Exasol Data Warehouse vs SQL Server comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Exasol and Microsoft are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. Exasol is ranked #36, while Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.3. Exasol holds a 1.4% mindshare in SQL, compared to Microsoft’s 10.2% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Exasol users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Exasol Data Warehouse

Read 8 Exasol Data Warehouse reviews

2,105 Views
1,895 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

SQL Server

Read 276 SQL Server reviews

25,531 Views
22,978 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

Exasol Data Warehouse

SQL Server

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

SQL Server and Exasol Data Warehouse are in the database management category, with SQL Server generally viewed as having a pricing advantage while Exasol is considered superior due to advanced features that justify its cost.

Features: SQL Server offers deep integration with Microsoft's ecosystem, robust security, and comprehensive data management. Exasol offers high-performance analytics, scalability, and user-friendly interfaces for complex environments.

Room for Improvement: SQL Server could benefit from enhancing high-speed analytics capabilities, reducing licensing costs, and improving real-time data processing. Exasol could improve by offering more cost-effective scaling options, expanding support for third-party integrations, and enhancing user training resources.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SQL Server integrates seamlessly into Windows-based systems and offers extensive support. Exasol is known for its quick setup and highly effective customer service, differentiating with its fast deployment for rapid insights.

Pricing and ROI: SQL Server offers a lower initial setup cost and strong ROI through integration. Exasol, while more expensive initially, provides significant returns with exceptional performance and scalability, particularly in environments requiring high-speed queries and large-scale data processing.

To learn more, read our detailed Exasol Data Warehouse vs. SQL Server Report (Updated: November 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Exasol Data Warehouse vs. SQL Server

November 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 920,574 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

Exasol Data Warehouse

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

36th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SQL Server

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

276

Ranking in other categories

Database Management Systems (DBMS) (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of Exasol Data Warehouse is 1.4%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SQL Server is 10.2%, down from 14.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Relational Databases Tools Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
SQL Server	10.2%
Exasol Data Warehouse	1.4%
Other	88.4%

Relational Databases Tools

Featured Reviews

Shubham-Agarwal

Manager - Projects at Cognizant

Fast query processing and easy-to-store all the data

There are very few companies that are using Exasol, but the majority of companies are using SQL Server, Cloud or IBM Db2 Database, or any other databases. Therefore, the resources are limited, which is my only concern. So if I face any issues, limited resources are available to help me resolve the issue with Exasol. From that perspective, it can be a bit of a struggle for me to find a solution. In the next release, I would like to see better compatibility issues. Currently, Exasol has limited compatibility with other software like Python and R. For example, If I talk about SQL Server, we can connect it to big data or Python, which is also compatible with different servers.

Read full review

Shakti Gupta

SQL server database administrator at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

Hybrid data platform has strengthened performance, security, and incident response for production

SQL Server is very mature, but I see areas for improvement, especially in performance tuning, troubleshooting, and automation. Although tools such as Query Store and dynamic management views are powerful, some troubleshooting tasks still require senior SQL Server database administrator expertise. It would be valuable to have more intelligent, built-in recommendations for root cause analysis, indexing, blocking, and query optimization. I would also like to see simplified and consistent management across on-premises SQL Server and Azure SQL services, as managing hybrid environments sometimes requires different tools and approaches. Finally, improved patching, updates, monitoring, and cost and license transparency could make SQL Server easier to manage at the enterprise scale. One area I would improve in SQL Server is its documentation and troubleshooting guidance. SQL Server documentation is comprehensive, but for complex production issues, I would like to see more real-world troubleshooting examples, especially for scenarios such as Always On synchronization issues, blocking and deadlocks, performance degradation, and upgrade features.

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

"The solution is hands-off; you set it up insert your data and it self tunes queries."

"Performance is a top priority, and it excels in this aspect."

"This solution is extremely fast and very stable; you set it up and put your data on it and as long as it's structured, it self-tunes queries and doesn't require a database administrator."

"The most valuable feature of Exasol is its speed."

"We mainly chose Exasol for its performance reasons."

"It is easy to scale."

"Its speed is great."

"We can quickly scale the solution as it works on an MPP system."

More Exasol Data Warehouse pros

"We used SQL Server to store all of our lab data on the database, with a front-end application that needed SQL in the background for archiving all the laboratory data."

"We have many users, between 50 and 100 using the SQL Server product."

"The solution is easy to set up."

"The solution is stable."

"I would recommend SQL Server for its stability, scalability, and ease of use."

"One of the most valuable features of SQL Server is that it's easy to use."

"The solution has the capability to scale."

"Easy to implement and user-friendly relational database management system. This product is stable and scalable."

More SQL Server pros

Cons

"They should improve the security features for MPP processing."

"The only area where we found it could improve was in custom role creation and security, and it was difficult to work with."

"Lacks a cloud-based platform."

