---
description: Quickly find and compare the leading Microsoft SQL Server vs Azure Cosmos DB alternatives. Comprehensive listing of competitors & similar tools for fast software selection and to contact several providers directly.
image: https://gdm-localsites-assets-gfprod.imgix.net/images/getapp/og_logo-94fd2a03a6c7a0e54fc0c9e21a1c0ce9.png
title: Compare Microsoft SQL Server vs Azure Cosmos DB - GetApp United Arab Emirates 2026
---

Breadcrumb: [Home](/) > [Database Software](/directory/459/database/software) > [Microsoft SQL Server \<span\>vs\</span\> Azure Cosmos DB](https://www.getapp.ae/compare/125135/2037419/sql-server/vs/azure-cosmos-db)

# Compare Microsoft SQL Server vs Azure Cosmos DB

Canonical: https://www.getapp.ae/compare/125135/2037419/sql-server/vs/azure-cosmos-db

> Detailed comparison between Microsoft SQL Server and Azure Cosmos DB. Check ratings, reviews, pricing, and features to make the best decision for your business.

-----

## At a Glance

| Metric | Microsoft SQL Server | Azure Cosmos DB |
| **Overall rating** | 4.6/5 | 4.2/5 |
| **Total Reviews** | 1974 | 10 |
| **Starting Price** | $13,748.00 | - |
| **Free Trial** | Yes | Yes |
| **Free Version** | Yes | No |
| **Deployment** | Cloud, SaaS, Web-based, Windows (Desktop), Linux (Desktop), Windows (On-Premise), Linux (On-Premise) | Cloud, SaaS, Web-based, Windows (Desktop), Windows (On-Premise) |
| **Support** | Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base Software, Phone Support, 24/7 (Live rep), Chat | Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base Software, Phone Support |
| **Training Software** | In Person, Webinars, Documentation, Videos | Documentation, Videos |

## Key features

### Microsoft SQL Server

- API
- Access Controls/Permissions
- Ad hoc Query
- Ad hoc Reporting
- Benchmarking
- Collaboration Tools
- Data Dictionary Management
- Data Replication
- Data Storage Management
- Full Text Search
- Performance Analysis
- Performance Metrics
- Relational Database Management
- Reporting/Analytics
- Search/Filter
- Self Service Data Preparation
- Visual Analytics

### Azure Cosmos DB

- API
- Access Controls/Permissions
- Automatic Backup
- Built-In Database
- Data Storage Management
- For NoSQL Databases
- Reporting/Analytics

## Links

- [View Microsoft SQL Server Profile](https://www.getapp.ae/software/125135/sql-server)
- [View Azure Cosmos DB Profile](https://www.getapp.ae/software/2037419/azure-cosmos-db)
- [View Original Comparison](https://www.getapp.ae/compare/125135/2037419/sql-server/vs/azure-cosmos-db)

-----

## Structured Data

<script type="application/ld+json">
  {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"name":"Compare Microsoft SQL Server vs Azure Cosmos DB - GetApp United Arab Emirates 2026","description":"Quickly find and compare the leading Microsoft SQL Server vs Azure Cosmos DB alternatives. Comprehensive listing of competitors & similar tools for fast software selection and to contact several providers directly.","url":"https://www.getapp.ae/compare/125135/2037419/sql-server/vs/azure-cosmos-db","about":[{"@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/software/125135/sql-server#software"},{"@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/software/2037419/azure-cosmos-db#software"}],"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/compare/125135/2037419/sql-server/vs/azure-cosmos-db#breadcrumblist"},"@type":["WebPage","CollectionPage"],"@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/compare/125135/2037419/sql-server/vs/azure-cosmos-db#webpage","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/#website"},"inLanguage":"en-AE","publisher":{"@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/#organization"}},{"name":"Microsoft SQL Server","description":"SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDMS) designed to help businesses of all sizes analyze structured or unstructured data across various data environments including Azure SQL Database, Azure Cosmos DB, MySQL, and more. It enables administrators to track the performance of databases, monitor data lakes, and handle data warehousing operations on a unified platform.\n\nFeatures of SQL Server include multi-language support, compliance management, data classification, automated alerts, full-text search, and more. It allows software developers to manage big data environments and deploy data clusters of containerized instances of Apache Spark and Hadoop Data File System (HDFS). DevOps teams can also utilize in-memory database capabilities to track the performance of business workloads.\n\nSQL Server provides extract, transform, and load (ETL) capabilities, which enable users to extract business data from various sources, create custom workflows, execute aggregation, deduplication, or merging of data, and export the transformed data into destination databases or files. It allows employees to store digital objects including dynamic management views (DMVs), procedures, indexes, constraints, and transaction logs in a centralized repository.","image":"https://gdm-catalog-fmapi-prod.imgix.net/ProductScreenshot/a6186034-dd75-4e9a-b62a-a3ce1724fbcb.png","url":"https://www.getapp.ae/software/125135/sql-server","@type":"SoftwareApplication","@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/software/125135/sql-server#software","applicationCategory":"BusinessApplication","publisher":{"@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/#organization"},"aggregateRating":{"@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":4.6,"bestRating":5,"ratingCount":1974},"offers":{"price":"13748","@type":"Offer","priceCurrency":"USD"},"operatingSystem":"Cloud, Windows, Linux, Windows on premise, Linux on premise"},{"name":"Azure Cosmos DB","description":"Azure Cosmos DB is a managed NoSQL database service designed to help organizations streamline business continuity by maintaining turnkey multi-master replication, security, and compliance through access control and end-to-end encryption capabilities. It lets users develop applications by utilizing built-in SDKs for popular languages, no-ETL (extract, transform, load) analytics, and APIs for SQL. \n\nKey features of Azure Cosmos DB include data retrieval, object oriented database, data storage, and IoT device telemetry. The NoSQL database allows teams to run near real-time analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) on operational data by seamlessly integrating with Azure Synapse Analytics. Retail services can use the platform to develop real-time product recommendations, shopping carts, inventory updates, dynamic pricing, and more to deliver enhanced digital customer experience. \n\nAzure Cosmos DB provides support for a wide range of APIs including SQL (Core), Cassandra, Gremlin, and MongoDB, enabling users to facilitate function invocation, expression evaluation, application development, and more.","image":"https://gdm-catalog-fmapi-prod.imgix.net/ProductScreenshot/a1fa3e5f-5239-419f-99c0-d089be3001b7.png","url":"https://www.getapp.ae/software/2037419/azure-cosmos-db","@type":"SoftwareApplication","@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/software/2037419/azure-cosmos-db#software","applicationCategory":"BusinessApplication","publisher":{"@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/#organization"},"aggregateRating":{"@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":4.2,"bestRating":5,"ratingCount":10},"operatingSystem":"Cloud, Windows, Windows on premise"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"name":"Home","position":1,"item":"/","@type":"ListItem"},{"name":"Database Software","position":2,"item":"/directory/459/database/software","@type":"ListItem"},{"name":"Microsoft SQL Server vs Azure Cosmos DB","position":3,"item":"https://www.getapp.ae/compare/125135/2037419/sql-server/vs/azure-cosmos-db","@type":"ListItem"}],"@id":"https://www.getapp.ae/compare/125135/2037419/sql-server/vs/azure-cosmos-db#breadcrumblist"}]}
</script>
