Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs SAP HANA Cloud comparison

Microsoft and SAP are both solutions in the Database as a Service (DBaaS) category. Microsoft is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.6, while SAP is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.1. Additionally, 96% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 87% of SAP users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Read 118 Microsoft Azure SQL Database reviews

3,076 Views
3,045 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

SAP HANA Cloud

Read 7 SAP HANA Cloud reviews

158 Views
158 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

Microsoft Azure SQL Database

SAP HANA Cloud

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 21, 2025

Microsoft Azure SQL Database and SAP HANA Cloud compete in cloud-based data management. Microsoft Azure SQL Database appears to have an advantage in terms of pricing and support, while SAP HANA Cloud stands out for its advanced features and analytics capabilities.

Features: Microsoft Azure SQL Database has robust data security, automatic backups, and flexible scalability. SAP HANA Cloud offers real-time analytics, integration capabilities, and in-memory processing, creating a feature-rich environment ideal for data-driven enterprises.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Azure SQL Database could benefit from enhancements in its real-time analytics and machine learning capabilities. SAP HANA Cloud might improve in ease of deployment, cost structure, and simplifying advanced feature utilization for new users.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Azure SQL Database provides straightforward deployment aided by extensive documentation and support. SAP HANA Cloud may require more expertise for deployment, but it is supported by specialized customer service that caters to complex needs.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Azure SQL Database is known for its cost-effectiveness and high ROI potential thanks to a pay-as-you-go model and low initial setup costs. SAP HANA Cloud, though it requires a higher initial investment, promises substantial ROI due to its advanced analytics and performance benefits. Microsoft focuses on cost efficiency, while SAP prioritizes performance and analytics.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. SAP HANA Cloud Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. SAP HANA Cloud

September 2025

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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)

2nd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

118

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SAP HANA Cloud

Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)

11th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

3.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Charley Hanania

Data Platform Specialist at QS2 AG - Quality Software Solutions

It is very easy to implement, manage, and offers great insights into what is happening inside the engine

Microsoft Azure SQL Database is integrated into other Azure capabilities and has a great foundation being on SQL Server with a long history of security, performance, and usability from a DBA perspective. Once you've set up a server, adding databases is easy. There's a minor challenge with having data in separate databases that you want to connect like we do on premises. I'm looking forward to using some of these new AI-driven functions that have come out around vectorization. Having the data closer to my transactional databases or data makes it easy to augment and enhance the Database and applications I currently use. It's great that Azure SQL now seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Fabric. It's a first-tier service in the cloud that connects to web applications and other databases. The data transformation orchestration capabilities within Database Factory and similar capabilities make it effortless to move that stuff forward.

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Bassem Mohammed

IT Application Manager at TBTD

Has improved performance by enabling smoother business operations and real-time data integration

I am satisfied with SAP HANA Cloud and don't see any room for improvement. I don't use SAP HANA Cloud's machine learning feature at this moment. Currently, we don't use SAP HANA Cloud's ability to support hybrid data landscapes in our organization. SAP HANA Cloud can integrate real-time analytics with transactional data processing in my businesses by connecting it with other systems such as government systems and HR systems for fingerprint recognition. We are already using BOBJ or SAP BW for predictive analytics, which is an old solution from SAP. My overall rating for SAP HANA Cloud is eight out of 10. The reason I don't give it a higher score is that there are some concerns related to security and certain features that I have not seen yet.

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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

"It is easily scalable, and it is faster than SQL Server. It is also less expensive than using SQL Server. It has the pay-as-you-go model, and the charges are based on the usage."

"Great auto-scaling and security features."

"We have used SQL for a long time. Azure SQL has helped teams across the organization to use SQL's full potential. I can't say what the cost savings were precisely, but I believe it has reduced the total cost of ownership."

"Azure Portal is most valuable."

"The backup features are the most valuable."

"It's user-friendly. Compared to other solutions, it's based more on clicks, not on scripts. It's easy to manage."

"It is very fast in replicating the data from one database to another. We do some extractions from multiple databases to a target database that we use for visualization. It has a good speed."

"I prefer using Microsoft SQL Server because I like the experience and the way Microsoft handles the query tuning and security."

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database pros

"Using SAP HANA Cloud, we can replicate the data into HANA and use live data, which improves our business decision-making."

"The best features of SAP HANA Cloud are that its software is effective because it has tight integration between other functions, such as finance, materials, and sales."

"From my perspective, the best features of SAP HANA Cloud are that it's an ERP system connecting all departments together, making it a very smooth software for business operations."

"I would rate SAP HANA Cloud nine to ten out of ten."

Cons

"Microsoft Azure SQL Database would benefit from enhanced documentation, along with ongoing improvements to scalability and cost-effectiveness."

"The solution has to scale up its expertise for hosting Oracle."

"Certain features available commercially may not be applicable in our gov cloud."

"The product could be more competitive in terms of features, security, and scalability."

"There is so much information that it becomes confusing at times. The information can be more friendly. They could also provide additional training, especially at the beginning."

"The latency and availability of Microsoft Azure SQL Database can be problematic when connecting to an instance in a geographically distant location."