"The price is quite expensive relative to other similar solutions, it could be more accessible in that sense."

"It's not cloud-native so many maintenance operations require downtime."

"There are limited resources available to help me resolve the issue with Exasol."

"It would be beneficial if the updates would occur more often."

"They don't talk very well to with other products when it comes to connectivity. Integration is lacking."

More Exasol Data Warehouse cons

"If you have a lot of data and you want to perform computations on it, you will have problems and the performance will be degraded."

"The price could be better: Compare to Oracle it is cheaper but with the existence of many open source databases currently in the market, consider reducing the Licensing cost."

"The installation process should be simplified."

"While we have many options in Enterprise, it's expensive for most companies."

"The remote access aspect needs to be improved in terms of security."

"The stability of the solution should be improved in the next release. Sometimes it is great, sometimes it is troublesome. I would also like data conversion and the code pages to be a bit more straightforward."

"Debugging from the debugger tool functionality should be enhanced."

"The time series database could be improved."

More SQL Server cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution's cost is mid-ranged."

"We pay approximately $12,000 USD per month for both the server and the license."

"For a brief period, approximately one year before 2018, I had experience working with the open-source version of SQL Server. During that time, I found SQL Server to be the preferred choice, in my opinion."

"It comes with the bundle package that we have. We have Microsoft Volume Licensing, so we don't have to pay for it separately. It is a part of the package."

"We did a one-time payment. Its price, in general, can be reduced."

"Our customers do pay license fees for the MS SQL Server but the Rabbit is free, as it is open-source software."

"It requires the purchase of a license."

"SQL Server is a cost-effective solution for a small database."

"The licenses are purchased annually."

More SQL Server pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Outsourcing Company

14%

Construction Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

34%

Outsourcing Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	1
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	119
Midsize Enterprise	60
Large Enterprise	122

Questions from the Community

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Would you say the price of SQL Server is high compared to that of similar products?

SQL Server is fairly priced because it has various editions, depending on the number of users, servers, or core packs you are using. If you compare the product to others in this category, the price...

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Has using SQL Server helped your organization in any way?

SQL Server has helped my organization through partitioning to distribute the workload, as it splits them up into smaller pieces so the machines can easily deal with it. However, this comes with a h...

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Which authentication mode is best for SQL Server?

My company connects through SQL Server authentication. We have company Windows accounts, but we do not want to connect the two, out of security concerns and to keep things separated for our own pur...

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Comparisons

Teradata vs Exasol Data Warehouse

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle Database vs Exasol Data Warehouse

Compared 6% of the time

IBM Db2 Database vs Exasol Data Warehouse

Compared 6% of the time

OpenText Analytics Database (Vertica) vs Exasol Data Warehouse

Compared 5% of the time

Oracle Database Cloud Service vs Exasol Data Warehouse

Compared 5% of the time

More Exasol Data Warehouse Competitors

IBM Db2 Database vs SQL Server

Compared 27% of the time

Oracle Database vs SQL Server

Compared 7% of the time

SAP HANA vs SQL Server

Compared 5% of the time

MySQL vs SQL Server

Compared 5% of the time

Teradata vs SQL Server

Compared 5% of the time

More SQL Server Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Exasol Data Warehouse

October 2026

Download Exasol Data Warehouse product report

Buyer's Guide

SQL Server

October 2026

Download SQL Server product report

Also Known As

No data available

Microsoft SQL Server, MSSQL, MS SQL

Overview

Exasol Data Warehouse is renowned for its exceptional speed and automatic optimization, making it user-friendly. It enhances data processing on platforms such as Tableau, ensuring efficient dashboards for users across countries.

Exasol Data Warehouse offers an impressive performance by outperforming competitors like SQL Server and Oracle. Its automatic optimization and hands-off setup simplify deployment, while robust SQL support and self-tuning capabilities improve workflows. Users benefit from its high processing speed, supporting efficient data queries and broader workflows, alongside an intuitive interface and comprehensive documentation. Despite its performance strengths, it struggles with global recognition, connectivity, and integration. Challenges include custom role creation and security, with limited row-level security support. Users seek more frequent updates and better compatibility with languages such as Python and R. It requires specific drivers, is not cloud-native, and has a high cost. With limited resources available, security features for MPP processing need enhancement.

What are the key features of Exasol?

Impressive Speed: Outperforms counterparts in data processing, enhancing efficiency.
Automatic Optimization: Boosts performance and ease of use.
Robust SQL Support: Facilitates seamless data handling and queries.
Self-Tuning Capabilities: Reduces manual intervention for users.
Intuitive Interface: Enhances user engagement and accessibility.

What benefits should users look for in Exasol?

Enhanced Performance: Streamlines and accelerates BI functions.
Improved Dashboard Efficiency: Increases effectiveness on platforms like Tableau.
Ease of Use: Simplifies set-up with hands-off setup and self-tuning.
Broad Integration: Acts as backend for tools like MicroStrategy.
Central Data Repository: Supports critical data management across regions.

