Top 25 Best Database Management Software in 2024

Modern companies store transactional information in databases.

💡A database is a collective source of organized information stored on a dedicated computer system.

A database management system (DBMS) commonly refers to a tool that is responsible for the creation and management of data. It also allows users to retrieve or update data at a moment's notice. A company, however, should choose database management software as per its specific needs and requirements.

With the help of database management software – a company can instantly update, create, define, or send queries to an administrative database. Furthermore, this facilitation can be transformative for companies that want to capitalize on various data formats and their retrieval methods.

We've outlined the 25 best database management software to help you find the one that suits your technical and business objectives.

What Is Database Management Software?

Technically, a Database Management Systems (DBMS) are database management tools, a uniform technology that helps businesses optimize, manage, store, and retrieve data from main databases. The user interface of the DBMS is a systematic approach that can handle large chunks of data workloads. 

The foundational structure of a DBMS is based on three vital elements; data itself, database schema, database engine. The schema is responsible for a logical structure while the engine ensures the data can be accessed, locked, and modified by users.

Interestingly, you can also store your database information via apps. Analogically, assume a DBMS as a bridge between your main database and application programs. Additionally, database management software grants you the scalability and modification options to recover, comply, or simply monitor business operations.

The Usage of a Database Management System in the Industry

The usefulness of the DBMS is its centralised process that allows multiple users to access data despite different geographical locations. Furthermore, the DBMS can limit the data usage and functionality of each user. There are different types of database softwares.

The DBMS grants end-users the freedom and convenience to store logical or physical data. Consequently, users don't have to be concerned about the structural changes nor the physical location of data. Application Programming Interface (API), for instance, doesn’t bother the developer to make manual changes. Instead, it automatically makes modifications in the database.

The Art of Choosing the Best Database Management Software

Whether you run a small or an established business, it would be wise to look for a DBMS with multiple database options. From sophistication to enhanced scalability, your choice should complement the nature of your business product or service.

Here are 25 of the best database management softwares (DBMS) that can help your business with productivity and the realization of its true potential: 

1 Improvado

Improvado is a revolutionary DBMS software for revenue data containing both database and ETL functionalities under one hood. The platform aggregates marketing and sales insights from 500+ data sources in centralized storage. 

Data gathered from disparate platforms must be unified and aligned. Improvado provides automated data cleansing and transformation functionalities, ensuring the highest quality of insights for future analysis. 

With Improvado, marketing and sales teams don't have to be stuck with one particular warehousing solution. The platform provides access to managed BigQuery, Snowflake, or Clickhouse DBMS.

The crucial point for marketers is that they don't need technical expertise and human resources to manage DBMS. Teams receive a turn-key solution where they can work in a zero-code, spreadsheet-like UI. Besides, Improvado is more cost-efficient and optimized for complex data transformations than popular data warehouse solutions.

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Pros

• Automated data cleaning, deduplication, and transformation processes
• Quick integration and data extraction from 500+ data sources 
• Efficient Clickhouse-based storage
• Integration with 10+ visualization tools to build real-time marketing dashboards
• Analysis-ready data without any manual effort

Cons

• The data often reverses the newest entries amidst analytical comparison.

Cost Structure

Improvado's pricing is tailored to clients' needs and business objectives. The final price depends on the number of data sources you're going to work with and the additional features you might need. Get in touch with Improvado's analytics experts to watch a product demo and get an estimate custom-built for your specific use case.

2 Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft's SQL Server is one of the most effective DBMS in existence. The free tag of the tool certainly attracts a large user base. Its custom-built graphical integration of best database designs has saved users' valuable time for years. Similarly, the diagrams that you can make with the help of this tool can be easily added to a new or existing project library.

Object Explorer feature helps end-users to view the creation of the tables. Template Explorer, on the other hand, is a bundle of script objects that can be used to identify numerous names in the database system. In addition, the SQL Server creates specific containers that allow users to combine views and scripts of a linked object or group.

Pros

• Easy to set up a new database server from scratch
• Creates various designs, tables, and view data without syntax
• Can handle complicated queries and integrate with other programs
• Creates advanced queries through Developer Network feature

Cons

• The lightweight package lacks user-friendliness in its user-interface.
• The execution of long queries often takes longer than the calculated time.
• Data maintenance becomes an issue with a selective schema.
• Desperately needs a new firewall protection system.

Cost Structure

The Express and Developer versions are free and ideal for personal use. 2016, however, is the most popular version priced at $931 for a Standard License. The 2017 and 2019 versions have the same price tag. 

