Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service comparison

Microsoft and Oracle are both solutions in the Database as a Service (DBaaS) category. Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.5, while Oracle is ranked #11 with an average rating of 9.3. Microsoft holds a 10.5% mindshare in DS, compared to Oracle’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of Oracle users who would recommend it.
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Read 134 Microsoft Azure SQL Database reviews
  • 4,459 Views
  • 4,370 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
Oracle Exadata Express Clou...
Read 12 Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service reviews
  • 762 Views
  • 312 Comparison Views
88% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report
Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 12, 2024

Microsoft Azure SQL Database and Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service are two prominent cloud-based database solutions. Microsoft Azure SQL Database appears to have the upper hand in pricing and deployment based on user reviews, while Oracle Exadata is recognized for its superior features that justify its higher cost.

Features: Microsoft Azure SQL Database offers scalability, integration with Microsoft tools, and AI-driven performance insights. Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service stands out with robust analytics, high availability, and extensive support for complex queries.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Azure SQL Database users suggest improvements in automated backups, advanced query optimization, and better user interface design. Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service users express the need for a more user-friendly setup process, better documentation, and enhanced customer support options.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Azure SQL Database is praised for its simpler, faster deployment process and responsive support. Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service, although having a steeper learning curve and slower deployment times, provides knowledgeable support.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Azure SQL Database is generally viewed as cost-effective with straightforward pricing and positive ROI. Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service, while more expensive, is considered worth the investment by users who need its advanced capabilities.

DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE REPORT
To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service Report (Updated: March 2026).
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service
March 2026
Download the complete report
Helped 884,873 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

Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
134
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Oracle Exadata Express Clou...
Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)
11th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Database as a Service (DBaaS) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Azure SQL Database is 10.5%, down from 15.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service is 1.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Database as a Service (DBaaS) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Azure SQL Database10.5%
Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service1.5%
Other88.0%
Database as a Service (DBaaS)
 

Featured Reviews

Thomas Sawyer - PeerSpot reviewer
Thomas Sawyer
Executive Director, Platform Architecture at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation – SMBC Group
Automatic tuning and multi-region availability have reduced manual workloads and improved performance management
The features of Microsoft Azure SQL Database that I like the most are easy scaling and high availability. I appreciate those features because it's easy to make Microsoft Azure SQL Database readily available in a multi-region infrastructure. Using Microsoft Azure SQL Database is very easy; it's much easier than SQL on-premise because I don't have to worry about deploying infrastructure, and I can rapidly deploy via infrastructure as code. I am using the automatic tuning feature in Microsoft Azure SQL Database. We are using the new feature of data encryption in Microsoft Azure SQL Database with customer-managed keys only. The reliability and stability of Microsoft Azure SQL Database platform are rock-solid; it's as good, if not better, than what our on-premise stability has been from an uptime perspective.
Read full review
Shrikant Navelkar - PeerSpot reviewer
Shrikant Navelkar
Director at Clover Infotech
Have achieved excellent performance and seamless integration with effective cost control in cloud solutions
When customers are migrating from Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service and need to remove some of their test and development environment, what happens in normal virtualization is that they can just switch it off, but in ExaCS, they need to terminate the entire thing. Most of the customers are not aware of this, so they keep spending money even if they want to shut down their UAT environment or development environment, so Oracle needs to make it simpler in terms of reducing the bill on ExaCS when customers want to shut down certain environments. Today, you have to terminate the entire VM, and only then your billing will stop. The only functionality I would expect from Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service is that if Oracle is able to support Oracle MySQL Enterprise also on Exadata, that will solve a lot of problems.
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 administration console in Azure, all in one is the most valuable feature."
"Azure SQL is easy to integrate and simplifies things from a licensing perspective. We're comfortable with SQL versus other types of databases, so we feel better talking to Microsoft."
"The feature I appreciate most about Microsoft Azure SQL Database is the ease of use; whenever we navigate to the portal, we realize that it is user-friendly and intuitive, and if there is a problem such as an application being down, we know exactly where to look and what to do to troubleshoot it quickly."
"The interface is awesome."
"This solution offers high availability, and business continuity is in place."
"The initial setup was straightforward. We did not migrate from an existing system but implemented it from scratch and did not require Microsoft support. We were building Power Platform apps using SharePoint databases and Excel. And after that, we realized that we had to integrate it with SQL. It wasn't too hard, and our partners have people with experience."
"The most valuable feature is PolyBase."
"It's easy to use and maintain. If we look at the development of the maintenance team, we are not directly responsible for any infrastructure issues. We have too many positive sides to that. No maintenance, easy to use, and we'll know the limits very well."
More Microsoft Azure SQL Database pros
"I like that Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service is easier to use and is a cost-saving solution because you won't need to hire people to run and maintain it."
"I highly recommend Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service as a very good solution if you can afford it."
"Having the prediction happen in the modular format allows you to start with a lower version of Exadata and then you can keep on upgrading it as per your requirement."
"I would rate Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service ten out of ten for its overall solution."
"The solution is very stable and offers great performance."
"One of the most valuable parts of the solution is the high availability within the system and the performance enhancement without making any changes or fine-tuning the databases."
"In the cloud, Exadata is more scalable. The on-prem version was limited. It wasn't that scalable because it only came in a quarter rack, half rack, and full rack. In the cloud, it scales to what you need."
"It is a scalable product."
More Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service pros
 

