Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs SingleStore comparison

Microsoft and SingleStore are both solutions in the Database as a Service (DBaaS) category. Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.5, while SingleStore is ranked #17. Microsoft holds a 10.7% mindshare in DS, compared to SingleStore’s 2.9% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of SingleStore users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Read 134 Microsoft Azure SQL Database reviews

4,005 Views
3,925 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

SingleStore

Read 6 SingleStore reviews

2,429 Views
437 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Azure SQL Database

SingleStore

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 12, 2024

Microsoft Azure SQL Database and SingleStore compete in the enterprise database solutions category. Azure SQL Database has an edge in integration and scalability, while SingleStore leads in performance and real-time analytics capabilities.

Features: Azure SQL Database integrates comprehensively with the Microsoft ecosystem, offers high availability, and advanced security features. SingleStore is known for high-performance analytical processing, real-time data capabilities, and handling complex queries efficiently.

Room for Improvement: Azure SQL Database needs better documentation, enhanced technical support, and more cost-effective advanced features. SingleStore should improve integration with third-party tools, offer more flexible pricing models, and better address initial setup difficulties.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Azure SQL Database is straightforward to deploy within the Azure ecosystem and has responsive customer service. SingleStore has a steeper learning curve, but users benefit from performance improvements post-deployment.

Pricing and ROI: Azure SQL Database involves high initial setup costs but provides long-term ROI with its integration and scalability. SingleStore demands a higher upfront investment but offers significant ROI through high performance and real-time analytics gains.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. SingleStore Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. SingleStore

February 2026

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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

6.9

Number of Reviews

134

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SingleStore

Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)

17th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Vector Databases (17th)

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Database as a Service (DBaaS) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Azure SQL Database is 10.7%, down from 16.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SingleStore is 2.9%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Database as a Service (DBaaS) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Azure SQL Database	10.7%
SingleStore	2.9%
Other	86.4%

Database as a Service (DBaaS)

Featured Reviews

Thomas Sawyer

Executive Director, Platform Architecture at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation – SMBC Group

Automatic tuning and multi-region availability have reduced manual workloads and improved performance management

The features of Microsoft Azure SQL Database that I like the most are easy scaling and high availability. I appreciate those features because it's easy to make Microsoft Azure SQL Database readily available in a multi-region infrastructure. Using Microsoft Azure SQL Database is very easy; it's much easier than SQL on-premise because I don't have to worry about deploying infrastructure, and I can rapidly deploy via infrastructure as code. I am using the automatic tuning feature in Microsoft Azure SQL Database. We are using the new feature of data encryption in Microsoft Azure SQL Database with customer-managed keys only. The reliability and stability of Microsoft Azure SQL Database platform are rock-solid; it's as good, if not better, than what our on-premise stability has been from an uptime perspective.

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Vignesh KR

Solution Architect at Wipro Limited

An excellent choice for diverse data processing needs with exceptional in-memory capabilities, robust failover mechanisms, easy scalability and high performance

Scalability is its key strength. Adding servers for scalability is a straightforward process involving simply incorporating a few additional servers and recycling the cluster triggers automatic repartitioning and redistribution of data. For instance, if the initial database creation involved a hundred servers and later, four more servers are added, specific commands can be executed to increase the partitions to one hundred twenty. The data is then efficiently redistributed across the expanded partitions without the need for manual data movement, ensuring a seamless and efficient scalability process. In my current organization, approximately three projects involve the usage of SingleStore, with a team size ranging from ten to twenty individuals.

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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

"This solution provides more comfort to the end-user compared to a normal SQL server."

"Transitioning from a traditional on-premise SQL database to Microsoft Azure SQL Database is beneficial because features such as auto-indexing allow us to scale during peak seasons and scale back on demand, which is very useful for handling our spiky peak traffic based on seasonal factors, avoiding the need to purchase more hardware as required with traditional setups."

