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Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials vs Toad for Oracle comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 23, 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

Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essent...
Ranking in Database Development and Management
12th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Toad for Oracle
Ranking in Database Development and Management
2nd
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Database Development and Management category, the mindshare of Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials is 3.9%, down from 6.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Toad for Oracle is 2.4%, down from 4.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Database Development and Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Toad for Oracle2.4%
Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials3.9%
Other93.7%
Database Development and Management
 

Featured Reviews

CS
Director, Enterprise Data Management at Glatfelter Insurance Group
SQL Search and change automation functionality help us manage our code repository and databases
The biggest problem with the Redgate SQL Toolbelt is just how heavy it is; it seems to take a lot of resources. It takes a lot of memory and a lot of processing power to run, and that tends to slow things down a bit. Making it a little more lightweight while still doing the same thing, as much as possible, is what we would like to see in the future. I've noticed that Microsoft SSMS runs much quicker without RedGate installed than it does with it installed. From bootup of the app to opening query windows and connections, SSMS is quicker without Redgate than with, by a significant margin. The other area for improvement is regarding licensing. Every month or two my SSMS loses it's redgate license key and I need to re-enter the key to continue using Red Gate, even though the license is annual.
Philemon Olusegun - PeerSpot reviewer
Qhse Manager at a outsourcing company with 10,001+ employees
Tool has transformed debugging of massive datasets and has improved data migration workflows
I think Toad for Oracle should create an academy for training youngsters on how to code and debug using the Oracle PL/SQL extension plugin and make it more intuitive, probably using gamification, because people learn differently. Some are kinesthetic learners, some are audio learners, some are visual learners, and some are audio-visual learners. Having a gamification aspect on Toad for Oracle where it explains how to code, debug, and gives young starters or new starters confidence and understanding of what to do and how to do it would help ensure that those wanting to get into coding have that flair, making them able to engage with using it effectively.

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 track the reports, this is what is most valuable for me."
"The most valuable feature is SQL Search."
"I've had really good luck with this product and I've been happy with it."
"The most valuable feature of Toad for Oracle is the session browser and the Schema browser, it is very complete and there are also good tools for database management."
"Toad is my choice programming environment for writing Oracle applications which live in the backend."
"Simply the best GUI software for administration is the most valuable aspect for me."
"Toad for Oracle makes the day-to-day actions easy and reduces some manual work for me."
"Toad for Oracle helps my organization save time, reduce errors, prevent downtime, and save money compared to its cost."
"A quite simple feature that I have not encountered elsewhere is the "Make Code" feature. I can easily export a complex SQL statement to a programming language. This is a great timesaver as I do not have to type in all of the escape/concatenation characters just to create a SQL statement in C# or C++."
"Toad for Oracle is one of the main tools in our work, so it really helps speed up the process."
"The best product for working with Oracle databases for support, checking and loading data."
 

Cons

"The biggest problem with the Redgate SQL Toolbelt is just how heavy it is; it seems to take a lot of resources."
"I would like to see the bandwidth increase allowing me to easily analyze more data."
"Redgate SQL Toolbelt is a reliable solution, but it occasionally hangs when I generate a report with more than two gigabytes of data."
"I'd like reporting to be more available. If it was a feature that was already installed, more people would take advantage of it."
"The pricing and licensing could be a minor improvement if licensing were cheaper, as I cannot tell you the actual price at the moment."
"An area where the solution could use some improvement is in terms of user-friendliness. During the initial setup phase, the solution was not very intuitive when attempting to establish connections."
"Improvement wise, for the user it should show the minimum features on the screen and not all the features. Toad has a lot of features, but most users will use only 5 or 10 based on their role. Nobody needs all the features, and they should provide the option to choose only the required features. Only minimum requirements should be enabled by default. When all the features are shown, the performance is not good; it loads slowly and has hundreds of popups and unnecessary questions."
"No financial benefit has been observed after implementing Toad for Oracle because SQL editors are free, and many free tools are available, while Toad for Oracle is a paid solution."
"It would be better if they had an online option allowing me to connect from anywhere on any device. Sometimes I face some errors, depending on the network and setup. It's not a big issue."
"The learning curve is steep for beginners, and the infrastructure is a bit complex."
"There could be a tool for automated SQL query functioning."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Our fees are paid on an annual basis."
"The cost is about $3,500 USD per individual to buy, and then it's about 20% per year for renewal."
"The product's pricing is just right because if it were slightly higher, it would not have been as widely adopted as it currently is in our organization."
"The pricing is okay, it's reasonable."
"Toad for Oracle has a relatively high cost compared to other similar tools."
"In my opinion, this solution is a little expensive, but I understand that good programs cost more money."
"I would rate it six, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."
"My advice is to try to use the three-year maintenance agreement if possible."
"There are paid and free-for-use versions of the product."
"The professional edition is about $1,000 AUD ($700 USD) and the developer version is about twice that much."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Insurance Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
9%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise14
 

Questions from the Community

Ask a question
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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Toad for Oracle?
I did not directly get involved in the pricing, setup cost, and licensing of Toad for Oracle; I only provided my recommendations to the procurement team. However, a comparable cost analysis was con...
What needs improvement with Toad for Oracle?
I think Toad for Oracle should create an academy for training youngsters on how to code and debug using the Oracle PL/SQL extension plugin and make it more intuitive, probably using gamification, b...
What is your primary use case for Toad for Oracle?
I used Toad for Oracle for two years when I was lead Oracle 10g database administrator, during which I worked on the Nigerian census 2006 results and migrated the database into the National Populat...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Thinger.fi, Churchill College Univeristy of Cambridge, Margin Business Solutions Ltd., 4Penny.net, Sportinginsider.net, Lockheed Martin, Phillip Securities Pte Ltd, Nmbrs
intel, ebay, uber, mars, microsoft
Find out what your peers are saying about Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials vs. Toad for Oracle and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
910,479 professionals have used our research since 2012.