Flyway vs SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)

Flyway8.9Visit SSSQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)8.4Visit

Higher score Flyway #1 in Database Change Management Software 8.9/10 Free plan · 28-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Flyway

vs

SS SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) #6 in Database Change Management Software 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Microsoft

• Flyway fits best

  Teams managing migrations across database environments

• SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) fits best

  SQL Server teams using Visual Studio workflows

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Side by side

Feature	Flyway 8.9/10 Visit ↗	SSSQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.4
Ranking	#1 in Database Change Management Software	#6 in Database Change Management Software
Best for	Teams managing migrations across database environments	SQL Server teams using Visual Studio workflows
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	28 days	—
Deployment	Self-hosted, Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows
Support	Email, Tickets, Community, Docs	Docs
Integrations	7 integrations	1 integrations
Built for	Solo, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Flyway 0/4 · SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) 3/4
Change review	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Deployment automation	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Schema drift detection	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Version control integration	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported databases	Not checked yet	SQL Server; Azure SQL Database; Azure SQL Managed Instance; Azure Synapse Analytics; SQL database and Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric (support varies by Visual Studio version)
Deployment targets	Not checked yet	Both
Our review
Pros	Versions SQL and Java migrations and runs core migration commands. Teams adds schema diffs, object-level versioning and manual undo scripts. Enterprise adds drift detection, rollback generation and CI/CD governance.	Compare project schemas with database schemas and review changes. Build, publish, and configure deployments with publish profiles. Automate builds and deployments through SqlPackage in CI/CD pipelines.
Cons	Advanced comparison and undo workflows require Teams or Enterprise. Drift detection and CI/CD governance are Enterprise features. The product's broad feature set may exceed needs for simple migrations.	Windows desktop coverage limits cross-platform workflows. Focused on SQL Server and related Microsoft database platforms. Use is subject to the Visual Studio edition's license terms.
Our verdict	Flyway is Redgate Software’s database change management tool for developers, database teams and enterprises that need to version and deploy database changes. It supports SQL and Java migrations, with commands to migrate, validate, repair… Read the review →	SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) is a Visual Studio component for developing database projects, with a focus on SQL Server and Azure SQL work. It suits teams already working in Visual Studio who need to create projects from existing databases,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Flyway — where it wins

  • Versions SQL and Java migrations and runs core migration commands.
  • Teams adds schema diffs, object-level versioning and manual undo scripts.
  • Enterprise adds drift detection, rollback generation and CI/CD governance.

  Where it doesn't

  • Advanced comparison and undo workflows require Teams or Enterprise.
  • Drift detection and CI/CD governance are Enterprise features.
  • The product's broad feature set may exceed needs for simple migrations.

• SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) — where it wins

  • Compare project schemas with database schemas and review changes.
  • Build, publish, and configure deployments with publish profiles.
  • Automate builds and deployments through SqlPackage in CI/CD pipelines.

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows desktop coverage limits cross-platform workflows.
  • Focused on SQL Server and related Microsoft database platforms.
  • Use is subject to the Visual Studio edition's license terms.

• Flyway8.9/10 · Free plan · 28-day trial

  A broad migration platform spanning versioned scripts, schema comparison, rollback and CI/CD governance.

  Visit FlywayFull verdict →
• SSSQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)8.4/10 · Free plan

  A free Visual Studio component for SQL project development and deployment workflows.

  Visit MicrosoftFull verdict →