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Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials vs SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 3, 2026

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

Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essent...
Ranking in Database Development and Management
11th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
SolarWinds Database Perform...
Ranking in Database Development and Management
4th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Database Development and Management category, the mindshare of Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials is 4.1%, down from 6.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is 3.3%, down from 9.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Database Development and Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer3.3%
Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials4.1%
Other92.6%
Database Development and Management
 

Featured Reviews

CS
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.
SufiyanAminu - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Operation Center Engineer at Central Bank of Nigeria
Comprehensive monitoring has delivered accurate insights and supports reliable banking operations
In terms of technical support, there was a time we experienced issues, but that has been resolved. We encountered a downtime and attempted to contact technical support, which was quite challenging, but that has improved after we reported the issue and everything is now fine. Therefore, we do not have any issues with technical support currently. Regarding the AI functionality and observability, we tried to understand how the AI functionality works, and I believe there is a gap in our understanding. I do not know if a session can be organized for our team to gain more insight into the AI module or functionality. For now, the only two aspects that caused me some difficulties are support and AI. Aside from that, everything works flawlessly.

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 is SQL Search."
"I've had really good luck with this product and I've been happy with it."
"It is easy to track the reports, this is what is most valuable for me."
"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."
"We find that the price to value ratio is very good, and it is much less expensive than other products we were considering."
"The most valuable features I find in SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer are the granular level of details about database performance and other aspects such as queries—what queries are running and what queries are taking a long time."
"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer helped us locate the performance issues quickly."
"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer's most valuable features include the notification of consuming the SQL queries, collecting data, and notifying about managing space and tables."
"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."
"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer can help us identify issues we cannot see manually."
"Real-time monitoring in SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is very useful for maintaining database performance, as many of our customers have been using multiple instances of this solution."
 

Cons

"The biggest problem with the Redgate SQL Toolbelt is just how heavy it is; it seems to take a lot of resources."
"Redgate SQL Toolbelt is a reliable solution, but it occasionally hangs when I generate a report with more than two gigabytes of data."
"I would like to see the bandwidth increase allowing me to easily analyze more data."
"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is still lagging for monitoring the cloud instances of databases including Aurora DB and Cloud SQL DB."
"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."
"There is room for improvement with the pricing of the platform."
"I would rate their technical support a little lower than expected, so there is room for improvement."
"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer does not have an anomaly detection feature."
"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."
"It is capable, but I don't believe it has the right value matrix. It also depends on the budget of the company."
"For now, the only two aspects that caused me some difficulties are support and AI."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"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."
"It could be less expensive."
"Customers need to pay for the subscription-based license annually."
"The pricing of the solution is average."
"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."
"SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is a little bit expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Insurance Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
Healthcare Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise11
 

Questions from the Community

Ask a question
Earn 20 points
What needs improvement with SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer?
In terms of technical support, there was a time we experienced issues, but that has been resolved. We encountered a downtime and attempted to contact technical support, which was quite challenging,...
What is your primary use case for SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer?
SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer's WPM and SAM modules are what I personally prefer. I am satisfied with the overall performance and how the dashboards are arranged. We are currently using ...
What advice do you have for others considering SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer?
For database performance, we have the module, but I would say we are not really consuming it because we are currently using PostgreSQL. We are exploring this module, but we have not yet started con...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Confio, SolarWinds DPA, Ignite8
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
Find out what your peers are saying about Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials vs. SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
906,960 professionals have used our research since 2012.