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Head-to-head · SQL Linters and Formatters

SQLFluff vs SQL Formatter VSCode

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score SQLFluff #1 in SQL Linters and Formatters 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit SQLFluff
SQL Formatter VSCode #7 in SQL Linters and Formatters 8.1/10 Open source ✓ 3 of 5 features Visit site

SQLFluff leads on 0 checks, SQL Formatter VSCode on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSQLFluff · 9.4/10
  • Free planonly SQLFluff
  • Most featuresSQL Formatter VSCode · 3 of 5

SQLFluff scores higher on our rubric for sql linters and formatters: 9.4 against 8.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #7.

SQLFluff is the better fit for teams needing broad SQL linting and CI workflows. SQL Formatter VSCode is the better fit for VS Code users needing highly configurable formatting.

  • SQLFluff fits best

    Teams needing broad SQL linting and CI workflows

  • SQL Formatter VSCode fits best

    VS Code users needing highly configurable formatting

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature SQLFluff 9.4/10 Visit ↗ SQL Formatter VSCode 8.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.1
Ranking #1 in SQL Linters and Formatters #7 in SQL Linters and Formatters
Best for Teams needing broad SQL linting and CI workflows VS Code users needing highly configurable formatting
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Desktop, Browser extension
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features SQLFluff 1/5 · SQL Formatter VSCode 3/5
Automatic fixes Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Custom rules ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Editor extensions Not checked yet ✓ (best)
CI/CD integration Not checked yet Not checked yet
Configuration file Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Supported SQL dialects Not checked yet BigQuery, DB2 for LUW, DB2 for IBM i, DuckDB, Hive, MariaDB, MySQL, N1QL, PL/SQL, PostgreSQL, Amazon Redshift, SingleStoreDB, Snowflake, Spark, SQLite, Trino (Presto), Transact-SQL
Our review
Pros
  • Supports 26 SQL dialects with configurable linting rules.
  • Autofixes supported findings and parses SQL without database access.
  • Works with dbt, pre-commit, GitHub Actions, and custom plugins.
  • Supports a broad range of SQL dialects
  • Offers detailed casing, spacing, indentation, and line-break controls
  • Formats files and selections directly in VS Code
Cons
  • Self-hosted deployment requires users to install the Python package.
  • It does not provide native IDE integration.
  • Automatic fixing applies only to supported lint findings.
  • The underlying SQL Formatter library is in maintenance mode
  • Requires VS Code for its editor-based workflow
  • Platform and workflow coverage is focused on the VS Code extension
Our verdict

SQLFluff is an open-source SQL linter and formatter for developers and data teams working with ELT applications. It checks SQL for style and syntax issues across 26 dialects, supports configurable rules, and can automatically fix supported…

Read the review →

SQL Formatter VSCode is an open-source Visual Studio Code extension for formatting SQL files and selections. It is aimed at developers and data teams who work in VS Code and need formatting rules that can be adjusted to match different SQL…

Read the review →
  1. SQLFluffSQL Linters and Formatters 9.4Free plan
  2. SQL Formatter VSCodeSQL Linters and Formatters 8.1Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • SQLFluff — where it wins

    • Supports 26 SQL dialects with configurable linting rules.
    • Autofixes supported findings and parses SQL without database access.
    • Works with dbt, pre-commit, GitHub Actions, and custom plugins.

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires users to install the Python package.
    • It does not provide native IDE integration.
    • Automatic fixing applies only to supported lint findings.

  • SQL Formatter VSCode — where it wins

    • Supports a broad range of SQL dialects
    • Offers detailed casing, spacing, indentation, and line-break controls
    • Formats files and selections directly in VS Code

    Where it doesn't

    • The underlying SQL Formatter library is in maintenance mode
    • Requires VS Code for its editor-based workflow
    • Platform and workflow coverage is focused on the VS Code extension
  • SQLFluff9.4/10 · Free plan

    Configurable SQL linting with autofix, templating, plugins, and CI workflows.

    Visit SQLFluffFull verdict →
  • SQL Formatter VSCode8.1/10 · Open source

    A flexible open-source formatter for VS Code users working across SQL dialects.

    Visit siteFull verdict →

More comparisons

All SQL linters and formatters comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update