Exasol Data Warehouse vs IBM Db2 Database comparison

Exasol and IBM are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. Exasol is ranked #34, while IBM is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.3. Exasol holds a 1.4% mindshare in SQL, compared to IBM’s 6.6% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Exasol users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of IBM users who would recommend it.

Exasol Data Warehouse

Read 8 Exasol Data Warehouse reviews

1,658 Views
1,476 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Db2 Database

Read 76 IBM Db2 Database reviews

7,938 Views
7,779 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Exasol Data Warehouse

IBM Db2 Database

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

IBM Db2 Database and Exasol Data Warehouse compete in the database management market, serving different needs. IBM Db2 shows strength with its comprehensive enterprise features, making it suitable for large organizations, while Exasol prioritizes speed, appealing to those needing rapid analytics.

Features: IBM Db2 Database includes comprehensive data security, integration with other IBM services, and strong support for SQL and NoSQL. Exasol Data Warehouse offers high-performance analytics, in-memory processing, and scalability for large data volumes.

Room for Improvement: IBM Db2 could enhance its user interface and simplify deployment processes. Improving documentation accessibility and offering more out-of-the-box analytics tools would also benefit its users. Exasol may improve in providing stronger enterprise-level support, developing more robust data integration capabilities, and expanding its cloud service offerings.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Db2 Database supports traditional deployment with thorough documentation and extensive enterprise-level support services. Exasol focuses on rapid deployment with an agile process, offering effective support for smooth and simple implementations.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Db2 Database pricing aligns with its wide-ranging enterprise features and infrastructure, providing value through robust support. Exasol offers competitive pricing aimed at excellent cost-performance for businesses needing fast analytics, focusing on maximizing ROI with high-performance capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed Exasol Data Warehouse vs. IBM Db2 Database Report (Updated: August 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Exasol Data Warehouse vs. IBM Db2 Database

August 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

Exasol Data Warehouse

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

34th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IBM Db2 Database

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

6th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of Exasol Data Warehouse is 1.4%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Db2 Database is 6.6%, down from 7.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Relational Databases Tools Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
IBM Db2 Database	6.6%
Exasol Data Warehouse	1.4%
Other	92.0%

Relational Databases Tools

Featured Reviews

Shubham-Agarwal

Manager - Projects at Cognizant

Fast query processing and easy-to-store all the data

There are very few companies that are using Exasol, but the majority of companies are using SQL Server, Cloud or IBM Db2 Database, or any other databases. Therefore, the resources are limited, which is my only concern. So if I face any issues, limited resources are available to help me resolve the issue with Exasol. From that perspective, it can be a bit of a struggle for me to find a solution. In the next release, I would like to see better compatibility issues. Currently, Exasol has limited compatibility with other software like Python and R. For example, If I talk about SQL Server, we can connect it to big data or Python, which is also compatible with different servers.

Read full review

Sathyan K

Founder, Director at perfTech Solutions Pvt Ltd

Database has secured high-volume transactions and supports fast, compliant workflow processing

Sterling B2B Integrator is a highly transactional-oriented application, which can be described as an OLTP application. Any data that flows through the application is stored in the database for each step that it performs. IBM Db2 Database helps the application work much faster from an OLTP perspective. IBM Db2 Database is SSL enabled, which means that from the security point of view, any access to the database is through SSL. Additionally, all compliance-related aspects have been taken care of from the database point of view, including database encryption and security-related features. It is highly scalable, and its performance related to database pruning is very good. It can be scaled vertically or horizontally so that data insertions and data access are much faster and more secure compared to how Oracle or other databases work.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Its speed is great."

"The most valuable feature of Exasol is its speed."

"Performance is a top priority, and it excels in this aspect."

"The solution is hands-off; you set it up insert your data and it self tunes queries."

"It is easy to scale."

"We can quickly scale the solution as it works on an MPP system."

"This solution is extremely fast and very stable; you set it up and put your data on it and as long as it's structured, it self-tunes queries and doesn't require a database administrator."

"We mainly chose Exasol for its performance reasons."

More Exasol Data Warehouse pros

"The solution has very good data compression of up to 50%. For example, if you have 50 terabytes of data, it can be reduced to 25 terabytes."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its compatibility with IBM Power Systems."

"We have moved a lot of our applications off zOS to distributed platforms and IBM UDB DB2 has been extremely critical in our solution to provide for a scale-able, cost-effective and reliable DBMS solution on distributed platform."

"Reliable, robust with great features."

"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 product is very reliable and stable, and we used to receive prompt responses from IBM on support."

