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Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs Oracle Database as a Service comparison

Microsoft and Oracle are both solutions in the Database as a Service (DBaaS) category. Microsoft is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.7, while Oracle is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.8. Microsoft holds a 15.4% mindshare in DS, compared to Oracle’s 9.1% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of Oracle users who would recommend it.
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Read 117 Microsoft Azure SQL Database reviews
  • 4,175 Views
  • 2,249 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
Oracle Database as a Service
Read 68 Oracle Database as a Service reviews
  • 1,470 Views
  • 1,139 Comparison Views
97% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 12, 2024

Microsoft Azure SQL Database and Oracle Database as a Service are competitors in cloud-based database solutions. Users find Azure SQL more economical but note Oracle's advanced features.

Features: Microsoft Azure SQL Database is praised for integration with Microsoft products, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Oracle Database as a Service is valued for advanced analytics, robust security, and comprehensive feature set.

Room for Improvement: Azure SQL could improve in advanced data analytics, enhanced security features, and user interface. Oracle could streamline the setup process, simplify management, and improve user experience.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Azure SQL users like straightforward deployment and effective customer support. Oracle users face a steeper learning curve initially but benefit from strong customer service and personalized support.

Pricing and ROI: Azure SQL Database is cost-effective with quicker ROI, suitable for smaller budgets. Oracle Database as a Service is more expensive but offers better long-term ROI due to advanced capabilities.

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To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Database as a Service Report (Updated: June 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Database as a Service
June 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
7.4
Microsoft Azure SQL Database reduces total cost with pay-per-use, hybrid licensing, enhancing ROI through scalability and security.
Sentiment score
7.2
Oracle Database as a Service offers productivity and security benefits, despite high costs, with strong preference in regions like APAC.
It is ensuring we receive what we pay for through the blend of price, performance, and features.
If you're managing your own data center, you always have to overprovision your systems and pay for storage space you're not using.
We've reduced costs by about 20 percent after two or three years.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure SQL Database report
In Bangladesh, digital banking is becoming prominent within a couple of years, so all banking systems will be digital.
For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Database as a Service report
Michael Hamlett - PeerSpot reviewerMaanda Ambani - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2595777 - PeerSpot reviewer
SI
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.9
Microsoft Azure SQL Database provides comprehensive support, but service quality varies by support tier and client size.
Sentiment score
8.3
Oracle Database support is responsive but needs better communication, efficiency, multilingual resources, and support team segmentation.
Microsoft played a significant role, even from a training perspective, and provided resources that directed us toward the right deployment path.
Once I reach the right people, the support is incredibly knowledgeable and thorough.
Microsoft provides excellent service and is always available to support us.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure SQL Database report
Oracle provides expert support globally, not just in South Asia -- also in Europe and America.
For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Database as a Service report
Maanda Ambani - PeerSpot reviewer
TG
reviewer2595303 - PeerSpot reviewer
SI
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Microsoft Azure SQL Database offers flexible scalability, handling large data environments and adapting easily to varying workloads.
Sentiment score
6.6
Oracle Database as a Service is highly scalable, supporting numerous users and servers, but scaling costs could improve.
Scaling the solution is incredibly simple and involves just clicking a button or dragging a slider.
Azure's scalability features like Elasticity are essential.
Microsoft Azure SQL Database is cloud-based, so it's great for scaling workloads.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure SQL Database report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Database as a Service report
Michael Hamlett - PeerSpot reviewer
KC
reviewer2595312 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
Microsoft Azure SQL Database is highly reliable and stable, with minimal latency issues, especially in well-designed, cloud-utilized systems.
Sentiment score
7.1
Oracle Database as a Service is praised for its strong stability, reliability, and smooth integration, despite some scalability concerns.
We can't tell the difference between running on-prem or Azure because we no longer have those latency issues.
SQL never crashes or suddenly becomes unavailable.
Therefore, it is preferable to provision an instance local to the connection point to optimize performance and minimize latency.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure SQL Database report
The solution is stable, resilient, and doesn't crash under pressure.
For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Database as a Service report
Maanda Ambani - PeerSpot reviewer
FW
Jason McCullagh - PeerSpot reviewer
SI
 