"What I like the most is the processes and the easiness of deployments."

"It's easy to work with large amounts of data, query it, and bring it back to a visualization tool to show it to the end users."

"The backup features are the most valuable."

"In terms of stability, because Microsoft is the underlying technology, they are much more stable than say Oracle. Since 2014 they did a great job in offering stability, performance and high visibility on the solution, especially in comparison to the other competitors."

"The solution is quite straightforward to set up."

"My main use case for SQL Azure is for a self-reading application related to portfolio management. In this application, users can have portfolios designed and managed based on recommendations from their brokers. These recommendations are sent to users, and if consumed, they get executed and added to their portfolios, which can be easily maintained through mobile applications. This involves using Kafka for messaging and execution."

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database pros

"The paramount advantage is the exceptional speed."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to create pipelines, streamline and extract data from the pipelines."

"MemSQL supports the MySQL protocol, and many functions are similar, so the learning curve is very short."

"The product can automatically reinstall and reconfigure in case of a shutdown."

"It's a distributed relational database, so it does not have a single server, it has multiple servers. Its architecture itself is fast because it has multiple nodes to distribute the workload and process large amounts of data."

"The ability to store data in memory is a standout feature, enhanced by robust failover mechanisms."

Cons

"The solution requires familiarity with its language so can be tricky."

"The document storage is primarily relational, which is not ideally suited for SQL. If there were better integration with SharePoint for document handling in SQL, it would greatly benefit the organization. Moreover, the current on-premise limitations prevent direct file pulling, limiting certain capabilities."

"The solution could improve by supporting more operating systems."

"The way it has been designed, in the on-premises deployments, the underlying Windows OS is highly scalable but has a very large resource requirement. A lot of power-related and memory-related things are there, which I have not seen in the RHEL and Oracle. I have not tried SQL on RHEL EXEC. On Windows, infrastructure-wise, a very large workload is running on the SQL. This issue is related to Windows, not SQL."

"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 Microsoft to allow their network to access open source technologies."

"The preset configuration switches we can select on SQL Azure should be made more liberal to work on."

"Microsoft Azure SQL Database could improve by having better tooling in terms of connecting to other database platforms and better capabilities around programmable interfaces."

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database cons

"We don't get good discounts in Pakistan."

"Poor key distribution can significantly impact performance, requiring a backward approach in design rather than adding tables incrementally."

"Having the ability to migrate servers using a single command would be extremely beneficial."

"It is not the optimal choice for direct data collection through queries, and it's more suited for aggregation tasks."

"For new customers, it's very tough to start. Their documentation isn't organized, and there's no online training available. SingleStore is working on it, but that's a major drawback."

"There should be more pipelines available because I think that if MemSQL can connect to other services, that would be great."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Microsoft services are costly, which is the only problem we face. So, pricing is an area of improvement."

"It's reasonably priced and when you compare it with other products in the cloud environment, it's cheaper."

"When looking at the long-term expenses associated with running software on an on-premises server, the costs are almost equivalent but when we include insurance for devices, onsite fees for servers, and other related costs, we may find that this is a cost-effective solution."

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

"The pricing is actually complicated, and that is probably one downside of it. In some respects, although we can plan for the costs on a month-by-month basis, we are finding it hard to project our costings for it. Fundamentally, Microsoft is offering two pricing models, and it is challenging to understand the differences between the two. We're basically on the DTU model at the moment. That may change in the future as the size grows, but it is one of those things that we'll end up monitoring as we progress. At the moment, to get a reasonable response, generally, the price is a little high for us, but it is one of those things for which we know that we can do improvements on our code. So, it is not just the service that's the problem; it is some of the things that we need to do as well."

"It is expensive. Snowflake and PostgreSQL are cheaper than this. Google is also cheaper than Azure. Its licensing is on a pay-as-you-go basis. It is based on usage and storage."

"The price could be slightly cheaper."

