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

IBM Db2 Database vs Oracle Database comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary
 

Categories and Ranking

IBM Db2 Database
Ranking in Relational Databases Tools
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
72
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Oracle Database
Ranking in Relational Databases Tools
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
287
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of IBM Db2 Database is 7.4%, up from 6.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Database is 13.7%, down from 16.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Relational Databases Tools
 

Featured Reviews

SimonHiggins - PeerSpot reviewer
Very scalable with high availability and excellent technical support
The good thing is that there are improvements coming with later function levels for the z/OS Db2. I'd like it if, with the operating system that we've got, z/OS, on the mainframe, it would allow us to refresh the hardware to run Linux dockers on the mainframe. This means this might give us opportunities for different ways of coming into the Db2 environment in the future. We just want a bit more integration with Linux. That said, we are already seeing Linux more readily available on the mainframe environment. Not only have we got the premium operating systems on OS. We can run LPARs on the same mainframe footprint that is also supporting Linux. This is what has improved and made the mainframe environment more competitive. We're also looking at AI for Db2 as well, and machine learning for the future. We know that AI has come out, that we're going to get that, and we're going to evaluate that product next year for Db2. That said, I haven't got any real complaints about Db2 on the mainframe. For the most part, a lot of the problems we have nowadays are to do with communication between the various teams that you would class as stakeholders.
Gnanavel-Chakkarapani - PeerSpot reviewer
Supports a large volume of transactions compared to other databases
The tool's deployment and configuration is difficult. Sometimes, the network DNS settings aren't connected, so we need to check and enable the configuration, which is the difficult part. Maintenance requires a bit of effort. We need to monitor the database performance, check the number of concurrent users on Oracle, and handle any unwanted queries from users. You need at least two people to do it.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution's security is very tough and impenetrable."
"Db2 Database has given us good results since we have started to use it. We predominantly use IBM hardware, and this is one of the reasons why we started to use Db2 Database. Db2 Database has a very good HADR capability. High availability resilience is also good in this solution. It also has pureScale, which allows you to upgrade one node to get very good and high-level resilience. If you are using a database on five nodes, you can take one node down, upgrade that, and let that node up. You can then bring the second node down, upgrade that, and so on."
"The valuable features include access path optimization, excellent performance, a robust locking mechanism, parallelism, and effective buffering in memory."
"IBM DB2 pureScale Feature is valuable."
"It has a good feature called pureScale, which is just for scalability. It is a perfect solution for environments where scalability is going to be an issue."
"Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten."
"Reliable, robust with great features."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the integration with other IBM products."
"I found the ease of backup, partitioning, and robust indexing most valuable. The main feature of Oracle is the structure of the database. The way your backups are taken on the online backup system and the way it restores and handles partitioning of your data are also valuable. Its performance is great, and it is also very flexible."
"It's powerful and fast, and the backup system is wonderful."
"The most valuable features of Oracle Database are the Data Guard because it does replication and the integration layer, such as GoldenGate."
"It is reliable. It's very stable."
"Oracle Database is easy to use."
"You can scale the solution if you need to. Its scalability is good."
"I like the enterprise features as well as the stability."
"One of the most valuable aspects of Oracle Database is the maturity of the solution."
 