Room For Improvement

Azure SQL Database needs better security, pricing, documentation, integration, support, and scalability, with enhanced analytics and management tools.
Oracle Database as a Service needs complexity reduction, enhanced integration, improved usability, security, automation, and flexible licensing to boost adoption.
It would be helpful if CPU performance were not pinned to the amount of storage you're using, and we could scale different properties of the Azure SQL database independently.
I could not get an accurate quote on what my monthly costs would be based on my needs.
To overcome this, we collaborated with the network team to develop alternative solutions.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure SQL Database report
With the advent of generative AI, adding functionality where current administrative activities could be automated would be beneficial.
It would be beneficial if Oracle could offer features similar to those provided by open-source platforms like Postgres, such as a multi-core-based platform and a shared node database.
For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Database as a Service report
reviewer2595777 - PeerSpot reviewerMichael Hamlett - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2595303 - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2728149 - PeerSpot reviewer
SI
 

Setup Cost

Azure SQL Database pricing is complex, perceived as costly, but offers elasticity and cost-saving via Azure Hybrid Benefit.
Oracle Database as a Service is costly, includes licenses and support, with high technical support quality but added fees.
Azure Hybrid Benefit reduced costs by facilitating an easy transition of on-premises databases to the cloud.
Microsoft Azure SQL Database is not cheap.
It greatly reduces the total cost of ownership through efficient licensing depending on the client, the cost savings, and hybrid benefits.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure SQL Database report
Prices are high.
For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Database as a Service report
Charley Hanania - PeerSpot reviewerFabricio Noriega - PeerSpot reviewer
FW
SI
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Azure SQL Database offers scalable, cost-effective database management with seamless integration, global accessibility, security, and efficient automation.
Oracle Database as a Service is praised for its multitenancy, scalability, security, analytics, and seamless integration with Oracle applications.
The simplicity in usability, along with improved organizational productivity where we no longer need to maintain on-premises SQL servers, is invaluable.
The Software as a Service model is more effective and easier to access in terms of security, as Azure provides security at the security layer, reducing the risk of breach.
Some of the best features of Microsoft Azure SQL Database are its scalability, pricing, and ease of setup.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure SQL Database report
The encryption level, resilience, and secure features from both clients, particularly the resilience aspect of Oracle Database, are highly valuable.
The valuable features include availability, agility, and scalability.
For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Database as a Service report
reviewer2596431 - PeerSpot reviewerFatai Akinwande - PeerSpot reviewerMichael Hamlett - PeerSpot reviewer
SI
reviewer2728149 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
117
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Oracle Database as a Service
Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
68
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Database as a Service (DBaaS) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Azure SQL Database is 15.4%, down from 18.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Database as a Service is 9.1%, up from 8.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Database as a Service (DBaaS)
 

