IBM Db2 Database vs SQL Server 2014 Express comparison

IBM and Cognosys Inc Hardened Images are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. IBM is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.4, while Cognosys Inc Hardened Images is ranked #30 with an average rating of 7.0. Additionally, 90% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Cognosys Inc Hardened Images users who would recommend it.

IBM Db2 Database

Read 75 IBM Db2 Database reviews

3,607 Views
3,463 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

SQL Server 2014 Express

Read 2 SQL Server 2014 Express reviews

176 Views
60 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Db2 Database

SQL Server 2014 Express

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between IBM Db2 Database and SQL Server 2014 Express based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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January 2026

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Helped 881,114 peers since 2012

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

5th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SQL Server 2014 Express

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

30th

Average Rating

7.0

Reviews Sentiment

5.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

reviewer2708292

Associate Director, Data Architecture at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Support improves setup and maintenance while pricing influences decision

If you have a similar use case and the same deal with IBM as our company, it is definitely a good option and choice. The company I work with has more than 50,000 people and more than 500 support staff. We are not locked into one database vendor. We typically work with multiple database vendors simultaneously, selecting the top choice based on the deals we make and other considerations. We do not use IBM Db2 Database related to AI at this moment because our AI project PLC is still very small scale. We may consider it in the future if we have enough scale. Overall rating for IBM Db2 Database is 8.5 out of 10.

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Rajneesh Prajapati

Senior Rpa Consultant at Accely Consulting

Reliable data storage has boosted automation logs and now needs fewer limits for growing workloads

The best features SQL Server 2014 Express offers are that it is free and reliable. The biggest advantage is that it is free and very stable, which makes it ideal for small scale and non-critical workloads. It integrates easily with .NET applications, automation tools, and reporting solutions. Setting up the installation and basic configuration is straightforward even for a small team. The integration with .NET applications and automation tools helps my team and projects by allowing me to record and store large amounts of data quickly. It processes very fast, stores very fast, reads the data, searches the data, and executes queries very quickly. However, in Excel, it does not work when the data is large. SQL Server 2014 Express has impacted my organization positively because it is time-saving. When I try to read Excel with a large amount of data, it is slow and sometimes it does not open because there is a lot of data. Sometimes Excel crashes. When I use SQL Server 2014 Express, it is very quick and time-saving, properly visible, and I can track where the data is breaking. It is reliable and cost-efficient for small use cases, but scalability and feature limitations prevent a higher rating.

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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

"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."

"It's easy to search and extract data from the warehouse using queries."

"We had a crash of the backup system and the IBM DB2 was always up and consistent. It's robust, and for us, it was always up and running."

"The most valuable features are the simplicity of the database and the access to Db2 and Db2 information."

"Reliable, robust with great features."

"The solution can scale."

"The most valuable feature of the IBM Db2 Database is the ease of use, and the ability to do query writing of any SQL statement and have an output."

"The stability of IBM Db2 Database is stable. We have not faced any downtime in one year. Our work is mostly during business hours and during that time, we haven't faced any downtime."

More IBM Db2 Database pros

"SQL Server 2014 Express has impacted my organization positively because it is time-saving."

"SQL Server 2014 Express has positively impacted my organization by improving my knowledge in SQL coding and making my work faster."

Cons

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

"The application development requires a Java developer and not every company has these resources."

"The usage of Db2 could be simplified, as it is quite complex and requires substantial knowledge of Db2 and zOS."

"The licensing fees can be reduced."

"The price should be lower."

"Microsoft SQL Server is comparatively very simple to use. I wish IBM would move towards making Db2 easy to use for both basic and advanced users. This is where I see room for advancement. Db2 is also more expensive than Microsoft SQL Server, and its price can be reduced. The replication feature needs to be there in Db2. Microsoft provides similar functionality in SQL Server. IBM also has similar functionality, but it exists in a different product. So, to have the replication ability, you have to buy a different product. It makes sense to have this functionality within Db2 instead of a different product. It will also be helpful in terms of competition. In Africa, the problem for Db2 is competition. Oracle Database and Microsoft SQL Server have been in this market for a very long time. These companies have built the ecosystem and the brand within this market for a very long time. So, they are very popular with users. Db2 or IBM came a little later in the game, and that's where the problem lies. They also don't do a lot of marketing for it, which is also a problem."

"The solution no longer supports POWER8."

More IBM Db2 Database cons

"SQL Server 2014 Express can be improved as there are some resource limits. There are limitations on database size, memory, and CPU usage which restrict scalability."

"SQL Server 2014 Express can be improved by increasing the maximum 10 gigabytes for a database, as it would be better if this limit were increased."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is expensive when compared to other products."

"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."

"The solution's pricing is fine."

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

"Clients are required to purchase a license."

"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."

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

"We don't see what the specific price of the DB2 license is because we pay for the backup license as a package."

More IBM Db2 Database pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

18%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Government

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	48

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Db2 Database?

Db2 database scalability and performance capabilities match our database needs. It covers pretty much everything a database administrator or engineer might need.

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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?

The IBM Db2 Database is a good solution, but now there is a high maintenance charge. The IBM Db2 Database needs improved support, and there are many difficulties in using it. We tend to use the clo...

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What needs improvement with SQL Server 2014 Express?

SQL Server 2014 Express can be improved by increasing the maximum 10 gigabytes for a database, as it would be better if this limit were increased.

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What is your primary use case for SQL Server 2014 Express?

My main use case for SQL Server 2014 Express is querying with SQL code. I use SQL Server 2014 Express in my work for analyzing the data set, so I can learn how to use SQL code and how to correctly ...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering SQL Server 2014 Express?

The advice I would give to others looking into using SQL Server 2014 Express is to be careful about the size of the database. I would rate this product a 7.

See all answers

Comparisons

SQL Server vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 40% of the time

Oracle Database vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 17% of the time

SAP HANA vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 9% of the time

Teradata vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 9% of the time

MySQL vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 5% of the time

More IBM Db2 Database Competitors

No data available

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IBM Db2 Database

January 2026

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Also Known As

DB2

No data available

Overview

DB2 Enterprise for Linux, UNIX, and Windows is the ideal data server for the most demanding workloads. New XML support is designed to help firms minimize the time and effort it takes to persist and use their XML data reducing development costs and improving business agility.

IBM

SQL Server 2014 Express is a free, feature-rich database that provides capabilities for lightweight data-driven applications. It offers seamless integration, making it ideal for developers who need a reliable and manageable environment.

Designed for small-scale applications, SQL Server 2014 Express delivers a robust platform for developers. Its architecture supports efficient data management and application development without additional costs. With features like advanced security and scalability, it caters to complex needs with ease, providing tools for data storage and dynamic application growth.

What are the key features of SQL Server 2014 Express?

Advanced Security: Ensures data integrity with strong authentication and authorization.
Data Scalability: Efficiently handles growing amounts of data without compromising performance.
Full-Text Search: Provides powerful search capabilities within text data.
Integration Services: Simplifies data transformation and importing tasks.

Why should users review SQL Server 2014 Express?

Cost-Effectiveness: Offers substantial features at no cost, reducing operational expenses.
Performance: Optimized for quick data retrieval and processing, enhancing application speed.
Manageability: Provides simple configuration and management tools.
Reliability: Ensures consistent data availability and uptime.

SQL Server 2014 Express is widely implemented across industries like retail and healthcare, where reliable, scalable data management systems are essential. Its support for application development and data handling helps businesses innovate efficiently and maintain competitive operations.

Cognosys Inc Hardened Images

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

Information Not Available

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January 2026

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