3 Postgre SQL

The open-source DBMS solution gets attention because of the invigorating indexing and configuration options. Postgre SQL is ideal if your daily business activities require you to import or export data.  

As of now, Postgre SQL supports Python and JSON programming languages. Although it is a relational database solution, users are free to create NoSQL databases. Besides, the open-source community has created a wide array of plug-ins to boost the functionality of the software.

Pros

• Storage and management of data in higher volumes 
• Relatively secured data processing than others
• Straightforward installation process on Linux and Windows operating system (OS)
• Availability of resourceful material such as tutorials to learn the tool
• Ideal for companies that frequently deal in large volumes of data

Cons

• Native interface limits the manipulation of data.
• The advanced nature of the tool slows down the insertion of small databases.

• The installation and configuration of the software can be time-consuming.

Cost Structure

PostgreSQL is available free of cost.  The distribution license of the tool allows users to resell binaries, thanks to open source.

4 My SQL

My SQL is a high-speed data processing and data productivity tool with comprehensive features. The tool is designed to increase the security and scalability of your databases. A reliably cost-effective tool offers technical support and counteracts potential risks. Furthermore, high-volume business sites can deploy business-oriented complex MySQL applications.

Pros

• The newest 8.0 version has better data recovery options
• Easy to learn the foundational features without a programming background
• The open-source nature grant users complete freedom to customize data
• Well-suited for small businesses and entrepreneurs because of the low-cost structure
• Compatible with up-to-date industry's DBMS practices
• Instant integration with Apache web engines
• The data development process is adjustable for small and heavy applications.

Cons

• Queries get stuck even after a refresh or restart
• There is overdependence on third-party add-ons
• Data operations in Linux OS can get complicated.

Cost Structure

MySQL Standard, Enterprise, and Cluster Carrier Grade editions are set at $2,000, $5,000, and $10,000 respectively.

5 Amazon RDS

Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service) is one of the best DBMS tools.  It has a dedicated secured connection, and it automatically backs up your data through an inbuilt feature. Furthermore, it can resize your entire database activities.

Pros

• Users can process the heavy workloads in a single database.
• You have to pay for the used resources.
• It can get you access to MySQL, Oracle, or Microsoft SQL databases. 
• Point-in-recovery attracts programmers who want flexibility and scalable storage options. 

Cons

• It has limited auto-scale options.
• Unavailability of access to physical server to check server logs.

Cost Structure

Users are free to try out Amazon RDS. In fact, there's no minimum criterion to use the tool. You can pay for the availed resources via On-Demand method. It may sound complicated, but you can instantly calculate your monthly bill with the AWS Simple Monthly Calculator.

6 Oracle RDBMS

The latest version of the Oracle RDBMS tool encompasses larger databases, takes less space, can be used with a VPN, is more secure, and quickly processes data. It is, in fact, one of the most effective object-relational DBMS tools.

You can run Oracle RDBMS on a PC or a high-powered supercomputer. The active designs, for instance, trigger a dedicated referential system within the software

Pros

• You can create partitions to have better administrative control over your data
• Smooth transactional process and data security

Cons

• The price range of the tool is discouraging for small businesses  
• Client applications are often plugged-in automatically

Cost Structure

The cost of this tool can vary based on the type of business you have and your existing software solutions, so you will have to contact Oracle’s customer support to get information on pricing.

7 Razor SQL

RazorSQL is one of the most popularized database management and query tools.  It allows users to check schemas, tables, unidentified keys, structure indexes, and columns. You can create,  update, or delete entire SQL statements as per your business needs. The software has flexible import options to incorporate excel spreadsheets, extended files, and fixed-width data files.

As of now, RazorSQL supports more than twenty (20) programming languages. Concurrently, it can compare the results of table data and queries through multiple databases. In addition, the software doesn't require added manual configuration, making it easier to check a multitude of databases.

Pros 

• Automated selection and copy mechanism for different types of data types
  

• Users can create custom templates or use built-in templates for projects.

Cons

• Installation and configuration are time-consuming 

• Only programmers can use the command line to make advanced comparisons.

Cost Structure

The current annual price of the DBMS tool is $99.95.

8 Microsoft Access

Microsoft Access works solely on Windows OS. It's a great tool to create custom databases in numerous formats as per your business needs. The affordable database management system is useful in the IT sector.

Pros

• Custom templates of Microsoft Access are ideal for adding web databases and simultaneously tracking, reporting, or sharing with other users
• Users get to have full access to Office Suite Packages such as Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Cons

• License extension to integrate third-party tools can take time.

