sure everything has moved over. While that is not that inconvenient when you are actually doing development, as far as metadata management, that is prone to things getting dropped and missed. The collaboration tools in IDERA ER_Studio are adequate, but I think with Erwin, there is more of an opportunity for things to crash. Changes can be merged in IDERA more fluidly; however, the locking and sharing are a little bit more defined in Erwin. I think the learning curve for Erwin might be easier than IDERA ER_Studio, especially with connecting to different models and systems.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It can be used with many DBMSs and is very practical and user-friendly."

"We found a lot of duplication, a lot of non-conformity in the way our databases were designed. By identifying these situations, we're able to go back in and try to create a more standardized solution."

"It's easy to model and has a user-friendly interface. I like the team portal because, once we upload, the entire team can see the model."

"Valuable features include the ability to visually represent what the database tables are going to look like and their relationships. Also, the ability to document the definitions of the tables and the columns that are in a table so that we can communicate what the data is and how it should be used."

"The most important features are logical and physical models that we can compare and develop. Also, the Data Dictionary can be created out of your studio. Finally, database schemas help understand the logic that's behind the scene, behind the SQL tables. Especially when there are a lot of them, the schemas help everyone understand the business processes."

"I like the fact that it has a scripting language that allows you to automate and write your own scripts."

"When validating the model, the ability to provide sub-models to developers, and generate a physical model from the logical, makes it easier to review a logical model with stakeholders."

"It's much easier to develop the database structure and change it on the fly, rather than doing it manually in SQL Server itself. That saves time."

"One of the valuable features is inheritance when joining tables. When setting up RI and domains and rules, ER/Studio does a lot of the grunt, boilerplate code that would otherwise have to be hand-coded."

More IDERA ER/Studio pros

Cons

"Improving its cloud capabilities could also be beneficial."

"Sometimes our version is a little unstable. But I think this problem occurs because our version is old."

"When building the relationships there should be a little more flexibility."

"I would like to upload, a database with about 3,000 tables. It takes so much time and, finally, it freezes the whole solution so that I actually cannot work with that environment. For the data warehouse, it's fine because I have 20 or 30 tables. It works fine. But, when I reverse-engineer the database with 3,000 tables, it freezes and it's hard to upload and reverse-engineer such environments in ER/Studio."

"It would be helpful if they could create a generic JSON database type, as a target database, rather than a specific one like Mongo."

"The model diagram because very clumsy when you save it on the team server and the models are very big."

"It isn't easy to compare the thousands of tables in the model against the database. The tool should improve the synchronization within the large organization"

"The number of options can be overwhelming at times. That is not necessarily a bad thing but for a newbie, it can be daunting."

"when there are some links to the external databases, if this database is not structured it is not uploaded. It gives me errors and I cannot see the view that was created on this structure and I cannot change those views, even manually. It skips the views. I have to ignore those views. I cannot re-upload them because it gives me an error."

More IDERA ER/Studio cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"The price of this product is okay."

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is bad and ten is good, I would rate the licensing cost as a seven or eight. It's not too expensive for us."

"The product is pricey."

"I feel the product's pricing is a good value."

"Pricing is on point, but do your due diligence - not every developer needs the tool."

"The solution’s pricing is high."

"At my previous company using ER/Studio, a database compare took four hours before using the product and 15 minutes after using the product."

"Pricing is expensive and on the higher-end."

More IDERA ER/Studio pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Database Development and Management solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

881,733 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Energy/Utilities Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	26

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aqua Data Studio?

The price is okay. The license we require is for a couple of users who connect directly. There are ten customers. I rate the product’s pricing a nine out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expen...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Aqua Data Studio?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Aqua Data Studio?

Some use the solution as a day-to-day tool for querying databases to have information.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IDERA ER Studio?

In terms of pricing, ER/Studio is slightly more expensive compared to Erwin, by about five to ten percent.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for IDERA ER Studio?

I work in the finance industry, and the use cases for this product are very similar to what I mentioned previously when I discussed being in industrial management. It is simply a different product.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering IDERA ER Studio?

I have not used IDERA ER_Studio's impact analysis tools, so I really could not judge that regarding mitigating database risks for security. I am not on the end as far as the pricing, as this is wha...