Cons

"The only drawback that we see in Db2 Database is the crash recovery. When there is a crash and somebody has to do the recovery, Db2 Database first stops, and then it does any crash recovery. In Oracle Database, crash recovery happens within the database. The database is not shut down."
"Do not use support. Freely available documentation is a bit weak.​"
"I would like to see some artificial intelligence brought into the solution."
"The solution could be more modern and have updated database technology."
"When I look at Microsoft SQL Server, SQL Server provides me with better tools for database management."
"Performance is something that can be improved with DB2."
"Also, the website could be more intuitive. I didn't find it easy to find documentation on the website."
"Its process of building up queries could be more accessible."
"Auditing could be improved, especially granular auditing. The unified audit trail in 12c is great, however its extraction in a highly busy environment is quite a challenge."
"There is a lot of room for improvement. Ease of use is probably the biggest complaint. They're getting somewhat better, but it is not as easy or intuitive as it could be in terms of maintaining and managing the database."
"The pricing could be more cost-effective, as the high price is driving some customers to consider migrating to open-source alternatives."
"Lacks features that would improve database performance."
"Problems can arise if there are too many requirements or a lot of details which must be applied to connect the software to the database."
"Their support and price could both be improved."
"It's not very user-friendly, and it's a little complex. Another issue that I don't like is the licensing complexity."
"Its price can be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We normally handle large size businesses and as far as I am aware, the license is negotiable based on the number of users and the quantitative data."
"I would rate the pricing a five out of ten. It's not super expensive, but also not cheap."
"We don't see what the specific price of the DB2 license is because we pay for the backup license as a package."
"The solution's hardware and subscription model for support are very expensive."
"The solution costs less than other products."
"We did not buy it. It came with our hardware without any complimentary maintenance. If I compare Db2 Database with Oracle Database, its price is lower than Oracle Database."
"I rate the price of the IBM Db2 Database an eight out of ten."
"It is expensive when compared to other products."
"It has an annual subscription. It is an Oracle solution, so it is a bit expensive, but that's fine."
"You buy it initially, and then you pay for yearly support if you need support. If you don't need support, you can also use it without the support."
"It was purchased by our client. It might have been a one-time payment. It doesn't seem to be very expensive."
"The price is very expensive for the support."
"We have a subscription."
"My company has opted for perpetual licensing. We only need to make payments toward the licensing of the product."
"I rate Oracle Database's pricing a four out of ten."
"Oracle Databases license and maintenance prices are too high. The government ministry of finance gives us our budget and this solution is too expensive."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Relational Databases Tools solutions are best for your needs.
824,052 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
60%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
4%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Financial Services Firm
22%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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 usage of Db2 could be simplified, as it is quite complex and requires substantial knowledge of Db2 and zOS. Modern features are being implemented, but further simplification and the inclusion o...
How do you run Oracle Database at your organization and why?
My company has been using Oracle Exadata Database Service for some years now, and we are happy with it. I will allow myself to answer your questions about why and what benefits it provides us with ...
Do you know of any disadvantages of Oracle Database?
Undoubtedly, Oracle Database is a top product in its category. But it does have its disadvantages, and for me and my organization, that has been the limitations of the product. When it comes to Ora...
What is the best use for Oracle Database?
Oracle Database is flexible and can be used for many things. My company's main use case for this product is for storing data. We benefit from its high level of security as well as from the fact tha...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

DB2
Oracle 12c, RDBMS
 

Learn More

 

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
Agncia Nacional de guas, Anbima, Aria Systems, Asiana Airlines, Astelit LLC, Australian Finance Group, Banco Occidental de Descuento, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, BT, Caja de Seguros S.A., Casas GEO S.A.B. de C.V., Comic Relief UK, Corsair Components Inc., CSAM Health AS, CSOB Group, Datacraft Solutions, DenizBank A.S., Department of Treasury and Finance WA, Office of State Revenue, Deutsche B_rse AG, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Deutsche Messe AG, Digicel Haiti, DPR COSEA, Essar Group, Essatto Software Pty Ltd, Farmšcia e Drogaria Nissei Ltda., Fomento Econ‹mico Mexicano S.A.B. de C.V. (FEMSA), FundaÊo Petrobras de Seguridade Social, Future Group, GFKL Financial Services AG, Grupo Posadas S.A.B. de C.V., Grupo Sinosserra, Guerra S.A. Implementos Rodovišrios, Hanatour International Service, Hays plc, Henan Mobile Co. Ltd, Hochschule Hof, Hong Kong and China Technology (Wuhan) Co. Ltd (Towngas Technology), Industries Corpa_al C.A., Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatstica, Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial, Kcell, LinkShare Corporation, MercadoLibre Inc., MetLife Inc., Nextgen Distribution, €BB-IKT GmbH, Octagon Research Solutions, Pacific Lutheran University, Paragon Data GmbH, Ping ltd., PJSC Trustbank, Prodaub _ Processamento de Dados de Uberl_ndia, Purdue University, Redknee Inc., Robi Axiata Limited, Shanghai Infoservice Technology Co. Ltd, Shanghai Sihua Technologies Co. Ltd, Sistema de Aguas de la Ciudad de M_xico, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Suddenlink Communications, Suprajit Engineering Limited, Tallink Grupp, Terminales Ro de la Plata S.A., Therap Services LLC, Think Passenger Inc., Trafigura, Transmed S.A.L Lebanon, ValeShop, VelQuest Corporation, Vodafone Group plc, West Virginia Network, WIND Hellas Telecommunications S.A
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Db2 Database vs. Oracle Database and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.
824,052 professionals have used our research since 2012.