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IBM Db2 Database vs Oracle Multitenant comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 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

IBM Db2 Database
Ranking in Relational Databases Tools
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
76
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Oracle Multitenant
Ranking in Relational Databases Tools
15th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
21
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of IBM Db2 Database is 6.6%, down from 7.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Multitenant is 1.1%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Relational Databases Tools Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
IBM Db2 Database6.6%
Oracle Multitenant1.1%
Other92.3%
Relational Databases Tools
 

Featured Reviews

Sathyan K - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
Saikat Nag - PeerSpot reviewer
Oracle Application Database Administrator at RP Sanjiv Goenka Group
Manages extensive utility billing applications efficiently with trusted performance and robust support
Currently, I have a very good experience with Oracle Multitenant. The pluggable database is easy to handle and manage, sharing resources efficiently. However, Oracle license pricing is an issue due to its high cost. Our organization is compelled to reduce CPU usage by seventy CPUs because the Oracle license cost depends on it.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The self-management and optimization features are probably the best on the market"
"Db2 is a very old product, but also a very stable product."
"We use DB2 HADR to replicate data on LAN to another site, and it is easy to takeover to the other site with easy integration with TSM."
"The IBM Db2 multi-workload helps me manage diverse business applications with easy management."
"When I compare IBM's mainframe Db2 for z/OS with other relational database management systems, this one wins against almost each and every other database in terms of abilities and performance."
"The most valuable features are with the industrial side."
"One feature I like in Db2 is the self-maintenance feature, and with Db2 it is safe to use self-maintenance with any data and that is the main feature in Db2 that I like."
"The solution is easy to install and simple to maintain, and the most valuable aspect of the solution is its general user-friendliness for users of all kinds."
"The database becomes pluggable. Inside this container is called a pluggable database and each application contains this pluggable database inside Multitenant. We can then share resources like control files, memory, etc. This lets you stop and start each application without impacting the others. This resource sharing is the most valuable feature"
"The ability to create multiple databases without using any additional memory and CPU, and reallocating resources among these databases as needed, dynamically, without restarting."
"It is quite stable. We have not faced any kind of instability in the database."
"The stability of Oracle Multitenant is excellent, and I would rate it a nine out of ten."
"The modernization aspect of Oracle Multitenant is significant; it wasn't available previously in database technology, but now it is, enhancing database consolidation."
"The best thing about Oracle Multitenant is its ability to consolidate multiple databases into one engine."
"I have used it for various clients and it's been working like a breeze."
"With the right configurations, you can maintain an environment without retaining the risk of losing any kind of data."
 

Cons

"The management of Db2 should be simplified because there are not too many specialists in this area, and the learning curve of Db2 specialists is very long. After the courses, probably it takes one and a half or two years to get to the point when you are using the product properly in the production systems. So, the complexity is very high, and the most important thing is to simplify the management of the product, including self-maintenance. They should simplify the installation, management, and monitoring to simplify the product. It takes too long for a person to be a specialist in this product."
"As an unbreakable system, it's a very bad design."
"Also, the website could be more intuitive. I didn't find it easy to find documentation on the website."
"The backup solution lacks flexibility in some situations and could be improved."
"The technical support can be faster."
"The product needs to improve its configuration and storage."
"It would be ideal if the solution offered backup functionality. Many similar tools already do, which means Db2 is somewhat behind the curve in terms of what a customer might expect from it."
"The only drawback that we see in Db2 Database is the crash recovery. When there is a crash and somebody has to do the recovery, Db2 Database first stops, and then it does any crash recovery. In Oracle Database, crash recovery happens within the database. The database is not shut down."
"There are many functions where changes are not easy to implement, and we try to avoid modifying these areas due to security issues and the complexity of maintaining them."
"The solution is partially extendable. It is not very easy to scale. If we want to grow, we need additional servers, which is why we are considering the cloud."
"The main area for improvement is regarding backup and recovery. Today, it’s difficult to set a pluggable database to a former point in time because flashback pluggable database doesn’t exist."
"From the scope of improvement, I would say that people are adopting new query options. Certain databases like MongoDB adopt new query options so that they can just pull the data."
"Oracle is too complex. Anyone that has experience with Oracle knows that their product design or idea may be very good, but when you go to work it will take you hours because it is very complex."
"Oracle license pricing is an issue due to its high cost. Our organization is compelled to reduce CPU usage by seventy CPUs because the Oracle license cost depends on it."
"Technical support could be faster."
"Oracle Support is relatively unprepared for this. It has improved, but it still has a lot of room for improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"Licensing fees are on a yearly basis."
"It is expensive."
"Compared to other databases, Db2 is relatively cheaper."
"It's very expensive for West African countries like ours."
"It is expensive. The price depends on the size of the machine on which you are installing the Db2 and the features you are using. It also depends on the country. IBM has different policies and different options for payment for this product."
"We did not buy it. It came with our hardware without any complimentary maintenance. If I compare Db2 Database with Oracle Database, its price is lower than Oracle Database."
"Compared to Oracle, it is so much cheaper."
"This solution is a little bit pricey."
"The price is worth the quality."
"For me, I will go with it if I have the budget. Some features are nicer than before, but at the end of the day, you always have a limited budget. I prefer to upgrade and get a specific hardware when possible. At the end, you will have to make a compromise. You will not get everything you would have liked to have."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
19%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Construction Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
19%
Construction Company
11%
Outsourcing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business21
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise48
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise9
 

Questions from the Community

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.
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 ...
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...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Multitenant?
I am only involved in the development part and not familiar with the pricing details.
What needs improvement with Oracle Multitenant?
There are no improvements needed in Oracle Multitenant, but improvements could be made in the AI part. We feel that the server, OAS, the analytics server, is missing an AI component which exists in...
What is your primary use case for Oracle Multitenant?
We use VPD, Virtual Private Database, for the multitenancy. We are selling products and using Oracle Multitenant for tenants, for building the product for our customers. We have many customers, act...
 

Also Known As

DB2
Oracle Pluggable Database
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
An Post, National Oilwell Varco, SAS Institute, Sportmaster, Y-Telecom
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Db2 Database vs. Oracle Multitenant and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
914,322 professionals have used our research since 2012.