9 SQL Developer

The open-source DBMS tool is a favourite of developers as one of the efficient DBMS tools to design, develop, and perform other database management activities.  The best trait of SQL Developer is that it takes less time to execute multiple queries. Consequently, users generate queries in numerous formats like PDF, HTML, XML, or Excel. 

Pros

• It allows users to simplify data management in Oracle Database  
• SQL Developer can run end-to-end database applications
• You can migrate your database modeling solution to third-party databases to Oracle

Cons

• Automation of an operating system often changes database queries 

Cost Structure

The SQL developer is free to use and download for users.

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10 Informix

Informix Dynamics Server is a commercial DBMS tool that is perfect for businesses that want parallel and multi-threaded processing of data. The scalability of the software makes it ideal, plus it has a great in-depth support option.

Pros

• It's Online Transactional Processing (OLTP) performance is better than others
• Flexibility to scale small systems to multi-layered distributed nodes
• It can merge relational data in a time series

Cons

• The top edition is expensive for small businesses.

Cost Structure

The price of the tool is essentially decided on the quantity of data you want to back up

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11 Altibase

The open-source DBMS tool delivers high-level data processing speeds. Furthermore, it has an in-memory database portion that is capable of storing large chunks of data on a single disk. In fact, Altibase is one of the rare hybrid DBMS tools that provide large scale-out sharding options.

Pros

• It has wider accessibility across numerous industries
• The unified engine supports in-memory as well as the disk-resident database.

Cons

If you misconfigure, it will slow down data operations.

Cost Structure

Altibase is an open-source DBMS tool and does not charge processing or subscription fee.

12 EMS

With the help of EMS Database Management Solution, you can create unique data analytical components. It has robust vendor support that can support most of your database management activities. Similarly, the tool is designed to facilitate users who primarily want to monitor existing databases. 

Pros

• Easier maintenance complements the performance of the database system
• EMS is integrated with multiple SQL tools
• The execution of multiple SQL queries is straightforward on databases

Cons

• The multi-user permissibility to access system can get complicated
• Sluggish at handling multiple database objects at once

Cost Structure

Currently, the DBMS tool runs on 5.0.2 version that users can download for free.

13 Redis

Programmers may be interested to know that the Redis is coded with ANSI C language, which means better speed across all operating systems. Besides, the DBMS tool provides multiple data types such as hashes, lists, and sets that can support high-performance queries. It also has a built-in memory data structure that can index bitmaps, hyperlogs, and streams.

Pros

• The tool is configured to replicate numerous databases
• It provides automatic data partitioning

Cons

• The persistence of on-disk transactions on different levels can be confusing for non-developers.

Cost Structure

The single and community version of the Redis is free to use. However, you can use the enterprise version from RedisLabs to improve scalability.

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14 IBM DB2

The newest version of IBM DB2 runs queries faster than ever. Furthermore, the DBMS tool now supports most of the data science languages to handle simple or complex frameworks. Primarily, users are attracted to the software because of its easy installation and setup to store a large amount of data instantly.

Pros

• It offers AI-dedicated capabilities that are designed to manage and structure complex data 
• It supports private as well as cloud environments

Cons

• The functional features of the DBMS tool may be too much for a non-developer

Cost Structure

You can download and use the community version of the tool for free. The Standard edition, on the other hand, is priced at $1,850 while the Advanced edition is $7,800 per virtual processor core (VPC) for 90 days.

15 Teradata

Teradata is one of the original DBMS tools. It has an impeccable processing speed to import and export data. Apart from real-time processing, it can distribute large databases in the blink of an eye. The data analytics of the DBMS tool is known to render successful enterprise-level business operational activities.

Pros

• It has well-designed permission controls to track or collect your data
• Amalgamated data storage through flexible multi-variant data formats

Cons

• The responsiveness of the third-party tools often lags

Cost Structure

The price for Teradata Vantage package is decided upon workload profiles. That said, the package includes subscription-based licensing, portability options, and data risk management.

16 FileMaker

FileMaker has great SQL connectivity and information sharing options. The best aspect of the FileMaker is custom made templates that can help users manage data reports, charts, and invoices. Consequently, the tool gives a professional and knowledgeable vibe to manage data. 

Pros

• Users can take an in-person course via Alliance trainer to understand the software 

Cons

• A small firm may have a hard time using scalable features.

Cost Structure

The individual license to use FileMaker Pro is $329. But the Advanced version is priced at $549 and Server version at $1,044.

