--- description: Learn more about Microsoft SQL Server price, benefits, and disadvantages for businesses in Australia. Read reviews from verified users and discover similar tools that fit your business needs. image: https://gdm-localsites-assets-gfprod.imgix.net/images/capterra/og_logo-e5a8c001ed0bd1bb922639230fcea71a.png?auto=format%2Cenhance%2Ccompress title: Microsoft SQL Server Cost & Reviews - Capterra Australia 2026 --- Breadcrumb: [Home](/) > [Database Software](/directory/18/database-management/software) > [Microsoft SQL Server](/software/1417/sql-server) # Microsoft SQL Server Canonical: https://www.capterra.com.au/software/1417/sql-server Page: 1 / 81\ Next: [Next page](https://www.capterra.com.au/software/1417/sql-server?page=2) > Database and analysis offering for rapidly delivering the next generation of scalable e-commerce \& line-of-business solutions. > > Verdict: Rated **4.6/5** by 1982 users. Top-rated for **Likelihood to recommend**. ----- ## Overview ### Who Uses Microsoft SQL Server? Companies of all sizes, looking for database management software ## Quick Stats & Ratings | Metric | Rating | Detail | | **Overall** | **4.6/5** | 1982 Reviews | | Ease of Use | 4.3/5 | Based on overall reviews | | Customer Support | 4.3/5 | Based on overall reviews | | Value for Money | 4.3/5 | Based on overall reviews | | Features | 4.6/5 | Based on overall reviews | | Recommendation percentage | 90% | (9/10 Likelihood to recommend) | ## About the vendor - **Company**: Microsoft - **Location**: Redmond, US - **Founded**: 1975 ## Commercial Context - **Starting Price**: USD 13,748.00 - **Pricing model**: Flat Rate (Free version available) (Free Trial) - **Pricing Details**: SQL Server offers a 180-day free trial for new users, after which the software is available across various pricing tiers Enterprise - $13748 Standard (per core) - $3586 Standard (server) - $899 Standard (CAL) - $209 Developer – Available to users for free Express – Available to users for free Additional cost for subscriptions and add-ons include - SQL Server Enterprise - $5434/year SQL Server Standard - $1418/year Big data node cores - $400/year - **Target Audience**: Self Employed, 2–10, 11–50, 51–200, 201–500, 501–1,000, 1,001–5,000, 5,001–10,000, 10,000+ - **Deployment & Platforms**: Cloud, SaaS, Web-based, Windows (Desktop), Linux (Desktop), Windows (On-Premise), Linux (On-Premise) - **Supported Languages**: Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish - **Available Countries**: France, Italy, United States ## Features - Ad hoc Reporting - Backup and Recovery - Collaboration Tools - Dashboard - Data Connectors - Data Import/Export - Data Replication - Data Synchronization - Data Visualization - Multiple Data Sources - Performance Metrics - Predictive Analytics - Reporting & Statistics - Search/Filter - Visual Analytics ## Integrations (5 total) - Microsoft Azure - Microsoft Excel - Microsoft Power BI - Microsoft Visual Studio - MySQL ## Support Options - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat ## Category - [Database Software](https://www.capterra.com.au/directory/18/database-management/software) ## Related Categories - [Database Software](https://www.capterra.com.au/directory/18/database-management/software) - [Business Intelligence (BI) Tools](https://www.capterra.com.au/directory/23/business-intelligence/software) ## Alternatives 1. [MySQL](https://www.capterra.com.au/software/11482/mysql) — 4.6/5 (2099 reviews) 2. [Google Cloud](https://www.capterra.com.au/software/170983/google-cloud-platform) — 4.7/5 (2331 reviews) 3. [MongoDB](https://www.capterra.com.au/software/127374/mongodb) — 4.7/5 (473 reviews) 4. [Microsoft Access](https://www.capterra.com.au/software/1015743/microsoft-access) — 4.4/5 (214 reviews) 5. [Airtable](https://www.capterra.com.au/software/146652/airtable) — 4.6/5 (2244 reviews) ## Reviews ### "Reliable and Powerful Database Management System" — 5.0/5 > **Piyusha** | *4 August 2026* | Hospital & Health Care | Recommendation rating: 9.0/10 > > **Pros**: Microsoft SQL Server is reliable, secure, and easy to manage for both small and enterprise-level databases. It offers powerful data management features, excellent performance, and strong integration with Microsoft tools like Power BI and Azure. The backup, restore, export, and reporting capabilities are robust, and SQL Server Management Studio makes database administration straightforward. > > **Cons**: Licensing costs can be expensive, especially for enterprise editions. Some advanced features have a learning curve, and performance tuning for large databases may require experienced database administrators. Occasional updates can also require maintenance downtime. > > My overall experience with Microsoft SQL Server has been very positive. It provides excellent performance, reliable data management, and a comprehensive set of features for developing and maintaining databases. The platform is stable, easy to use