IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server vs Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials vs SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer comparison

IDERA and Redgate are both solutions in the Database Development and Management category. IDERA is ranked #12 with an average rating of 7.0, while Redgate is ranked #9. IDERA holds a 4.3% mindshare in DDM, compared to Redgate’s 6.5% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of IDERA users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Redgate users who would recommend it.

IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manage...

Read 9 IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server reviews

822 Views
608 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essent...

Read 2 Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials reviews

1,151 Views
1,105 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

SolarWinds Database Perform...

Read 12 SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer reviews

1,226 Views
1,226 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manage...

Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essent...

SolarWinds Database Perform...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server, Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials, and SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle, Quest Software, Nutanix and others in Database Development and Management.

To learn more, read our detailed Database Development and Management Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

July 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 865,576 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:

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Database Development and Management category, the mindshare of IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server is 4.3%, up from 3.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials is 6.5%, up from 5.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is 9.3%, up from 8.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Database Development and Management

Featured Reviews

reviewer2317098

Assistant at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Offers effective monitoring of resources but lacks the ability to connect to an AWS instance and write custom queries.

We use it mainly for monitoring, including CPU, memory, and disk space, and for troubleshooting purposes We've set up alerts to notify us when performance deviates from the baseline we've configured for each resource. So, whenever that happens, we get an alert and can investigate immediately. So,…

Read full review

ChristopherSmith1

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.

Read full review

Ravi Khanchandani

Founder Director at Techsa Services

Excels in identifying various database performance issues, including long-running queries, wait times, deadlocks, and other performance-related issues.

There's room for improvement on the dashboarding side. Specifically, the health dashboard of the database instances. Some of my customers deal with a large number of monitored database instances. It would be beneficial if they could have a single dashboard for instances, for example, from number one to thirty. This way, I could monitor all these 30 instances and quickly identify any performance issues on any of them. The dashboarding capability definitely needs improvement. In future releases, there should be custom reports and dashboards are crucial. Not everyone needs to see the same page every time. For example, if I'm interested in MYSQL databases, I should have a view that focuses only on MYSQL databases. Customization like this, where users can tailor their dashboards to specific needs, is essential for improving the product.

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

"The best part of SQL DM is the ability to customize alerts and counters. This allows our team to find an issue then alert on the issue at a granular level."

"The ability to go back and look at historical data is the most valuable feature."

"Monitors and alerts on our mission critical instances in real-time on a 24/7 basis."

"We're able to diagnose issues prior to their actually becoming issues. Without the alerting, we wouldn't have a clue as to what was going to happen. With the alerting, it gives us a heads-up that a specific threshold has been met, and we need to take specific action."

"SQL DM made troubleshooting much easier and allowed multiple people to look into an issue with confidence."

"Memory and CPU utilization features are good."

"The most valuable features are disk space projections for planning, and also the Snapshotting ability, to look back in time, to see what was going on the server at a particular time. It's basically the output of an sp_who2."

"It is easy to track the reports, this is what is most valuable for me."

"The most valuable feature is SQL Search."

"The platform solves and prevents delays in receiving answers from databases."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the support for older databases and the ability to manage them in a centralized dashboard."

"Monitoring is most valuable, and being able to know that there is an issue or problem and I need to go look is also valuable. So, monitoring and learning are the most important features."

"What I like most about SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is that it's a powerful solution that lets me advise customers about performance, and it also gives a lot of supporting information."

"The initial setup is pretty straightforward."

"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer can help us identify issues we cannot see manually."

"The most valuable feature of SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is anomaly detection. It alerts you when things outside the norm are happening, and the feature that analyzes your indexes informs you if you have wide or overlapping indexes. It also helps identify SQL query bottlenecks, letting you know if something is taking longer than usual, if a query plan has changed, and if you need to update statistics. In terms of usage, it is straightforward to use, learn and understand. The patching process is smooth and explains each feature, including links to external resources for further reading."

