Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs Oracle Database as a Service comparison

Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Database as a Service

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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

Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)

1st

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

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Database as a Service (DBaaS) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Azure SQL Database is 15.9%, down from 18.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Database as a Service is 8.8%, up from 8.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Database as a Service (DBaaS)

Featured Reviews

Charley Hanania

Data Platform Specialist at QS2 AG - Quality Software Solutions

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.

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Duy AnhMai

Product Owner at Heineken

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.

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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 is easy to scale in Azure in a way that I cannot scale on-prem."

"Our migration to Azure for most databases has increased our organization's efficiency and reduced the maintenance required to manage on-premises infrastructure."

"The solution is efficient and easy to use."

"The database is extremely scalable, allowing seamless scaling up or down with a simple change in parameters."

"Azure SQL Database has significantly reduced our total cost of ownership by eliminating the need for managing physical infrastructure, including data warehouses and data centers."

"The most valuable features of SQL Azure are its reliability and quick scalability."

"The tool set is familiar since I've used SQL Server on-premises for quite a few years."

"I like that Microsoft Azure SQL Database is almost identical to an on-premise SQL Server except for a few things, like how you edit rows and some jobs that you can't run."

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database pros

"The Oracle Multitenant feature of 12c is awesome. This feature enables us to consolidate disparate databases under one container database and eases manageability of the databases. It also allows us to scale."

"The solution is fast and easy."

"As a database administrator, it has a lot of features to help you manage the database and the backup."

"It has significantly enhanced our application development process by introducing substantial time savings and streamlining routine tasks."

"The most valuable features are the free tools provided to make the solution more secure."

"The initial setup is not too difficult, and on a scale from one to ten with one being the most difficult and ten being the easiest, I'd rate it at eight. The initial deployment can be done in an hour."

"My impression of the scalability of Oracle Database as a Service is very high."

"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten...Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

More Oracle Database as a Service pros

Cons

"I'm not really a SQL DBA, so I can't go into the depths of the areas that need to be improved. They can maybe make it a bit easier to educate people on how to develop SQL Server in Azure. They can provide some free seminars and webinars and more training in general for easier migration. I know there is some stuff on Microsoft learning, but it would be helpful and useful to have more up-to-date content."

"I would like to see more compatibility with SSMS and more backward compatibility with regular on-prem SQL."

"Azure SQL can improve by adding more machine learning features like other databases, such as Cassandra or Cosmos DB."

"The configuration is the area that is most cumbersome."

"It is a little bit expensive for us. They can improve the price. It would also be very helpful if they can offer some free trial."

"Microsoft Azure SQL Database could improve by having better tooling in terms of connecting to other database platforms and better capabilities around programmable interfaces. There should be more fine-tuning on the storage layer. I would like to see T-SQL improvements to automatically translate features from other database platforms for easier migration, as well as some improvements around column store and native capabilities like those in Iceberg and PowerK built into the SQL Server product."

"The default 1433 port for communication should be customizable because most hacks or attacks are attempted when creating any application or database on the default port."

"I need something which is in one place so I can automate the Azure data factory, but it's a different tool. It's not easy and in one place, so I can't switch to the other tool and do something there, automate everything there in the on-prem infrastructure, and then have everything in the agent. I can just pick one packet and use it. However, I want to be able to click it and run it."

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database cons

"There is room for improvement in terms of flexibility."

"The direct scaling is a feature that has room for improvement. I would like to see virtual management machines that can scale storage well with zero downtime. The backup option and patching would then be much easier to do."

"The interface can be difficult and there may be so many features that users and even vendors are unaware that they exist."

"Debugging this solution is challenging."

"The licensing model is complicated and should be simplified."

"Pricing for Oracle Database as a Service could be cheaper, so this is an area for improvement."

"The price of Oracle Database as a Service could be better."

"For many companies, the standard version is not enough. They need to move to the enterprise version. However, there is a large price jump between the two."

More Oracle Database as a Service cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost is around $2,000 per month."

"We pay less than $1000 monthly in licensing fees. There are no additional costs."

"The price in general of Azure SQL could improve."

"I would like it to be cheaper, but comparatively, it is reasonably priced."

"Offers options for paying the license on a yearly or a monthly basis."

"SQL Azure is an expensive solution."

"It requires a license. As compared to its competitors, such as Oracle, it is affordable and reasonable."

"The license is based on the number of users."

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database pricing and cost advice

"For on-premises, a perpetual license is a standard $17,500 plus 22% for one year of support."

"Oracle Database as a Service has a yearly licensing fee, which is expensive."

"The tool's licensing is on an yearly basis."

"The solution is expensive."

"The price of Oracle Database as a Service could be better."

"The pricing may seem expensive, but the value corresponds to the quality of the product."

"Oracle Database as a Service is an expensive product."

"The price of Oracle Database as a Service is expensive."

More Oracle Database as a Service pricing and cost advice

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850,671 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

71%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

27%

Computer Software Company

15%

Retailer

Manufacturing Company

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.

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...

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...

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.

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.

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 ...

Google Cloud SQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Comparisons

Compared 38% of the time

Amazon RDS vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 25% of the time

MongoDB Atlas vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 16% of the time

vCloud Air vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 3% of the time

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 3% of the time

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database Competitors

Amazon RDS vs Oracle Database as a Service

Compared 47% of the time

Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer vs Oracle Database as a Service

Compared 16% of the time

Google Cloud SQL vs Oracle Database as a Service

Compared 10% of the time

Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs Oracle Database as a Service

Compared 4% of the time

Google Cloud Spanner vs Oracle Database as a Service

Compared 3% of the time

More Oracle Database as a Service Competitors

Product Reports

Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Download Microsoft Azure SQL Database product report

Oracle Database as a Service

Download 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

Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Database as a Service