for day-to-day tasks, and offers strong security and backup options. While the licensing costs may be a consideration, the overall functionality, scalability, and reliability make it a great choice for businesses of all sizes. ----- ### "SQL Server is a robust tool that's quite capable to handle any sort of databases you can throw at it" — 4.0/5 > **Zoe** | *7 June 2025* | Mining & Metals | Recommendation rating: 8.0/10 > > **Pros**: What I like most is this product is now very very stable. It's almost rock solid and runs without many issues. It can't handle data of all shapes/sizes, and provides easy tools for admins and users alike. > > **Cons**: MY least favorite aspect of SQL server is managing security and roles for databases. Sometimes I feel like I end up in an endless spider-web of permissions trying to figure everything out. The costs can also blow out depending on your licensing requirements and if running locally in house, the hardware costs. > > Overall my experience is it's very robust as a database. Stored procedures run quickly, the server is always running, and we hardly ever have to interfere with it and its operations. It's almost been like a set and forget kind of thing. ----- ### "Easy to integrate and monitor in a complex application" — 4.0/5 > **Aditya** | *21 April 2025* | Computer Software | Recommendation rating: 8.0/10 > > **Pros**: Simple and Easy to setup, monitor and integrate in any application. > > **Cons**: It is a bit expensive and found it a bit confusing when it comes to understanding cores and CALs. > > I am using SQL server from past 10 years and never faced any issue. ----- ### "Reliable relational database platform for structured data management" — 5.0/5 > **Nikitha** | *21 September 2026* | Computer Software | Recommendation rating: 10.0/10 > > **Pros**: Microsoft SQL Server provides a strong set of Features for storing, organizing, and working with structured data. The Data Management capabilities are useful for handling databases and querying information efficiently, while Relational Data Management makes it practical to work with structured relationships between tables. Once the basics are understood, the platform is fairly straightforward to use for common database tasks. Overall, it provides good Value for Money for organizations that need a reliable relational database platform. > > **Cons**: Some advanced database administration and configuration tasks can have a learning curve, particularly for users who are new to database management. Working with larger databases can also require careful optimization and monitoring. I have occasionally encountered minor Bugs and Issues during database operations or configuration that required troubleshooting. I have limited direct experience with Customer Support, so I cannot strongly evaluate that aspect. > > My overall experience with Microsoft SQL Server has been positive. The Ease of Use makes common database tasks manageable once the basic concepts are understood, while the Features provide flexibility for querying, organizing, and managing structured data. Data Management and Relational Data Management are particularly useful when working with connected tables and larger sets of information. Although some advanced configurations and troubleshooting can require additional technical knowledge, these limitations have not significantly affected my overall experience. Overall, I believe SQL Server provides good Value for Money for users who need a capable relational database platform. ----- ### "Microsoft SQL Server is the databse of choice for no-nonsense, fast, and easy to use SQL enviroments." — 5.0/5 > **Ben** | *28 April 2026* | Information Technology & Services | Recommendation rating: 10.0/10 > > **Pros**: Microsoft SQL Server “MSSQL” has been the most stable and capable database I have ever user. In over 30 years I have never had, seen, or even heard of a MSSQL database corruption. The application is easy to use, fast, consistent, and integrates into everything with no problems. > > **Cons**: The costs for Microsoft SQL Server “MSSQL” can get extreme, but especially when working within K-12 the discounts make it basically free to use. > > I could not say enough good things about Microsoft SQL Server “MSSQL”. It does everything we need and more. ----- Page: 1 / 81\ Next: [Next page](https://www.capterra.com.au/software/1417/sql-server?page=2) ## Links - [View on Capterra](https://www.capterra.com.au/software/1417/sql-server) ## This page is available in the following languages | Locale | URL | | de | | | de-AT | | | de-CH | | | en | | | en-AE | | | en-AU | | | en-CA | | | en-GB | | | en-IE | | | en-IL | | | en-IN | | | en-NZ | | | en-SG | | | en-ZA | | | es | | | es-AR | | | es-CL | | | es-CO | | | es-CR | | | es-DO | | | es-EC | | | es-MX | | | es-PA | | | es-PE | | | fr | | | fr-BE | | | fr-CA | | | fr-LU | | | it | | | ja | | | nl | | | nl-BE | | | pt | | | pt-PT | | ----- ## Structured Data