Featured Reviews

Charley Hanania - PeerSpot reviewer
It is very easy to implement, manage, and offers great insights into what is happening inside the engine
Microsoft Azure SQL Database is integrated into other Azure capabilities and has a great foundation being on SQL Server with a long history of security, performance, and usability from a DBA perspective. Once you've set up a server, adding databases is easy. There's a minor challenge with having data in separate databases that you want to connect like we do on premises. I'm looking forward to using some of these new AI-driven functions that have come out around vectorization. Having the data closer to my transactional databases or data makes it easy to augment and enhance the Database and applications I currently use. It's great that Azure SQL now seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Fabric. It's a first-tier service in the cloud that connects to web applications and other databases. The data transformation orchestration capabilities within Database Factory and similar capabilities make it effortless to move that stuff forward.
Read full review
Duy AnhMai - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers security and good performance
Price-wise, the tool is expensive, and I feel it is an area where improvements are needed. Oracle Database as a Service is not as popular as other tools because we use AWS and GCP. Oracle is okay in terms of performance for banking businesses and some big companies. As I use the tool in Heineken, I know Oracle is an okay security solution. We use and deploy some applications and features from Oracle that are better than what others offer. The data in the tool is actually stored in the production part, so it is always kept a secret. I don't think that AI has been integrated into the tool. The AI used by Oracle is not as strong as that used by AWS. I recommend the tool to others, especially banking, finance, and insurance companies where the security needs to be better. There is maintenance for the tool required, but I don't know which company does it for our organization. I rate the tool a ten out of ten.
Read full review
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
49%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
4%
Financial Services Firm
24%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Retailer
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about SQL Azure?
The automated scalability feature of SQL Azure has proven to be highly beneficial, particularly when deployed in the cloud.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SQL Azure?
The pricing of Microsoft Azure SQL Database is not cheap, affecting user uptake. A gradual reduction in price could improve accessibility and user numbers, making it easier for users to adopt the s...
See all answers
What needs improvement with SQL Azure?
Pricing could be improved to make Microsoft Azure SQL Database ( /products/microsoft-azure-sql-database-reviews ) more accessible. A reduction in price might encourage more users and bring more pro...
See all answers
What do you like most about Oracle Database as a Service?
It has significantly enhanced our application development process by introducing substantial time savings and streamlining routine tasks.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Database as a Service?
Prices are high. Technical support from Oracle tends to be high in quality.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Oracle Database as a Service?
It would be beneficial if Oracle could offer features similar to those provided by open-source platforms like Postgres, such as a multi-core-based platform and a shared node database. While Oracle ...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Google Cloud SQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database Logo
Google Cloud SQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Compared 33% of the time
Amazon RDS vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database Logo
Amazon RDS vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Compared 24% of the time
MongoDB Atlas vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database Logo
MongoDB Atlas vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Compared 15% of the time
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database Logo
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Compared 5% of the time
Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database Logo
Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Compared 3% of the time
More Microsoft Azure SQL Database Competitors
Amazon RDS vs Oracle Database as a Service Logo
Amazon RDS vs Oracle Database as a Service
Compared 47% of the time
Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer vs Oracle Database as a Service Logo
Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer vs Oracle Database as a Service
Compared 13% of the time
Google Cloud SQL vs Oracle Database as a Service Logo
Google Cloud SQL vs Oracle Database as a Service
Compared 11% of the time
MongoDB Atlas vs Oracle Database as a Service Logo
MongoDB Atlas vs Oracle Database as a Service
Compared 5% of the time
Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs Oracle Database as a Service Logo
Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs Oracle Database as a Service
Compared 5% of the time
More Oracle Database as a Service Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
June 2025
Microsoft Azure SQL Database reportDownload Microsoft Azure SQL Database product report
Buyer's Guide
Oracle Database as a Service
June 2025
Oracle Database as a Service reportDownload Oracle Database as a Service product report
 

Also Known As

No data available
Oracle DBaaS, Oracle Database Cloud
 

Overview

Microsoft Azure SQL Database is a relational database-as-a-service that delivers predictable performance, scalability, business continuity, data protection, and near-zero administration to cloud developers and solution architects. This is the deep technical library for Azure SQL Database.

Microsoft

Oracle Database Cloud Service combines the power of Oracle Database, with the unique capabilities of the Oracle Cloud. The service provides a secure, automated data management platform that leverages on demand Oracle Cloud Infrastructure services via a simple web based user interface and RESTful API. Oracle Database Cloud Service provides elastic database services for development, test, and production environments of custom and packaged online transaction processing (OLTP), data warehousing, and mixed workload applications. It enables businesses to reap all Oracle Platform as a Service (PaaS) benefits including subscriptionbased, self-service access to reliable, scalable, and elastic cloud environments and accelerates time to value by simplifying the provisioning and administration of Oracle databases.

Oracle
 

Sample Customers

adnymics GmbH, LG CNS, Centrebet, netfabb GmbH, MedPlast, Accelera Solutions, Sochi Organizing Committee, realzeit GmbH
Solution-Soft, DX Marketing, Suredell and Partners, Frontiers, SettleOurEstate.com, Demand Analysis Ltd, endlich IT & Projekt Service OHG
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Database as a Service
June 2025
Free Report: Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Database as a Service
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