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

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database pricing and cost advice

"I would advise users to try the free 128GB version."

"Using it for analytical purposes can be cost-effective in the long run, especially in terms of infrastructure."

"They have two main options: cloud installation and bare-metal installation, each with different pricing models."

"SingleStore is a bit expensive."

"The product's licensing is not expensive. It is comparable."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

12%

Marketing Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

31%

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	59
Midsize Enterprise	17
Large Enterprise	61

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Large Enterprise	3

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?

I would say I am at a basic experience level with the pricing, setup costs and licensing because while I am the administrator for the service, I do not provision the services and worry about the co...

See all answers

What needs improvement with SQL Azure?

I have no comments at the moment on how Microsoft Azure SQL Database can be improved. I have no comments on additional features that I would like to see released in the next release. I do not have ...

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Comparisons

Google Cloud SQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 19% of the time

Amazon RDS vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 15% of the time

MongoDB Atlas vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 13% of the time

Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 10% of the time

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database Competitors

ClickHouse vs SingleStore

Compared 7% of the time

Supabase Vector vs SingleStore

Compared 6% of the time

SQL Server vs SingleStore

Compared 6% of the time

CockroachDB vs SingleStore

Compared 5% of the time

OpenText Analytics Database (Vertica) vs SingleStore

Compared 5% of the time

More SingleStore Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure SQL Database

February 2026

Download Microsoft Azure SQL Database product report

Buyer's Guide

SingleStore

January 2026

Download SingleStore product report

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

SingleStore delivers the performance you need for enterprise AI, providing the most performant data platform for apps and analytics at scale. SingleStore enables organizations to scale from one to one million customers in one unified platform. SingleStore offers transparent pricing as shown here https://www.singlestore.com/pricing/

SingleStore caters to over 400 customers globally, including major banks and tech companies in 50+ countries and 40+ verticals. It offers seamless scaling for both transactional and analytical workloads, simplifying data management with its MySQL compatibility and real-time processing capabilities. SingleStore's distributed architecture ensures speed and reliability, efficiently handling large data volumes.

What are the key features of SingleStore?

MySQL Compatibility: Eases the learning curve for users.
Built-in Pipelines: Connects to S3, Kafka, and more.
High Concurrency: Processes billions of records swiftly.
Replication & Failover: Enhances speed and reliability.
In-memory Storage: Ensures data safety and quick access.

What benefits can users find in SingleStore reviews?

Automatic Reconfiguration: Simplifies management tasks.
Impressive SQL Performance: Supports complex queries efficiently.
Scalability: Handles large datasets with a multi-node setup.

Top banks and fintech companies leverage SingleStore for efficient management of financial data, while media and telecom industries use it for scalable metadata management and improved data processing. Retail and eCommerce sectors benefit from enhanced transactional capabilities, reducing the need for separate databases and optimizing reporting processes. SingleStore's capacity to unite diverse workloads makes it a strategic choice across many sectors.

SingleStore

Sample Customers

adnymics GmbH, LG CNS, Centrebet, netfabb GmbH, MedPlast, Accelera Solutions, Sochi Organizing Committee, realzeit GmbH

400+ customers including: 6sense, Adobe, Akamai, Ant Money, Arcules, CARFAX, Cigna, Cisco, Comcast, DELL, DBS Bank, Dentsu, DirectlyApply, EY, Factors.AI, Fathom Analytics, FirstEnergy, GE, Goldman Sachs, Heap, Hulu, IMAX, impact.com, Kroger, LG, LiveRamp, Lumana, Nvidia, OpenDialog, Outreach, Palo Alto Networks, PicPay, RBC, Samsung, SegMetrics, Siemens, SiteImprove, SiriusXM, SK Telecom, SKAI, SONY, STC, SunRun, TATA, Thorn, ZoomInfo.

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. SingleStore

February 2026

Free Report: Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. SingleStore

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. SingleStore and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.

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