Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

IBM Db2 Database vs SingleStore comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

IBM Db2 Database
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
75
Ranking in other categories
Relational Databases Tools (5th)
SingleStore
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Database as a Service (DBaaS) (17th), Vector Databases (17th)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Databases solutions, they serve different purposes. IBM Db2 Database is designed for Relational Databases Tools and holds a mindshare of 6.7%, up 6.8% compared to last year.
SingleStore, on the other hand, focuses on Database as a Service (DBaaS), holds 2.9% mindshare, up 1.6% since last year.
Relational Databases Tools Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
IBM Db2 Database6.7%
SQL Server11.8%
Oracle Database11.7%
Other69.8%
Relational Databases Tools
Database as a Service (DBaaS) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
SingleStore2.9%
Amazon RDS13.5%
MongoDB Atlas12.3%
Other71.3%
Database as a Service (DBaaS)
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2708292 - PeerSpot reviewer
Associate Director, Data Architecture at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Support improves setup and maintenance while pricing influences decision
If you have a similar use case and the same deal with IBM as our company, it is definitely a good option and choice. The company I work with has more than 50,000 people and more than 500 support staff. We are not locked into one database vendor. We typically work with multiple database vendors simultaneously, selecting the top choice based on the deals we make and other considerations. We do not use IBM Db2 Database related to AI at this moment because our AI project PLC is still very small scale. We may consider it in the future if we have enough scale. Overall rating for IBM Db2 Database is 8.5 out of 10.
VK
Solution Architect at Wipro Limited
An excellent choice for diverse data processing needs with exceptional in-memory capabilities, robust failover mechanisms, easy scalability and high performance
Scalability is its key strength. Adding servers for scalability is a straightforward process involving simply incorporating a few additional servers and recycling the cluster triggers automatic repartitioning and redistribution of data. For instance, if the initial database creation involved a hundred servers and later, four more servers are added, specific commands can be executed to increase the partitions to one hundred twenty. The data is then efficiently redistributed across the expanded partitions without the need for manual data movement, ensuring a seamless and efficient scalability process. In my current organization, approximately three projects involve the usage of SingleStore, with a team size ranging from ten to twenty individuals.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It's a very mature product."
"We are dealing with millions of transactions a month and the performance is very good."
"The most valuable aspect of this solution is its stability. We have never had any problems and have never had to contact technical support."
"The IBM Db2 Database is trusted, and IT effort is less than any other product."
"The structure is straightforward, consisting of the test file and the logical and physical files. You have one physical file and many logical files related to it."
"The most valuable features of this solution are security and stability."
"It's easy to search and extract data from the warehouse using queries."
"Very good for performance and scalability."
"The product can automatically reinstall and reconfigure in case of a shutdown."
"It's a distributed relational database, so it does not have a single server, it has multiple servers. Its architecture itself is fast because it has multiple nodes to distribute the workload and process large amounts of data."
"MemSQL supports the MySQL protocol, and many functions are similar, so the learning curve is very short."
"The paramount advantage is the exceptional speed."
"The most valuable feature is the ability to create pipelines, streamline and extract data from the pipelines."
"The ability to store data in memory is a standout feature, enhanced by robust failover mechanisms."
 

Cons

"It might be slightly slower than other database vendors, but it works well since banks typically do not move quickly with leading-edge technology."
"​Not very solid compared to its competitors' products.​"
"The tool is not easy to use. It needs to improve scale computing so that the tool can be scaled vertically. The product needs to enhance pre-engine optimization and it needs to be more efficient in completing queries. The documentation should be updated to include different scenarios of deployment."
"There could be more user-friendly tools with features such as drag-and-drop functionality, visual basics, and low-code capabilities."
"The capabilities of this solution could improve."
"IBM Db2 Database is not ACID compliant, which would improve it. Db2 lacks Isolation, so when two people are trying to update the same field at the same time it can become stuck. Other newer databases do not have this issue, such as Microsoft SQL, Oracle DB, PostgreSQL, and SAP HANA."
"The solution's UI hasn't been upgraded. The solution’s UI is an area to improve because the solution was developed long ago."
"It would be ideal if the solution offered backup functionality. Many similar tools already do, which means Db2 is somewhat behind the curve in terms of what a customer might expect from it."
"Having the ability to migrate servers using a single command would be extremely beneficial."
"We don't get good discounts in Pakistan."
"There should be more pipelines available because I think that if MemSQL can connect to other services, that would be great."
"For new customers, it's very tough to start. Their documentation isn't organized, and there's no online training available. SingleStore is working on it, but that's a major drawback."
"Poor key distribution can significantly impact performance, requiring a backward approach in design rather than adding tables incrementally."
"It is not the optimal choice for direct data collection through queries, and it's more suited for aggregation tasks."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Clients are required to purchase a license."
"We don't see what the specific price of the DB2 license is because we pay for the backup license as a package."
"Compared to other databases, Db2 is relatively cheaper."
"Licensing fees are on a yearly basis."
"There is a license for this solution and we pay every three years."
"I think that everyone knows that with IBM the standard price is higher than the others."
"They are competitive and honest (compared to how peer firms approach licensing conversations). ​"
"We purchase the product's yearly license."
"Using it for analytical purposes can be cost-effective in the long run, especially in terms of infrastructure."
"I would advise users to try the free 128GB version."
"The product's licensing is not expensive. It is comparable."
"They have two main options: cloud installation and bare-metal installation, each with different pricing models."
"SingleStore is a bit expensive."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Relational Databases Tools solutions are best for your needs.
881,665 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
30%
Computer Software Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Retailer
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise48
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Large Enterprise3
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Db2 Database?
Db2 database scalability and performance capabilities match our database needs. It covers pretty much everything a database administrator or engineer might need.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Db2 Database?
IBM Db2 is an expensive solution. While I am not heavily involved with pricing, additional companies provide capabilities or products like those from BMC, which many installations might also purchase.
What needs improvement with IBM Db2 Database?
The IBM Db2 Database is a good solution, but now there is a high maintenance charge. The IBM Db2 Database needs improved support, and there are many difficulties in using it. We tend to use the clo...
Ask a question
Earn 20 points
 

Also Known As

DB2
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Knorr-Bremse, Mizuho Bank Ltd., Australian Government Department of Defence, SCHWENK Zement, Friedhelm Loh Group, YAZAKI Europe Limited, Ekornes ASA, Baldor Electric, VSN Systemen BV, Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC, PLANSEE Group, TE Connectivity, Hansgrohe SE, Openmatics, University of Toronto
400+ customers including: 6sense, Adobe, Akamai, Ant Money, Arcules, CARFAX, Cigna, Cisco, Comcast, DELL, DBS Bank, Dentsu, DirectlyApply, EY, Factors.AI, Fathom Analytics, FirstEnergy, GE, Goldman Sachs, Heap, Hulu, IMAX, impact.com, Kroger, LG, LiveRamp, Lumana, Nvidia, OpenDialog, Outreach, Palo Alto Networks, PicPay, RBC, Samsung, SegMetrics, Siemens, SiteImprove, SiriusXM, SK Telecom, SKAI, SONY, STC, SunRun, TATA, Thorn, ZoomInfo.
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and others in Relational Databases Tools. Updated: January 2026.
881,665 professionals have used our research since 2012.