IBM Db2 Database vs SAP IQ comparison

IBM and SAP are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. IBM is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.1, while SAP is ranked #26 with an average rating of 7.7. IBM holds a 7.1% mindshare in SQL, compared to SAP’s 0.7% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 84% of SAP users who would recommend it.

IBM Db2 Database

Read 73 IBM Db2 Database reviews

6,854 Views
4,346 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

SAP IQ

Read 21 SAP IQ reviews

364 Views
264 Comparison Views

84% willing to recommend

IBM Db2 Database

SAP IQ

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

SAP IQ and IBM Db2 compete in the business intelligence and data warehousing domain. SAP IQ seems to have the upper hand in query performance and data compression, while IBM Db2 is superior in platform support and transaction management.

Features: SAP IQ's columnar database design enables high compression and quick query performance, optimizing storage and offering scalability. It excels in high-speed data loading. IBM Db2 is recognized for advanced SQL capabilities, broad platform support, and robust transaction management, along with autonomic features that optimize performance without manual intervention.

Room for Improvement: SAP IQ needs enhanced backup options, better integration with technologies like Hadoop, and improved support as experienced resources are limited. Its marketing efforts require strengthening. IBM Db2 could benefit from user interface updates, improved cloud readiness, and simplified licensing and performance monitoring tools.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SAP IQ is primarily an on-premises solution and lacks cloud integration flexibility, whereas IBM Db2 supports hybrid and private clouds, offering broader deployment options. SAP IQ's customer service needs improvement, in contrast to IBM Db2, which receives positive feedback for global support and efficient problem resolution.

Pricing and ROI: SAP IQ is cost-effective but has a complex pricing structure that requires careful evaluation. IBM Db2, though pricier than some competitors like Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server, offers comprehensive features that can deliver good value, especially when integrated with IBM hardware. Additionally, IBM’s pricing and support structures are perceived as complex, emphasizing the importance of negotiations.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Db2 Database vs. SAP IQ Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Db2 Database vs. SAP IQ

April 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:

Categories and Ranking

IBM Db2 Database

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

6th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SAP IQ

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

26th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Data Warehouse (13th)

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 IQ is 0.7%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Relational Databases Tools

Featured Reviews

SimonHiggins

Mainframe Technical Manager/Service Integration Lead at Saudi Business Machines

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.

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Tejas Raj

Manager at Capgemini

Columnar database, so pulling records is easy but there isn't enough documentation for installation

I've seen very few SAP IQ systems in recent years. So people are moving away from SAP IQ In the last three years, I've rarely encountered customers using it. Fewer systems with SAP IQ usage among our customers. Most of them have moved on to HANA. There are parallel products, and there are also viable alternatives from AWS, so many have migrated to those.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It's very secure."

"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."

"The solution's security is very tough and impenetrable."

"The most valuable feature of the IBM Db2 Database is security."

"The solution is very stable, in both hardware and database."

"It has a good, stable performance."

"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."

More IBM Db2 Database pros

"It is very robust for ad hoc DW queries and its columnar compression is unique and valuable."

"IQ is a very high-performance and high-transaction database."

"The primary benefit of SAP IQ is its ability to limit the expansion of the costly SAP HANA database, which has limited storage capacity. This necessitates a form of data management that involves moving data from SAP HANA to SAP NLS, which is essentially archiving. This allows us to retain access to the data via a link whenever it is required."

"Valuable features for us include the compression, speed, fast response time, and easy object maintenance."

"Unbeatable speed and compression with a colummn-structured relational database."

"All data is compressed and indexed, allowing for fast execution of transactions."

"The product is easy to learn."

"The column-based technologies (basically all the database for ITP) are used for SAP IQ. It is used as a column-based solution."