"We are dealing with millions of transactions a month and the performance is very good."

"It's the best solution in terms of security, performance, and availability because the system is available 24/7."

More IBM Db2 Database pros

Cons

"The only area where we found it could improve was in custom role creation and security, and it was difficult to work with."

"The price is quite expensive relative to other similar solutions, it could be more accessible in that sense."

"There are limited resources available to help me resolve the issue with Exasol."

"They don't talk very well to with other products when it comes to connectivity. Integration is lacking."

"It's not cloud-native so many maintenance operations require downtime."

"You have to install Exasol drivers, and it's not easy to find or implement a driver into different systems."

"They should improve the security features for MPP processing."

"It would be beneficial if the updates would occur more often."

More Exasol Data Warehouse cons

"The initial set up was complex, but that was a long time ago."

"I would like to see some artificial intelligence brought into the solution."

"In my limited use case, the only major thing would be improved reporting capability."

"The technical support team is not very good when compared to the efficiency of Oracle's support."

"We have observed some glitches with the database when the amount of data is growing quickly."

"There are some issues with Db2's database file system not being readable. The storage could also be increased, and the monitoring could be improved."

"GUI needs improvement."

"The solution no longer supports POWER8."

More IBM Db2 Database cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution's cost is mid-ranged."

"It is expensive when compared to other products."

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

"It's very expensive."

"There is a license for this solution and we pay every three years."

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

"Compared to other databases, Db2 is relatively cheaper."

"We normally handle large size businesses and as far as I am aware, the license is negotiable based on the number of users and the quantitative data."

"Clients are required to purchase a license."

More IBM Db2 Database pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

11%

Outsourcing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Financial Services Firm

19%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	1
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	21
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	48

Questions from the Community

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

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.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Db2 Database?

A potential area of improvement is better documentation. From an educational perspective, it is difficult for people to understand IBM Db2 Database much faster compared to databases such as Oracle ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for IBM Db2 Database?

We use IBM Db2 Database for B2B Integrator, specifically Sterling B2B Integrator, which requires a database to store all configuration details. Any workflow that is created, any configuration messa...

See all answers

Comparisons

SQL Server vs Exasol Data Warehouse

Compared 11% of the time

Teradata vs Exasol Data Warehouse

Compared 9% of the time

Oracle Database vs Exasol Data Warehouse

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle Database In-Memory vs Exasol Data Warehouse

Compared 7% of the time

OpenText Analytics Database (Vertica) vs Exasol Data Warehouse

Compared 6% of the time

More Exasol Data Warehouse Competitors

SQL Server vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 43% of the time

Oracle Database vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 10% of the time

MySQL vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 6% of the time

Teradata vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 5% of the time

YugabyteDB vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 1% of the time

More IBM Db2 Database Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Exasol Data Warehouse

August 2026

Download Exasol Data Warehouse product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM Db2 Database

July 2026

Download IBM Db2 Database product report

Also Known As

No data available

DB2

Overview

Exasol Data Warehouse is renowned for its exceptional speed and automatic optimization, making it user-friendly. It enhances data processing on platforms such as Tableau, ensuring efficient dashboards for users across countries.

Exasol Data Warehouse offers an impressive performance by outperforming competitors like SQL Server and Oracle. Its automatic optimization and hands-off setup simplify deployment, while robust SQL support and self-tuning capabilities improve workflows. Users benefit from its high processing speed, supporting efficient data queries and broader workflows, alongside an intuitive interface and comprehensive documentation. Despite its performance strengths, it struggles with global recognition, connectivity, and integration. Challenges include custom role creation and security, with limited row-level security support. Users seek more frequent updates and better compatibility with languages such as Python and R. It requires specific drivers, is not cloud-native, and has a high cost. With limited resources available, security features for MPP processing need enhancement.

What are the key features of Exasol?

Impressive Speed: Outperforms counterparts in data processing, enhancing efficiency.
Automatic Optimization: Boosts performance and ease of use.
Robust SQL Support: Facilitates seamless data handling and queries.
Self-Tuning Capabilities: Reduces manual intervention for users.
Intuitive Interface: Enhances user engagement and accessibility.

What benefits should users look for in Exasol?

Enhanced Performance: Streamlines and accelerates BI functions.
Improved Dashboard Efficiency: Increases effectiveness on platforms like Tableau.
Ease of Use: Simplifies set-up with hands-off setup and self-tuning.
Broad Integration: Acts as backend for tools like MicroStrategy.
Central Data Repository: Supports critical data management across regions.