See all answers

Comparisons

Toad for Oracle vs Aqua Data Studio

Compared 17% of the time

IDERA DBArtisan vs Aqua Data Studio

Compared 14% of the time

IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server vs Aqua Data Studio

Compared 13% of the time

IDERA SQL Doctor vs Aqua Data Studio

Compared 13% of the time

DbVisualizer vs Aqua Data Studio

Compared 12% of the time

More Aqua Data Studio Competitors

erwin Data Modeler vs IDERA ER/Studio

Compared 26% of the time

Toad Data Modeler vs IDERA ER/Studio

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle Coherence vs IDERA ER/Studio

Compared 8% of the time

erwin Evolve vs IDERA ER/Studio

Compared 7% of the time

BiZZdesign HoriZZon vs IDERA ER/Studio

Compared 5% of the time

More IDERA ER/Studio Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

January 2026

Download Aqua Data Studio product report

Buyer's Guide

IDERA ER/Studio

January 2026

Download IDERA ER/Studio product report

Also Known As

IDERA Aqua Data Studio, IDERA ADS, AquaFold

IDERA ER Studio, ER/Studio, ER/Studio Enterprise Team Edition

Overview

Aqua Data Studio helps database developers and administrators, and data and business analysts to manage data platforms and data, and visually analyze data. Unlike its competition, it provides a unique combination of a full-featured database IDE and visual analytics, the broadest range of native data sources, versatile import and export, advanced SQL query development and optimization, extensive comparison of databases and data, and powerful team collaboration.

IDERA

IDERA ER/Studio is a powerful suite for business-driven data modeling that enables companies to create an enterprise architecture foundation for data governance. With round-trip support for multiple database platforms, data architects have the power to reverse-engineer, analyze, and optimize existing databases easily from diverse platforms. Data professionals can easily capture and share models, metadata, data sources, and glossaries across the organization for improved alignment between the organization and Information Technology. Organizational stakeholders can take part in the metadata definition workflow and access information on models and metadata at the right level for their needs.

Unlike its competition, it provides the broadest range of data platform support, industry-leading enterprise-level capabilities, visual data lineage and flow modeling, full dimensional modeling for data warehousing and business intelligence, and business data objects to bridge the gap between developers and data architects. It also provides a complete solution for enterprise architecture and data governance, extensive model change management, unique incorporation of true enterprise data dictionaries, unique linking of constructs across models, integrated visual data lineage import, and integrated data and business process modeling.

IDERA

Sample Customers

RBS; HSBC; ADP; American Medical Association; Indoff Incorporated; Origami-Analytics LLC; MP2 Energy; ALI' SuperMercati S.P.A.; HRS Hotel Reservation; Continuum Media Group LLC; Tegsoft; City Chain; Unifar, S.A. de C.V. Farmacias San Pablo; Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.; Moran,Freddy; GHM-ECLATEC; SEGECO; CenturyLink; WebChronic LLC; Duke University; Mississippi College; Haney Truck Lines, Inc.; Blackleaf Solutions, LLC; LivePerson, Inc.; Croatian Post; Exceptional Innovation; XLSure Software; Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.; IIUG; Agero, Inc.; CrossTrackr, Inc.; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Cervello; Dataimagenes SAC; Indoff Incorporated; ARS Altmann AG; Queiroz Galvao Exploracao E Producao; Naver; Troy University; Ara Altstoff Recycling Austria Ag; MODUS; Natixis Global Asset Management; Topdragon; 2opus GmbH; Flanker Consulting, LLC; ANAQUA; Technical Synergy; MDO - Mercury Database Object; Data Futures; Kaiser Permanente; Mophilly; Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium; Duke University; LeanDev SE; Lisa Spa; Hoteli Bernardin d.d.; UNI; Seasons Healthcare Management; Comcast Corporation; Deutsche Bank AG

Newmont Mining, Entrust, Accolade, TalkTalk, Catalina, Protective Life, NTT Data, dir systèmes, Microsoft; American Express, Astellas Pharma, AstraZeneca, Coriant, Fedex, GlaxoSmithKline, PepsiCo, Prudential, Wells Fargo

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

January 2026

Download Free Report

Find out what your peers are saying about Nutanix, Quest Software, Oracle and others in Database Development and Management. Updated: January 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

881,733 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our list of best Database Development and Management vendors.

We monitor all Database Development and Management reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.