Azure SQL Database vs Amazon RDS

SQL Server's cloud-bound cousin meets managed databases for people who'd rather not manage databases. Here's our take.

Azure SQL Database

Nice Pick

SQL Server's cloud-bound cousin. All the enterprise-grade features, none of the hardware headaches.

Pros

• Fully managed with automated backups and high availability
• Built-in intelligence for performance tuning and security
• Supports serverless compute and Hyperscale for massive scalability

Cons

• Can get pricey for high-performance workloads
• Limited to Microsoft SQL Server compatibility

Amazon RDS

Managed databases for people who'd rather not manage databases. It's like having a DBA on retainer, but cheaper and less opinionated.

Pros

• Automates backups, patching, and scaling, so you can focus on your app instead of babysitting servers
• Supports multiple engines like PostgreSQL and MySQL, making it easy to switch or standardize
• Built-in high availability with Multi-AZ deployments, because downtime is for amateurs

Cons

• Costs can sneak up on you with instance sizes and storage, especially if you forget to turn things off
• Limited control over the underlying OS and some database settings, which can be frustrating for power users

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Azure SQL Database is a databases while Amazon RDS is a hosting & deployment. We picked Azure SQL Database based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Azure SQL Database wins

Based on overall popularity. Azure SQL Database is more widely used, but Amazon RDS excels in its own space.