"There is a need for dynamic scaling support without losing current transactions. That should be part of the standard offering to SKUs. It doesn't have Auto SQL. We have HyperSQL, but there are limitations on the Elastic Pool. It only allows 25 databases. It would help if we could automatically analyze and optimize long-running queries instead of handling these tasks manually."

"From a security perspective, although their features are decent, they can always be improved upon, updated, and refined to help protect clients better."

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database cons

"Regarding SAP HANA Cloud, one significant pain point is the lack of access to the database from the HANA Studio for developers."

"I see some weaknesses in SAP HANA Cloud regarding innovations, as they take their own time compared to what the market brings in with new features."

"In future updates of SAP HANA Cloud, I would suggest some changes in the user interfaces to make it more user-friendly."

"The technical support from SAP is inadequate. We don't get timely responses, with support tickets taking more than 25 days to process."

"SAP HANA Cloud requires extensive documentation before connecting with a human being to troubleshoot an issue."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I believe the licensing is more on a global scale."

"The solution is moderately expensive."

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

"The price could be slightly cheaper."

"From a licensing benefit standpoint, we have clients who are coming with their own SQL licensing with Software Assurance, and they are able to use those licenses for their Azure SQL and reduce costs."

"SQL Azure is an expensive solution."

"We have the licensing fee, and we are also paying a third party to maintain it with an SLA. There is no infrastructure cost, but its running costs are higher than expected. There is the cost of the Azure cloud, which is pricier than expected, but it is not specific to SQL Azure. It is specific to the cloud. You expect it to be cheaper, but it is more expensive to run it."

"It is expensive for us. We are looking for something less expensive and thinking of migrating the whole system."

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	55
Midsize Enterprise	15
Large Enterprise	50

No data available

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?

The pricing of Microsoft Azure SQL Database is not cheap, affecting user uptake. A gradual reduction in price could improve accessibility and user numbers, making it easier for users to adopt the s...

See all answers

What needs improvement with SQL Azure?

I have used the Microsoft Azure SQL Database for two years now, and I don't find it satisfactory. It's slow and expensive. The Microsoft Azure SQL Database is not the latest version of Microsoft SQ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with SAP HANA Cloud?

The support providing aspects could be more transparent. SAP HANA Cloud requires extensive documentation before connecting with a human being to troubleshoot an issue. The sandbox capabilities of t...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for SAP HANA Cloud?

We deploy SAP HANA Cloud for customers primarily in the mid-market, small and medium enterprise segment. This includes manufacturing companies, service-oriented companies, professional services, me...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering SAP HANA Cloud?

My experience is predominantly with SAP HANA Cloud and ECC, not Business One. My responsibilities involve overall delivery management. While Integration Suite may come up, due to my core expertise ...

See all answers

Comparisons

Google Cloud SQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 24% of the time

Amazon RDS vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 19% of the time

MongoDB Atlas vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 17% of the time

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 7% of the time

Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database

Compared 7% of the time

More Microsoft Azure SQL Database Competitors

Azure Database for PostgreSQL vs SAP HANA Cloud

Compared 54% of the time

Amazon RDS vs SAP HANA Cloud

Compared 46% of the time

More SAP HANA Cloud Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure SQL Database

September 2025

Download Microsoft Azure SQL Database product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP HANA Cloud

September 2025

Download SAP HANA Cloud 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

SAP HANA Cloud offers a robust platform for managing data in real-time, making it ideal for businesses looking to enhance their analytics and database capabilities. It efficiently supports complex data environments, providing scalability and high performance for enterprises.

SAP HANA Cloud integrates data management and advanced analytics in a single solution, optimizing operations for businesses through real-time insights and flexible scalability. It is designed to handle high volumes of data and complex queries while supporting cloud native development. Users benefit from its capability to drive intelligent applications, streamline decision-making processes, and enhance data-driven strategies across industries. Evaluating SAP HANA Cloud involves considering its real-time data processing power, strong security measures, and support for hybrid environments.

What are the most important features of SAP HANA Cloud?

Real-Time Analytics: Enables immediate decision-making based on live data
Scalability: Allows businesses to easily adjust resources depending on demand
Data Security: Offers robust protection measures to safeguard sensitive information
Hybrid Cloud Support: Facilitates seamless integration with on-premise systems

What benefits or ROI should users look for?

Cost Efficiency: Reduces overall operating expenses by streamlining processes
Enhanced Performance: Improves system speed and reliability for critical operations
Business Flexibility: Adapts quickly to changing business needs and market conditions
Data-Driven Insights: Provides valuable insights that help in strategic decision making

SAP HANA Cloud is implemented across industries such as finance, retail, manufacturing, and healthcare, where real-time data processing and analytics are critical. In finance, it assists with risk management and financial forecasting; in retail, it supports personalized customer experiences and inventory optimization; while in manufacturing, it enhances supply chain management and production efficiency.

SAP

Sample Customers

adnymics GmbH, LG CNS, Centrebet, netfabb GmbH, MedPlast, Accelera Solutions, Sochi Organizing Committee, realzeit GmbH

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. SAP HANA Cloud

September 2025

Free Report: Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs. SAP HANA Cloud

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