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LocalDB vs Oracle Database In-Memory vs SQL Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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 May 2025, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of LocalDB is 2.7%, down from 2.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Database In-Memory is 1.6%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SQL Server is 17.9%, down from 23.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Relational Databases Tools
 

Featured Reviews

Srini-Dhanaraj - PeerSpot reviewer
The database always has structured data, like rows, columns, and bases
LocalDB is an excellent solution for learners, beginners, and projects of negligible size; it is very good. Any startup can use a local database to start. Once they grow beyond its limits, they can migrate to a MS SQL server that's also available on-premises. I rate it ten out of ten.
Laksiri Bala - PeerSpot reviewer
Faster processing and improved memory operations have enhanced transaction and analytics efficiency
The valuable features of Oracle Database In-Memory ( /products/oracle-database-in-memory-reviews ) include its capability to bypass disk storage for faster memory operations, which is critical for transactions and analytics. It also offers specific memory areas, like in-memory cache, that act as intermediaries between disk and buffer cache. This feature helps organizations handle real-time memory requirements effectively.
Kapil Dev Khatri - PeerSpot reviewer
Helps monitor queries and identify which indexes need to be created in the databases
SQL Server is very simple due to its GUI, which is available for users. It allows for modifications and has execution plans available, along with options such as activity monitoring. This helps monitor queries and identify which indexes need to be created in the databases, tables, or columns to improve performance.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature of LocalDBis the connection between the application and DB."
"The initial setup was simple."
"LocalDB is an excellent solution for learners, beginners, and projects of negligible size; it is very good."
"The solution is fast."
"The initial setup is very straightforward. The guidelines are very easy to follow. Maintenance is very easy and requires very little manpower."
"The most valuable feature is that Database-In-Memory is more consistent and faster than traditional databases as it requires fewer CPUs to process instructions."
"The product offers high scalability."
"We find the dashboard and the speed of data processing very valuable in Oracle Database In-Memory."
"Oracle Database In-Memory is a suite of features that improves performance for real-time analytics and mixed workloads."
"Security is the most valuable feature."
"The application development is very user-friendly."
"I like Oracle because it is a backward-compatible solution."
"It efficiently handles low-code data and supports read-and-write operations for clustering."
"Microsoft SQL Server is one of the better database administration software packages out there. It runs primarily on Windows Server platforms, but it can also run on Linux platforms."
"SQL Server is quite stable. And now we are using the Lattice 2017 version."
"The performance of the SQL Server is very good."
"It will do clustering, so you can have two database servers looking at the same data simultaneously."
"What I like most is the management, as it is very easy compared with other products."
"The initial setup is easy, flawless."
"It is the latest technology and pretty powerful in terms of the high availability of the virtual server."
"Its speed and the ease of server management are valuable. If I compare Microsoft SQL Server to MySQL, what I like in Microsoft SQL Server is the speed. We are using Microsoft Management Studio for managing our Microsoft SQL Server, and the user interface that I get to work with is also better."
 

Cons

"It is only for a small amount of data. Local DB is made for the purpose of small-volume optics."
"The ALM features can be improved, but the database by itself is reliable."
"The solution needs to create a management tool. Right now, the solution has tools for creating a local installation, but it's too simplistic. We need something that's a bit more complex so that we can extend the tools with our scripts."
"The initial setup is complex and requires a skilled person."
"The internal connection features of LocalDB could improve."
"The solution should move to the new way of writing software code with AI that is intelligent and learns."
"We often have to find solutions on our own through the support site, so there's room for improvement in this regard."
"The platform’s pricing needs improvement."
"Oracle Database In-Memory appliance-based solutions can be restrictive for some applications, as they may require more flexibility in the database design to be tuned and sized to the customer's needs."
"The product could benefit from enhancements in its graphical user interface."
"I would like Oracle Database In-Memory to include a data replication feature."
"Technical support is below our expectations currently. It could be improved."
"It would be good if Oracle could reduce downtime when transferring from non-In-Memory to In-Memory."
"The interface integration could be better."
"The ability to connect with other environments needs to be improved."
"SQL is a highly unstable server - there are patch updates on the Windows server every week, which is why we only use it for non-critical systems."
"It may be a licensing issue, but sometimes its operating speed becomes slow if we have multiple users. It's lacking some performance, but it's acceptable because we have a heavy load."
"They could improve by adding the SQL format."
"I would appreciate a dark theme for SQL Server Management Studio and ability to add databases with TDE enabled into availability groups."
"It would be great if we were able to run it on multiple operating systems and not only stick with Windows."
"SQL Server has good performance, but it could be better."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The fees are fair."
"The licensing cost is too high for LocalDB."
"There is a need to make a yearly payment towards the licensing costs, after which there is any to pay towards the support cost attached to the solution."
"The platform's licensing cost needs improvement."
"The pricing is pretty good so I rate it an eight out of ten."
"Oracle Database In-Memory is expensive."
"Database In-Memory is priced a bit higher than its competitors like Microsoft."
"It's quite costly and it comes with a fixed price."
"I rate the pricing a zero out of ten because Database In-Memory is too costly."
"The product is expensive."
"SQL Server is a cost-effective solution for a small database."
"We didn't have any licensing costs for SQL Server."
"The price of the solution could be reduced, it is expensive."
"There is a license required for this solution. One of the problems is for smaller businesses to purchases a license because it is expensive for a lot of them to afford."
"The licenses are purchased annually."
"The price of the solution is fine."
"It is annual."
"The product's price is reasonable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
14%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
20%
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Educational Organization
47%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with LocalDB?
Technically speaking, you don't need to get any updates because it's not online. It's on-premise. So once it is insta...
What is your primary use case for LocalDB?
There were multiple systems, some planned, like the mainframe, the gold database, a website, and a manual Excel sprea...
What do you like most about Oracle Database In-Memory?
We can integrate it with any data sources as well.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Database In-Memory?
Pricing is justified by the performance and business value offered by Oracle Database In-Memory. Although slightly hi...
What needs improvement with Oracle Database In-Memory?
Oracle Database In-Memory could improve by better supporting generative AI challenges, such as hallucination manageme...
Would you say the price of SQL Server is high compared to that of similar products?
SQL Server is fairly priced because it has various editions, depending on the number of users, servers, or core packs...
Has using SQL Server helped your organization in any way?
SQL Server has helped my organization through partitioning to distribute the workload, as it splits them up into smal...
Which authentication mode is best for SQL Server?
My company connects through SQL Server authentication. We have company Windows accounts, but we do not want to connec...
 

Also Known As

No data available
No data available
Microsoft SQL Server, MSSQL, MS SQL
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

AstraZeneca, Kienzle Automotive GmbH, Kodak Alaris, Unilever, Floatel International and Kongsberg Maritime, MyHero
Shanghai Customs
Microsoft SQL Server is used by businesses in every industry, including Great Western Bank, Aviva, the Volvo Car Corporation, BMW, Samsung, Principality Building Society, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and others in Relational Databases Tools. Updated: May 2025.
852,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.