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Head-to-head · Database Monitoring

SolarWinds SQL Sentry vs SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score SolarWinds SQL Sentry #5 in Database Monitoring 8.7/10 Pricing on request · 14-day trial Free trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit SolarWinds
SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer #11 in Database Monitoring 8.1/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit SolarWinds

SolarWinds SQL Sentry leads on 0 checks, SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSolarWinds SQL Sentry · 8.7/10
  • Free trialboth

SolarWinds SQL Sentry scores higher on our rubric for database monitoring: 8.7 against 8.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #11.

On deployment model, SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer gives you Hybrid where SolarWinds SQL Sentry offers Self-hosted.

SolarWinds SQL Sentry is the better fit for SQL Server performance specialists. SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is the better fit for deep cross-engine performance tuning.

  • SolarWinds SQL Sentry fits best

    SQL Server performance specialists

  • SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer fits best

    Deep cross-engine performance tuning

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Side by side

Feature SolarWinds SQL Sentry 8.7/10 Visit ↗ SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer 8.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.1
Ranking #5 in Database Monitoring #11 in Database Monitoring
Best for SQL Server performance specialists Deep cross-engine performance tuning
Pricing model Paid Paid
Starting price Pricing on request · 14-day trial $142/mo
Free plan — —
Free trial 14 days 14 days
Free trial length 14 days 14 days
Deployment Self-hosted Desktop, Self-hosted
Platforms Web, Windows Windows, Linux
Features SolarWinds SQL Sentry 3/3 · SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer 3/3
Query profiling ✓ ✓
Wait and lock analysis ✓ ✓
Execution plans ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported databases SQL Server; Azure SQL Database; Azure SQL Managed Instance; SQL Server Analysis Services; Azure Synapse Analytics PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Azure SQL Database, MariaDB, IBM DB2, Amazon Aurora, SAP ASE, Google Cloud SQL, Percona, SAP HANA
Deployment model Self-hosted Hybrid
Data retention Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Detailed top-query, waits, and execution-plan analysis
  • Blocking and deadlock analysis with visualization
  • Historical monitoring, alerting, and storage forecasting
  • Query, wait-time, blocking, and execution-plan analysis
  • Tuning advisors and machine-learning anomaly detection
  • Supports major on-premises, cloud, and virtualized environments
Cons
  • Coverage centers on Microsoft database platforms
  • Pricing uses a sales-quote model
  • The free license is limited to the SQL Sentry database host
  • No free plan for ongoing use
  • Starts at $142 per database per month with annual billing
  • The trial lasts 14 days
Our verdict

SolarWinds SQL Sentry is a database performance monitoring and analysis product for professionals managing SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, SQL Server Analysis Services, Amazon RDS for SQL Server, and related infrastructure. It supports…

Read the review →

SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is a database monitoring and tuning product for database administrators, developers, and IT teams. It brings query performance, wait-time, SQL statement, execution-plan, and resource data into one…

Read the review →
  1. SolarWinds SQL SentryDatabase Monitoring 8.7Pricing on request · 14-day trial
  2. SolarWinds Database Performance AnalyzerDatabase Monitoring 8.114-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • SolarWinds SQL Sentry — where it wins

    • Detailed top-query, waits, and execution-plan analysis
    • Blocking and deadlock analysis with visualization
    • Historical monitoring, alerting, and storage forecasting

    Where it doesn't

    • Coverage centers on Microsoft database platforms
    • Pricing uses a sales-quote model
    • The free license is limited to the SQL Sentry database host

  • SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer — where it wins

    • Query, wait-time, blocking, and execution-plan analysis
    • Tuning advisors and machine-learning anomaly detection
    • Supports major on-premises, cloud, and virtualized environments

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan for ongoing use
    • Starts at $142 per database per month with annual billing
    • The trial lasts 14 days
  • SolarWinds SQL Sentry8.7/10 · Pricing on request · 14-day trial

    A deep SQL Server monitoring suite with strong query analysis and Microsoft-platform focus.

    Visit SolarWindsFull verdict →
  • SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer8.1/10 · 14-day trial

    A deep database tuning suite for teams managing varied production environments.

    Visit SolarWindsFull verdict →

More comparisons

All database monitoring comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update