Exasol Data Warehouse is implemented to enhance performance in reporting systems and development processes, serving teams in Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil. It acts as a backend for reporting tools such as MicroStrategy while accelerating BI functions. It supports the resolutions of data issues from tools like Tableau, provides ad-hoc analysis, and manages critical data points efficiently.

Exasol

IBM Db2 Database provides a robust SQL dialect, multi-platform support, self-tuning memory, and strong security. Its capabilities in handling structured and unstructured data while offering high uptime make it reliable for diverse applications.

IBM Db2 Database is known for its robust performance, seamless integration, and effective data replication. It supports diverse environments and applications, leveraging its advanced features like automatic storage, data compression, and efficient resource management. Despite its strengths, complexities in learning, costly licensing, and a need for better interfaces and advanced analytics support are noted. It requires improvements in AI features, management simplification, and cloud compatibility to effectively address the dynamic needs of businesses.

What are the important features of IBM Db2 Database?

Powerful SQL Dialect: Offers extensive SQL capabilities for varied database tasks.
Multi-platform Support: Compatible with different operating systems for flexible deployment.
Self-tuning Memory: Automatically optimizes memory usage for improved performance.
High Availability: Ensures continuous service with minimal downtime.
Strong Security: Provides advanced security measures for data protection.

What benefits should users consider when evaluating IBM Db2 Database?

Ease of Use: Simplifies database management and operation.
Autonomic Features: Automatically performs optimization and recovery tasks.
Robust Performance: Maintains high efficiency in data processing and management.
Seamless Integration: Easily integrates with existing systems and applications.
Effective Data Replication: Ensures data consistency and reliability across platforms.

Organizations leverage IBM Db2 Database in financial and banking applications, including core banking systems, card management, and transaction management. It also serves as a data warehouse supporting ERP systems, e-commerce projects, and data integration. Its robustness is utilized in mainframe environments across sectors like entertainment, retail, and public cloud deployments.

IBM

Sample Customers

1&1 Internet SE 11880 Internet Services AG AB Svenska Spel Accarda AG Aera Technology Inc. AGRAVIS Raiffeisen AG Apotheken-Rechen-Zentrum GmbH AQR Capital Management, LLC arvato distribution GmbH ARZ Allgemeines Rechenzentrum GmbH Badoo Limited Baur Versand (GmbH & Co. KG) BIScience Ltd Blocket Blue Yonder GmbH Codilink UK Ltd T/A Coniq crealytics GmbH dailyme TV GmbH Dailymotion S.A. Dataforce Verlagsgesellschaft für Business Information mbH Deutsche Postbank AG Digitales Rezept Zentrum GmbH DIKW Groep direct services Gütersloh GmbH DR Technologies Ltd. dress-for-less GmbH econda GmbH emetriq GmbH empiriecom GmbH & Co. KG Flaconi GmbH Fresenius Netcare GmbH Fyber GmbH GfK SE Grant Street Group, Inc. Gruner + Jahr GmbH Gymshark UK Hahn Air Lines GmbH Hermes Einrichtungs Service GmbH & Co. KG INNOVATIVE SCHEDULING, LLC internetstores GmbH INTERSPORT Deutschland eG IQVIA Commercial GmbH & Co. OHG IQVIA Commercial Sp. z o.o. IQVIA Incorporated iVantage Health Analytics K - Mail Order GmbH & Co. KG LIQ CORP SA Manor AG Basel Match2Lists Limited MEDION AG Midasplayer AB Monsoon Accessorize Limited m-pathy GmbH msales Ltd. MTG Modern Services AB MW Aviation GmbH & Co. KG Myntra Designs Pvt Ltd Netzeffekt GmbH New Company Services Ltd. NOVENTI HealthCare GmbH Olympus Europa SE & Co. KG Operation Fistula OpsDataStore OTTO (GmbH & Co KG) Panda Retail Co. PAPSTAR GmbH Piedmont Healthcare, Inc. Questback GmbH RatePAY GmbH Revolut Ltd. Saarland-Sporttoto GmbH Sagarmatha Ltd. SIA Damara Technologies Supermärkte Nord Vertriebs GmbH & Co. KG The National Research Center for College & University Admissions, Inc. United Utilities Water Ltd. Verlag C.H. Beck oHG Vocal Planet Ltd. Vodafone Group Services GmbH Webtrekk GmbH wer liefert was? GmbH Windeln.de SE Wooga GmbH XING SE Zalando SE

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

Buyer's Guide

Exasol Data Warehouse vs. IBM Db2 Database

August 2026

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