"In IT, problems often occur in areas such as applications, web interfaces, or databases. The tool allows users to easily determine the root cause of these issues, whether they stem from the network layer, database layer, or elsewhere."

More SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer pros

Cons

"The initial setup gives too many user rights to the server, so you have to put a user that is part administrator's group - that's the preferred way - on each server, which is kind of a risk. You want to do least privilege and you're not doing that."

"I'm going to do an upgrade which may resolve my issues, but one area for improvement is its ability to handle the amount of data that we collect with it. We're likely one of the largest installations, with over 300 servers being collected with this product, and sometimes there are gaps. That would really be my only concern, in terms of how the data is collected and stored, for consistency."

"We don't find that it helps us with performance monitoring and diagnostics. We find that SentryOne does that better. Also, in terms of alerts, we had to customize them dramatically so that we didn't get alerted on every little thing."

"One thing I'd like to see is the ability to view the execution plan and have the system automatically recommend potential query optimizations, especially at the query level."

"I would absolutely love to create customized dashboards but, unfortunately, they don't provide me the information that I need to create the report. The report I need is the detail or the transaction detail that's happening on those Snapshots. I'd like to be able to go back through time and search for things. I don't have that functionality, which is very disappointing. That's pretty bad and frustrating because I could query it and find out so much information about what's hitting my environment and when, but instead, they want control over it and to not give me that information. So it's encrypted. I can't pull it out and that is really bothersome."

"They can improve checking the status of the CPU, memory, and IO utilization from each task."

"It would helpful if SQL DM could mark when changes are made within the program."

"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."

"The areas where it currently lags are in reporting and dashboarding. The reports and dashboards are somewhat static, and we cannot create custom dashboards for specific customer needs."

"One area where the tool could improve is by adding support for additional databases. For instance, supporting newer databases like Couchbase or MongoDB would be beneficial."

"There is room for improvement with the pricing of the platform."

"It is capable, but I don't believe it has the right value matrix. It also depends on the budget of the company."

"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer should include more details on how everything works."

"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer should be easy to implement and it should have more facilities to make it better."

"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer should provide customization options allowing users to add different columns."

"The solution should add little details on the server so that an independent team could easily do the implementation."

More SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We were upgraded to Premium Support without their actually asking us, when we were quoted. Then I asked for Standard Support and that they had to re-quote us that. But they don't do that by default. They upcharge you by default, which I didn't think was very nice, without even asking."

"The pricing is reasonable, it's comparable with the competitors."

"The cost is about $3,500 USD per individual to buy, and then it's about 20% per year for renewal."

"Our fees are paid on an annual basis."

"The pricing of the solution is average."

"I don't remember the exact licensing cost for SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer, but it's within the range of $2,000 to $3,000 a year."

"There are no extra costs for maintenance or using the solution's support."

"The pricing is fairly reasonable, and it becomes more cost-effective with larger volumes of instances."

"Customers need to pay for the subscription-based license annually."

"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is a little bit expensive."

"It could be less expensive."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Database Development and Management solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

865,576 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Comms Service Provider

Insurance Company

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

16%

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

Insurance Company

Computer Software Company

14%

Healthcare Company

13%

Insurance Company

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server?

The ability to go back and look at historical data is the most valuable feature.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server?

One thing I'd like to see is the ability to view the execution plan and have the system automatically recommend poten...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server?

We use it mainly for monitoring, including CPU, memory, and disk space, and for troubleshooting purposes.

See all answers

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

What do you like most about SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer?

In IT, problems often occur in areas such as applications, web interfaces, or databases. The tool allows users to eas...

See all answers

What needs improvement with SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer?

One area where the tool could improve is by adding support for additional databases. For instance, supporting newer d...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer?

We use SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer for performance monitoring, tuning, and troubleshooting performance i...

