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Head-to-head · Transaction Data Store Software

Amazon DynamoDB vs Microsoft SQL Server

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Amazon DynamoDB #1 in Transaction Data Store Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Try Amazon DynamoDB
Microsoft SQL Server #6 in Transaction Data Store Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit site

Amazon DynamoDB leads on 0 checks, Microsoft SQL Server on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreAmazon DynamoDB · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresMicrosoft SQL Server · 1 of 3

Amazon DynamoDB scores higher on our rubric for transaction data store software: 9.4 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #6.

Amazon DynamoDB is the better fit for managed key-value workloads at global scale. Microsoft SQL Server is the better fit for organizations invested in Microsoft data tools.

  • Amazon DynamoDB fits best

    Managed key-value workloads at global scale

  • Microsoft SQL Server fits best

    Organizations invested in Microsoft data tools

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Side by side

Feature Amazon DynamoDB 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Microsoft SQL Server 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.8
Ranking #1 in Transaction Data Store Software #6 in Transaction Data Store Software
Best for Managed key-value workloads at global scale Organizations invested in Microsoft data tools
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price — —
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Windows, Linux
Support Docs Docs
Integrations 2 integrations 7 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Amazon DynamoDB 0/3 · Microsoft SQL Server 1/3
ACID transactions Not checked yet Not checked yet
SQL interface Not checked yet Not checked yet
High availability Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Deployment model Cloud Not checked yet
Consistency model Not checked yet Not checked yet
Maximum storage Not checked yet Not checked yet
Backup retention Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Supports ACID transactions across items and tables.
  • Offers on-demand or provisioned capacity, with automatic scaling options.
  • Global tables support multi-Region, multi-active workloads.
  • Supports availability groups, failover clustering, and readable secondary replicas
  • Offers JSON, change capture, full-text search, and encrypted backups
  • Integrates with Azure services, Visual Studio, and Power BI Report Server
Cons
  • Cloud deployment ties workloads to a managed service.
  • Usage-based costs vary by Region, capacity mode, table class, and optional features.
  • Documentation is the only listed support channel.
  • Paid licensing spans core, server, CAL, and subscription options
  • Express limits database size to 50 GB
  • Support channels listed are documentation
Our verdict

Amazon DynamoDB is a managed, serverless NoSQL database for applications that need low-latency access to items stored in tables. It suits teams building key-value workloads on AWS, from smaller projects to enterprise applications, and…

Read the review →

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system for developers and organizations that need to store, process, and secure transactional data. It runs on Windows and supported Linux distributions, and can be deployed in cloud…

Read the review →
  1. Amazon DynamoDBTransaction Data Store Software 9.4Free plan
  2. Microsoft SQL ServerTransaction Data Store Software 8.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Amazon DynamoDB — where it wins

    • Supports ACID transactions across items and tables.
    • Offers on-demand or provisioned capacity, with automatic scaling options.
    • Global tables support multi-Region, multi-active workloads.

    Where it doesn't

    • Cloud deployment ties workloads to a managed service.
    • Usage-based costs vary by Region, capacity mode, table class, and optional features.
    • Documentation is the only listed support channel.

  • Microsoft SQL Server — where it wins

    • Supports availability groups, failover clustering, and readable secondary replicas
    • Offers JSON, change capture, full-text search, and encrypted backups
    • Integrates with Azure services, Visual Studio, and Power BI Report Server

    Where it doesn't

    • Paid licensing spans core, server, CAL, and subscription options
    • Express limits database size to 50 GB
    • Support channels listed are documentation

More comparisons

All transaction data store software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update