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SQL Server vs SingleStore 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:
 

Categories and Ranking

SingleStore
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Database as a Service (DBaaS) (11th), Vector Databases (15th)
SQL Server
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
269
Ranking in other categories
Relational Databases Tools (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Databases solutions, they serve different purposes. SingleStore is designed for Database as a Service (DBaaS) and holds a mindshare of 1.8%, up 0.7% compared to last year.
SQL Server, on the other hand, focuses on Relational Databases Tools, holds 17.6% mindshare, down 23.0% since last year.
Database as a Service (DBaaS)
Relational Databases Tools
 

Featured Reviews

Yasin Sarı - PeerSpot reviewer
High-speed data processing, seamless scalability, and excellent high availability making it an optimal choice for those prioritizing performance and efficiency in a database solution
There's a noteworthy consideration when it comes to collecting massive amounts of data. It is not the optimal choice for direct data collection through queries, and it's more suited for aggregation tasks. Attempting to use it for direct extraction, for instance, might lead to memory-related challenges. While MySQL version five might lack extensive SQL capabilities, SingleStore also has its constraints, requiring simpler SQL writing. This becomes evident when seeking advanced functionalities like window functions or JSON functions, where SingleStore doesn't offer an extensive toolkit, necessitating a more straightforward approach to SQL.
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 is the ability to create pipelines, streamline and extract data from the pipelines."
"The paramount advantage is the exceptional speed."
"It's a distributed relational database, so it does not have a single server, it has multiple servers. Its architecture itself is fast because it has multiple nodes to distribute the workload and process large amounts of data."
"The product can automatically reinstall and reconfigure in case of a shutdown."
"The ability to store data in memory is a standout feature, enhanced by robust failover mechanisms."
"MemSQL supports the MySQL protocol, and many functions are similar, so the learning curve is very short."
"The most valuable feature of SQL Server is the performance."
"SQL Server is quite stable. And now we are using the Lattice 2017 version."
"If backups and alerts are configured properly, I can also rely on my restoration plan."
"The solution has a user-friendly environment and supporting functionalities. It also has great memory and processing databases."
"The performance is reliable."
"I like that the new version has a memory-optimized table to improve the performance."
"SQL Server scales well."
"It is integrated with Microsoft tools."
 

Cons

"We don't get good discounts in Pakistan."
"Poor key distribution can significantly impact performance, requiring a backward approach in design rather than adding tables incrementally."
"Having the ability to migrate servers using a single command would be extremely beneficial."
"For new customers, it's very tough to start. Their documentation isn't organized, and there's no online training available. SingleStore is working on it, but that's a major drawback."
"It is not the optimal choice for direct data collection through queries, and it's more suited for aggregation tasks."
"There should be more pipelines available because I think that if MemSQL can connect to other services, that would be great."
"The interface of the tool has certain shortcomings, making it an area where improvements are required."
"Other than Synapse and the other version of SQL Server, they face some problems while processing the data."
"The solution could be better when it comes to security."
"When we run into problems, it's usually during installation, and finding answers to the problem has been a nightmare because the documentation is terrible."
"The treatment of database storage could be improved."
"I would like to see more integration with other products and it needs to be more secure."
"SQL Server has good performance, but it could be better."
"Even if you have some technical agreement with Microsoft, the technical support of the solution won't help you. The support needs to be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product's licensing is not expensive. It is comparable."
"Using it for analytical purposes can be cost-effective in the long run, especially in terms of infrastructure."
"SingleStore is a bit expensive."
"I would advise users to try the free 128GB version."
"They have two main options: cloud installation and bare-metal installation, each with different pricing models."
"The SQL server is affordable. I rate the pricing a five out of ten."
"There is a license required for servers and for the POS we use the free version. The free version allows you to have tables and a total database size of approximately 10 GB, which is enough for our requirements."
"Licensing fees increase depending on size and performance. If you want higher performance, you should go for a different course."
"The price of the solution is fine."
"The licenses are purchased annually."
"The price has been going higher and higher. The market is quite price sensitive."
"Some of our clients purchase the license and others do not, they use Express SQL Server."
"The price of SQL Server is great. In my company, SQL Server is part of the Microsoft Suite, we don't have to pay for any additional license costs, it's quite cost-effective for us."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
33%
Computer Software Company
13%
University
5%
Manufacturing Company
5%
Educational Organization
31%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Computer Software Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about SingleStore DB?
The paramount advantage is the exceptional speed.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SingleStore DB?
Using it for analytical purposes can be cost-effective in the long run, especially in terms of infrastructure. While building an on-premise cluster incurs an initial cost for servers with ample RAM...
What needs improvement with SingleStore DB?
There's a noteworthy consideration when it comes to collecting massive amounts of data. It is not the optimal choice for direct data collection through queries, and it's more suited for aggregation...
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 you are using. If you compare the product to others in this category, the price...
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 smaller pieces so the machines can easily deal with it. However, this comes with a h...
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 connect the two, out of security concerns and to keep things separated for our own pur...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

No data available
Microsoft SQL Server, MSSQL, MS SQL
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

400+ customers including: 6sense, Adobe, Akamai, Ant Money, Arcules, CARFAX, Cigna, Cisco, Comcast, DELL, DBS Bank, Dentsu, DirectlyApply, EY, Factors.AI, Fathom Analytics, FirstEnergy, GE, Goldman Sachs, Heap, Hulu, IMAX, impact.com, Kroger, LG, LiveRamp, Lumana, Nvidia, OpenDialog, Outreach, Palo Alto Networks, PicPay, RBC, Samsung, SegMetrics, Siemens, SiteImprove, SiriusXM, SK Telecom, SKAI, SONY, STC, SunRun, TATA, Thorn, ZoomInfo.
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, Amazon Web Services (AWS), MongoDB and others in Database as a Service (DBaaS). Updated: June 2025.
859,579 professionals have used our research since 2012.