Exasol Data Warehouse is implemented to enhance performance in reporting systems and development processes, serving teams in Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil. It acts as a backend for reporting tools such as MicroStrategy while accelerating BI functions. It supports the resolutions of data issues from tools like Tableau, provides ad-hoc analysis, and manages critical data points efficiently.

Exasol

SQL Server is a comprehensive database management system known for ease of use, robust performance, and seamless Microsoft integration, making it a preferred choice for data management and analysis needs.

SQL Server offers high availability with Always On availability groups and dynamic memory configuration. It integrates effortlessly with Microsoft products via tools like SSMS and Visual Studio. Supporting advanced features such as replication, clustering, and in-memory OLTP, it provides a versatile platform for managing and analyzing significant data volumes securely and efficiently. While it shines in integration with .NET applications and business intelligence, there are opportunities to improve its scalability and integration with open-source platforms. Its licensing costs can be a barrier, and enhancements to management tools for non-technical users, along with better setup processes, would increase its appeal.

What are SQL Server's most important features?

User-Friendly GUI: Simplifies interaction with a visually intuitive interface.
High Availability: Always On availability groups ensure data redundancy.
Dynamic Memory Configuration: Efficient resource allocation for optimal performance.
Strong Transaction Management: Reliable processing of concurrent transactions.
Advanced Features: Includes replication, clustering, and in-memory OLTP.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Efficiency: Streamlined processes for faster data management and analysis.
Compatibility: Smooth integration with Microsoft products enhances productivity.
Security: Robust features protect against data breaches.
Adaptability: Supports various enterprise needs, from small to large scale.

SQL Server is implemented across industries for database management, data warehousing, and business intelligence. Companies in finance, ERP, and cloud deployments leverage its capabilities for transactional processing, .NET program integration, and reporting. Enterprises particularly benefit from its scalability and cost-efficiency when integrated with Azure for small and medium-sized operations.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

1&1 Internet SE 11880 Internet Services AG AB Svenska Spel Accarda AG Aera Technology Inc. AGRAVIS Raiffeisen AG Apotheken-Rechen-Zentrum GmbH AQR Capital Management, LLC arvato distribution GmbH ARZ Allgemeines Rechenzentrum GmbH Badoo Limited Baur Versand (GmbH & Co. KG) BIScience Ltd Blocket Blue Yonder GmbH Codilink UK Ltd T/A Coniq crealytics GmbH dailyme TV GmbH Dailymotion S.A. Dataforce Verlagsgesellschaft für Business Information mbH Deutsche Postbank AG Digitales Rezept Zentrum GmbH DIKW Groep direct services Gütersloh GmbH DR Technologies Ltd. dress-for-less GmbH econda GmbH emetriq GmbH empiriecom GmbH & Co. KG Flaconi GmbH Fresenius Netcare GmbH Fyber GmbH GfK SE Grant Street Group, Inc. Gruner + Jahr GmbH Gymshark UK Hahn Air Lines GmbH Hermes Einrichtungs Service GmbH & Co. KG INNOVATIVE SCHEDULING, LLC internetstores GmbH INTERSPORT Deutschland eG IQVIA Commercial GmbH & Co. OHG IQVIA Commercial Sp. z o.o. IQVIA Incorporated iVantage Health Analytics K - Mail Order GmbH & Co. KG LIQ CORP SA Manor AG Basel Match2Lists Limited MEDION AG Midasplayer AB Monsoon Accessorize Limited m-pathy GmbH msales Ltd. MTG Modern Services AB MW Aviation GmbH & Co. KG Myntra Designs Pvt Ltd Netzeffekt GmbH New Company Services Ltd. NOVENTI HealthCare GmbH Olympus Europa SE & Co. KG Operation Fistula OpsDataStore OTTO (GmbH & Co KG) Panda Retail Co. PAPSTAR GmbH Piedmont Healthcare, Inc. Questback GmbH RatePAY GmbH Revolut Ltd. Saarland-Sporttoto GmbH Sagarmatha Ltd. SIA Damara Technologies Supermärkte Nord Vertriebs GmbH & Co. KG The National Research Center for College & University Admissions, Inc. United Utilities Water Ltd. Verlag C.H. Beck oHG Vocal Planet Ltd. Vodafone Group Services GmbH Webtrekk GmbH wer liefert was? GmbH Windeln.de SE Wooga GmbH XING SE Zalando SE

Microsoft SQL Server is used by businesses in every industry, including Great Western Bank, Aviva, the Volvo Car Corporation, BMW, Samsung, Principality Building Society, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.

Buyer's Guide

Exasol Data Warehouse vs. SQL Server

November 2026

Free Report: Exasol Data Warehouse vs. SQL Server

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