Azure SQL Database vs Amazon RDS

Azure SQL Database8.9Visit Amazon RDS8.7Visit

Higher score Azure SQL Database #6 in Relational Databases 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Azure SQL

vs

Amazon RDS #8 in Relational Databases 8.7/10 Paid ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Amazon RDS

• Azure SQL Database fits best

  Low-cost managed SQL Server

• Amazon RDS fits best

  Managed multi-engine AWS databases

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Side by side

Feature	Azure SQL Database 8.9/10 Visit ↗	Amazon RDS 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.7
Ranking	#6 in Relational Databases	#8 in Relational Databases
Best for	Low-cost managed SQL Server	Managed multi-engine AWS databases
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	—	Not checked yet
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux	Web
Support	Docs, Community	Phone, Live chat, Email, Community, Docs · 24/7
Compliance	2FA	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS
Integrations	4 integrations	8 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Azure SQL Database 4/4 · Amazon RDS 4/4
Managed service	✓	✓
High availability	✓	✓
Read replicas	✓	✓
JSON data support	✓	✓
Specs
Deployment model	Cloud	Both
Backup retention	7 days	Not checked yet
Maximum connections	30 connections	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Free offer supports up to 10 databases Serverless compute, backups, failover, and replicas Integrates with Azure Functions, Power BI, and Microsoft Fabric	Supports eight database engines in a managed AWS service Includes Multi-AZ failover, read replicas, backups, and point-in-time restore Connects with IAM, VPC, CloudWatch, RDS Proxy, and Outposts
Cons	Basic allows 30 maximum concurrent logins Free usage is capped at 100,000 vCore seconds monthly Cloud and API coverage may not suit broader deployment needs	No free plan is available Usage-based pricing varies by region, engine, instance, storage, and configuration AWS-focused deployment may not suit teams seeking a standalone database platform
Our verdict	Azure SQL Database is a cloud-native relational database service built on Microsoft’s SQL Server engine. It is designed for development teams and organizations building or modernizing cloud applications on Azure. The service supports… Read the review →	Amazon RDS is a managed relational database service for deploying, operating, and scaling databases in the AWS environment. It automates infrastructure provisioning, patching, backups, and failure recovery while leaving users to configure… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Azure SQL Database — where it wins

  • Free offer supports up to 10 databases
  • Serverless compute, backups, failover, and replicas
  • Integrates with Azure Functions, Power BI, and Microsoft Fabric

  Where it doesn't

  • Basic allows 30 maximum concurrent logins
  • Free usage is capped at 100,000 vCore seconds monthly
  • Cloud and API coverage may not suit broader deployment needs

• Amazon RDS — where it wins

  • Supports eight database engines in a managed AWS service
  • Includes Multi-AZ failover, read replicas, backups, and point-in-time restore
  • Connects with IAM, VPC, CloudWatch, RDS Proxy, and Outposts

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is available
  • Usage-based pricing varies by region, engine, instance, storage, and configuration
  • AWS-focused deployment may not suit teams seeking a standalone database platform

• Azure SQL Database8.9/10 · Free plan

  A low-cost managed SQL Server service with a free offer and Azure-native features.

  Visit Azure SQLFull verdict →
• Amazon RDS8.7/10 · Paid

  A managed AWS database service for teams needing engine choice and operational automation.

  Visit Amazon RDSFull verdict →