More SAP IQ pros

Cons

"Microsoft SQL Server is comparatively very simple to use. I wish IBM would move towards making Db2 easy to use for both basic and advanced users. This is where I see room for advancement. Db2 is also more expensive than Microsoft SQL Server, and its price can be reduced. The replication feature needs to be there in Db2. Microsoft provides similar functionality in SQL Server. IBM also has similar functionality, but it exists in a different product. So, to have the replication ability, you have to buy a different product. It makes sense to have this functionality within Db2 instead of a different product. It will also be helpful in terms of competition. In Africa, the problem for Db2 is competition. Oracle Database and Microsoft SQL Server have been in this market for a very long time. These companies have built the ecosystem and the brand within this market for a very long time. So, they are very popular with users. Db2 or IBM came a little later in the game, and that's where the problem lies. They also don't do a lot of marketing for it, which is also a problem."

"We need some time to improve the performance. We have to perform a weekly REORG, or else RUNSTATS for the databases."

"The licensing fees can be reduced."

"The initial set up was complex."

"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."

"The solution could improve by providing more integration."

"The backup solution lacks flexibility."

"IBM Db2 Database could improve with better security."

More IBM Db2 Database cons

"I think the universe should be part of the Sybase IQ tool set."

"The room for improvement would be the marketing of the product, because this product is much better than advertised."

"The tool gets stuck sometimes."

"The solution works best when combined with other SAP solutions. If the environment has other systems other options might be better."

"The organization who owns the product does not support it well and appears not to be doing significant development for the future."

"There is very little documentation available."

"The primary negative aspect is the cost, which can be a challenge due to the economic conditions in Peru."

"Concurrency and functional error messaging."

More SAP IQ cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate the product pricing a nine out of ten."

"Compared to Oracle, it is so much cheaper."

"It's very expensive."

"Db2 is less expensive than Oracle."

"The solution's hardware and subscription model for support are very expensive."

"It is expensive when compared to other products."

"They are competitive and honest (compared to how peer firms approach licensing conversations). "

"If I consider the price of IBM Db2 Database, I would say there are cheaper products in the market."

More IBM Db2 Database pricing and cost advice

"It's not that costly. So, the pricing is cheap."

"Negotiate based on the features required."

"Evaluate all options; check to see if you need expensive add-ons."

"Negotiation is very important."

"The cost of implementation is about $3,000."

"The only costs after standard licensing fees are for add-ons and upgrades."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

60%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

45%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

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.

See all answers

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.

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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.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP IQ?

IQ implementation costs about three thousand dollars. It's less expensive compared to alternatives like Teradata Base in terms of transactional efficiency.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SAP IQ?

The primary negative aspect is the cost, which can be a challenge due to the economic conditions in Peru.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for SAP IQ?

I worked on implementing new databases, migration data in production, and developer environments with SAP IQ.

See all answers

Comparisons

SQL Server vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 32% of the time

Oracle Database vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 18% of the time

SAP HANA vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 17% of the time

Teradata vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 13% of the time

MySQL vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 6% of the time

More IBM Db2 Database Competitors

Snowflake vs SAP IQ

Compared 31% of the time

SAP HANA vs SAP IQ

Compared 15% of the time

SQL Server vs SAP IQ

Compared 12% of the time

Apache Hadoop vs SAP IQ

Compared 12% of the time

SAP BW4HANA vs SAP IQ

Compared 9% of the time

More SAP IQ Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Db2 Database

April 2025

Download IBM Db2 Database product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP IQ

March 2025

Download SAP IQ product report

Also Known As

DB2

Sybase IQ

Overview

DB2 Enterprise for Linux, UNIX, and Windows is the ideal data server for the most demanding workloads. New XML support is designed to help firms minimize the time and effort it takes to persist and use their XML data reducing development costs and improving business agility.

IBM

SAP® IQ software delivers speed and power for extreme-scale enterprise data warehousing and analytics. Its column-oriented, grid-based massively parallel processing (MPP) architecture and patented data compression and indexing technologies enable companies to exploit the value of huge amounts of data at the speed of business.

SAP

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

ASR Group, Citrix, State of Indiana, PocketCard Co. Ltd.

Buyer's Guide

IBM Db2 Database vs. SAP IQ

April 2025

Free Report: IBM Db2 Database vs. SAP IQ

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Db2 Database vs. SAP IQ and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.

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