See all answers

Comparisons

SCOM vs IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server

Compared 15% of the time

SQL Sentry vs IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server

Compared 13% of the time

Spotlight vs IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server

Compared 12% of the time

More IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server Competitors

Toad for Oracle vs Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials

Compared 10% of the time

Spotlight vs Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials

Compared 9% of the time

IDERA DB Change Manager vs Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials

Compared 9% of the time

Foglight for Databases vs Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials

Compared 8% of the time

Toad Data Modeler vs Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials

Compared 5% of the time

More Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials Competitors

SQL Sentry vs SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer

Compared 38% of the time

Foglight for Databases vs SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer

Compared 18% of the time

Spotlight vs SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer

Compared 10% of the time

Oracle Enterprise Manager vs SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer

Compared 9% of the time

More SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server

August 2025

IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server report

Download IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

July 2025

Download Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials product report

Buyer's Guide

SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer

July 2025

SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer report

Download SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer product report

Also Known As

IDERA SQL DM, IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager

No data available

Confio, SolarWinds DPA, Ignite8

Overview

SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server helps database administrators to find and fix SQL Server performance problems in physical, virtual, and cloud environments. Unlike its competition, it provides effective scalability, advanced SQL query analysis and optimization, prescriptive analysis with corrective SQL scripts, powerful automated alert responses, broad PowerShell integration, complete customization, and extensive support for current and legacy SQL Server and Windows.

IDERA

Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials provides DBA teams with advanced tools for SQL development and deployment. It enhances productivity by simplifying complex tasks related to database management.

Designed for professionals managing SQL databases, Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials offers an integrated suite to streamline development pipelines and ensure deployments are efficient and error-free. It supports SQL code management, version control, and automated deployments, making it indispensable for organizations focusing on database performance and management. Its ease of integration and intuitive functionalities cater specifically to an audience that requires precision and reliability in database administration, providing an effective solution for maintaining high standards in database operations.

What are the most valuable features?

Version Control: Seamless integration with source control systems for managing SQL code changes.
Deployment Automation: Streamlines deployment processes, reducing human error and maintenance time.
Code Comparison: Highlights differences in SQL codes for better decision-making and debugging.
Performance Monitoring: Tools to monitor database processes and optimize performance effectively.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Improved Efficiency: Automates routine tasks, reducing manual oversight and freeing up valuable resources.
Risk Mitigation: Advanced version control and change tracking reduce database-related risks.
Time Savings: Speeds up development and deployment cycles, providing quicker turnarounds.

Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials finds application in industries managing significant data workloads like finance, healthcare, and retail. Its deployment features ensure seamless integration into existing infrastructure, supporting critical operations dependent on robust database architecture. It aligns with industry-specific demands by offering reliable solutions tailored with precision.

Redgate

SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is a powerful monitoring service that allows customers to monitor their databases. It offers system metrics such as RAM consumption, IO, network traffic, etc. The service is available for both on-prem and cloud deployments, making it a versatile solution for businesses of all sizes.

The most valuable feature is its ability to monitor and learn from the data it collects, helping identify issues and problems before they become major problems, and saving businesses time and money. The service also provides supporting information for performance advising, which helps optimize database performance.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

Padnos, University of Notre Dame, D4, Infeon Technologies, Chevron, LC Waikiki, Sisters of Saint Francis Health Services, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, CVE, Colorado State University, St. Charles, Chaucer PLC, 1-800-Flowers, Ancoris, Money Management, National Opinion Research Center, California Department of Health, Plexus; Aviva, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, CBS, Comcast, Google, Merck, Regions Financial, Schneider Electric, Tata Consultancy Services, Verizon Communications, Zurich Financial Services

Thinger.fi, Churchill College Univeristy of Cambridge, Margin Business Solutions Ltd., 4Penny.net, Sportinginsider.net, Lockheed Martin, Phillip Securities Pte Ltd, Nmbrs

GSI Commerce, Liquid Digital Media, ProLogis, Indiana University

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

July 2025

Download Free Report

Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle, Quest Software, Nutanix and others in Database Development and Management. Updated: July 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

865,576 professionals have used our research since 2012.