Cons

"Scalability is an issue because we can't upgrade to new versions due to hardware limitations."
"The preset configuration switches we can select on SQL Azure should be made more liberal to work on."
"The only thing that concerns me today is the pricing connected with Microsoft Azure SQL Database; everything else is all right."
"The solution’s visibility could be improved."
"The reason for this rating is that we do not get the support we need unless it is a critical situation. For example, in a priority B case, the support engineer may not contact us for two days, which is a significant area for improvement."
"Microsoft Azure SQL Database can be improved overall by being able to compete with some of the features that come from things such as PostgreSQL."
"The initial setup was very complex."
"They should also simplify the security in Azure. We are using the cloud as a platform, so there is no physical infrastructure. We're using Azure components like databases and servers to create an application. Integrating those components in terms of permissions and security is challenging for us. Maybe there is a lack of knowledge on our side, but it's not straightforward."
More Microsoft Azure SQL Database cons
"The support must be faster."
"The only downside is the difficulty in monitoring, and that's why I would like to implement MySQL database."
"The customer's default choice is the on-premise version of this solution. Only when Oracle or the partners like us, can explain to customers the cloud value proposition, and if the compliance authorities allow, they can look into this cloud solution. It will take some time for Oracle to change its perception of customers' de-facto standards. Exadata used to be treated as a black box, which is not the case now. The customer is aware of what is happening inside, how the configurations have been made, and what patching has been applied. Oracle needs to market the cloud version better."
"The solution's pricing could be improved."
"Oracle's support could be better."
"I feel there is a need for better integration with Google Maps and Google Earth. This is crucial for me in the geographical facilities of the environment."
"Scaling Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service can be done, but the process is a little tedious, which could be an area for improvement in the solution."
"The product's installation process needs improvement. It could be more accessible."
More Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price in general of Azure SQL could improve."
"It only has a subscription-based license."
"We pay less than $1000 monthly in licensing fees. There are no additional costs."
"I would like it to be cheaper, but comparatively, it is reasonably priced."
"There is a license required to use the solution and it cost $30 to do the installation."
"Microsoft Azure SQL Database is not cheap."
"It requires a license. As compared to its competitors, such as Oracle, it is affordable and reasonable."
"The cost is around $2,000 per month."
More Microsoft Azure SQL Database pricing and cost advice
"The tool is not cheap, but it is not really expensive."
"I think Oracle pricing is usually above average market price."
"The price of this solution is very comparative to others on the market. There is no direct comparison between this solution and with something else because I do not see any other similar product."
report
See which vendors are best for you
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Database as a Service (DBaaS) solutions are best for your needs.
See recommendations
884,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
13%
Marketing Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Recruiting/Hr Firm
13%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Educational Organization
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business60
Midsize Enterprise17
Large Enterprise61
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise8
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about SQL Azure?
The automated scalability feature of SQL Azure has proven to be highly beneficial, particularly when deployed in the cloud.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SQL Azure?
I would say I am at a basic experience level with the pricing, setup costs and licensing because while I am the administrator for the service, I do not provision the services and worry about the co...
See all answers
What needs improvement with SQL Azure?
I have no comments at the moment on how Microsoft Azure SQL Database can be improved. I have no comments on additional features that I would like to see released in the next release. I do not have ...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service?
Oracle is quite expensive here in Brazil. Pricing is the primary challenge we face with Oracle.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service?
When customers are migrating from Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service and need to remove some of their test and development environment, what happens in normal virtualization is that they can just...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service?
We have been implementing Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service for our customers for more than 10 to 12 years for our various customers through the on-premise Exadata offerings Oracle has.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Google Cloud SQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database Logo
Google Cloud SQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Compared 17% of the time
Amazon RDS vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database Logo
Amazon RDS vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Compared 14% of the time
MongoDB Atlas vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database Logo
MongoDB Atlas vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Compared 12% of the time
Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database Logo
Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Compared 11% of the time
More Microsoft Azure SQL Database Competitors
Google Cloud SQL vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service Logo
Google Cloud SQL vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service
Compared 22% of the time
Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service Logo
Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service
Compared 18% of the time
Oracle Database Appliance vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service Logo
Oracle Database Appliance vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service
Compared 15% of the time
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service Logo
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service
Compared 15% of the time
Teradata vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service Logo
Teradata vs Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service
Compared 9% of the time
More Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
March 2026
Microsoft Azure SQL Database reportDownload Microsoft Azure SQL Database product report
Buyer's Guide
Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service
March 2026
Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service reportDownload Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service product report
 

Overview

Microsoft Azure SQL Database is a relational database-as-a-service that delivers predictable performance, scalability, business continuity, data protection, and near-zero administration to cloud developers and solution architects. This is the deep technical library for Azure SQL Database.

Microsoft

Oracle Database Exadata Express Cloud Service delivers a managed Oracle Database 12c Release 2 Enterprise Edition with options, running on Oracle Exadata engineered systems – all at a highly affordable entry-level price. It is a full Oracle Database experience, compatible with what you get on-premises or in other Oracle Database Cloud Services, provisioned within minutes, and suitable for small to medium sized data.

Oracle
 

Sample Customers

adnymics GmbH, LG CNS, Centrebet, netfabb GmbH, MedPlast, Accelera Solutions, Sochi Organizing Committee, realzeit GmbH
TAFEL LEIPZIG, AS ONE
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service
March 2026
Free Report: Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
DOWNLOAD NOW
884,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
See our Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. Oracle Exadata Express Cloud Service report.
See our list of best Database as a Service (DBaaS) vendors.

We monitor all Database as a Service (DBaaS) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.