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IBM Db2 Database vs SAP HANA comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

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
Ranking in Relational Databases Tools
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
73
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
SAP HANA
Ranking in Relational Databases Tools
4th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
85
Ranking in other categories
Data Virtualization (2nd), Embedded Database (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of IBM Db2 Database is 7.1%, up from 6.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP HANA is 11.4%, up from 11.0% 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.
Jayarami Reddy Pujeri - PeerSpot reviewer
Comprehensive system with real-time analytics for versatile industry applications
Our primary use case is working with various clients in industries such as pharmaceuticals and other services. We support clients as implementers of SAP HANA, providing expertise in functionality, finance, logistics, and processes The solution is very user-friendly and supports all kinds of…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"As part of your licensing with IBM, you get access to their case system, which lets you raise incidents related to software or hardware. This system is helpful for problem determination and quickly identifying issues."
"IBM DB2 pureScale Feature is valuable."
"The solution's security is very tough and impenetrable."
"The most valuable feature of IBM Db2 Database is its ability to perform automatic self-management, reducing the need for manual tasks such as managing logs and folders."
"The solution is very stable, in both hardware and database."
"It's the best solution in terms of security, performance, and availability because the system is available 24/7."
"The newly added feature of ALSM is one of the top features"
"Very good for performance and scalability."
"This solution is very fast."
"The solution can easily be modeled."
"The most valuable feature of SAP HANA is the interaction it provides with external suppliers and clients."
"One feature I find very valuable, is the response time of the application on the database memory."
"Our operations have grown from a hundred data operations a day to as many in a couple of seconds."
"We like that the product is both vertically and horizontally scalable, allowing us to do around 86 percent compression of documentation from 50 to seven terabytes."
"It's easy to use, and the Hana Studio is pretty good."
"Using this solution has given us better details for reporting and analytics."
 

Cons

"The product’s user interface is not easy to use."
"Its process of building up queries could be more accessible."
"The problem with this environment is that any software that you install is very costly because there are no free tools for this environment."
"End-to-end encryption specifically is something the solution needs to have in the next release."
"The solution no longer supports POWER8."
"The initial set up was complex."
"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."
"The capabilities of this solution could improve."
"More standards would help in the future."
"The high price of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required."
"The SAP HANA interface has room for improvement because it takes more work to manage than the Microsoft SQL Server interface."
"The relationship with a partner that sells SAP could be better. We depend much more on our own development, and the partner is for selling us the solutions, so we need them to be able to supply help and answers. The partner isn't very helpful, and we have to rely on our own knowledge and research."
"The initial setup was pretty complex, considering the enormous amount of data they had from an Oracle ERP."
"A documents preview could be helpful."
"SAP HANA isn't user-friendly, and it's very hard to train newcomers to use it."
"The main issue is the ecosystem, which lacks the widespread support that SQL enjoys."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We purchase the product's yearly license."
"The solution's pricing is fine."
"I think that everyone knows that with IBM the standard price is higher than the others."
"Compared to other databases, Db2 is relatively cheaper."
"I rate the price of the IBM Db2 Database an eight out of ten."
"The solution's hardware and subscription model for support are very expensive."
"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."
"Compared to Oracle, it is so much cheaper."
"Its licensing is expensive for SMEs and large enterprises alike."
"The tool is expensive compared to other products, like Oracle R or Microsoft, but it offers a range of all the company's functions."
"SAP HANA is affordable. I rate it a seven out of ten."
"There is a yearly subscription to use SAP HANA. There is a fee for maintenance."
"The price of this product is good."
"Setup and licensing require planning and proper budgeting, as it is not cheap."
"While the cost of the license may seem high, it is important to note that the benefits of the solution far outweighs the cost."
"The licensing could improve."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
60%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
4%
Government
4%
Manufacturing Company
15%
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
7%
 

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 user interface is old and needs to be improved. It doesn't match the responsive and suggestion-rich UI of cloud solutions. New functions don't come to mind.
What are the biggest benefits of using SAP HANA?
Based on my work with SAP HANA, the biggest benefit that it can bring to your business is total data management. This product is by SAP - a company that serves almost all needs a client may have co...
Is SAP HANA’s customer and technical support reliable?
We have been using SAP HANA for a fairly short period of time and have only taken advantage of their customer support. So far, we have not had issues that required specialized help from technical s...
Is SAP HANA difficult to set up and start using?
SAP HANA is fairly easy to set up, however, I do not think a complete beginner can do it. You certainly need some preparation - either you need to have experience with similar solutions, or with ot...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

DB2
SAP High-Performance Analytic Appliance, HANA
 

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
Unilever, NHS 24, adidas Group, CHIO Aachen, Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Db2 Database vs. SAP HANA and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
849,190 professionals have used our research since 2012.