17 Advanced Query Tool

As the title suggests, the Advanced Query Tool is mainly used by database administrators and developers to handle complex data management activities. 

Pros

• Database objects are displayed in a structured tree to make logging easier 
• Creatively add descriptions to each object
• You can highlight queries and charts

Cons

• Table joints feature to build advance queries requires a professional touch

Cost Structure

Its price is calculated on the volume of licenses.

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18 SQLite

SQLite is designed to cater to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Its light structure and layout design help users store and manage data quite easily. The SQL engine of the tool is highly reliable and self-contained. In fact, the DBMS program is available on several mobile applications.

Pros

• It requires less space and time to set up
• A stable and compatible file format that can run data on cross-platforms 

Cons

• The database files transferred as containers take time to reach another system 

Cost Structure

Users can download the latest version of the DBMS tool for free.

19 Couchbase

This DBMS tool focuses on agile and critical development of your databases. You can form schema access patterns and build custom responses for each integrated application. And when users attain higher scalability options, it leads to continuous data delivery mechanism.

Pros

• Small and medium-sized databases have good transfer latency
• It is built to avoid data corruption.

Cons

• The replication and abstraction of data are susceptible to failure with new updates 

Cost Structure

The open-source tool is free.

20 Robot 3T

Robot 3T or formerly known as Robomongo is one of the best DBMS softwares that can handle a large quantity of workload. It has stable integrated features and is practically error-free. The tool, however, is mainly hailed because of the captivating visual drag-and-drop functionality to build queries.

Pros

• Repetitive tasks can be automated
• IntelliShell allows users to auto-complete queries
• Queries can be built and divided at every stage and section 

Cons

• The migration of databases between SQL and MongoDB can encounter errors

Cost Structure

Users can download the Studio 3T and Robo 3T editions for free.

21 Cloudera

Large corporations use Cloudera for higher data processing and optimal security reasons. The tool also has a great performance efficiency that can run independent analytical tools. Moreover, it has machine learning algorithms to understand and manage complex data structures.

Pros

• Users enjoy the minimal chance of data lock-ins
• Secured connection results in higher business productivity and lowers costs.

Cons

• It limits data visibility for small businesses.

Cost Structure

Its most basic big data processing package is $4000 a year.

22 HammerDB

HammerDB is called one of the most unrecognized benchmark database tools that support numerous languages and applications. It has a multi-threaded user engine that helps users test data automatically.  Similarly, you can conduct query-based and bespoke load tests as per industry standards.

Pros

• It allows users instant index access to increase the speed of query execution 
• You can install the tool as a standalone application or integrate third-party add-ins.
• It has numerous data modeling options that can store or retrieve data specific to your segmented range  

Cons

• Assessing the multitudes of databases separately can be exhausting

Cost Structure

As of now, the open-source tool is free to run on SQL Server.

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23 CoScale

The strength of CoScale lies in monitoring and optimizing large scale data projects. The key performance indicator window can be shared across multiple users. Web developers, engineers, digital marketers, and operation managers can divide the workload on CoScale.

Pros

• It can track performance amidst technical modulation or business events
• It is capable of generating an extensive report on performance measures
• It offers light, easier, and quick data optimization.

Cons

• The server applications do not have a dedicated alert system

Cost Structure

The starting price of the tool is set at $30 for up to 20 containers.

24 Server Density

The online cloud-based DBMS software helps users manage and monitor the performance of data via a user-friendly graphical dashboard. Server Density serves businesses that want to find out issues at an early stage.

Pros 

• Users don't have to worry about remote data execution
• It has heightened visibility to cloud service providers.

Cons

• The dashboard clusters can misguide users to reroute data.

Cost Structure

The code of the open-source is available for free. If you, however, want to more than 25 servers, you'll have to contact customer support to get a suitable price.

25 Toad

It may be the last DBMS on the list, but Toad earned fame for quick installation and formating large options. Database analysts and administrators use the tool to align strategic data initiatives. Additionally, it can cut down data delivery lead time and reduce costs. 

Pros

• Ideal for developing future performance-based data cycles
• The cost of applications is slightly low for new users.

Cons

• Simplification of coding can transmute or hinder data delivery.

Cost Structure

The free license of the tool expires within 60 days and can only be used by five (5) users. You can acquire Toad's commercial versions that range from $870 to $4,900 per seat.

Conclusion

Whether you are a non-professional user or an experienced developer, your main focus of interest to choose from the DBMS mentioned above should be based on monitoring and performance generation. Also, check the flexibility of the program to add end-users. A good method is to compare the integration of data queries and assess technical possibilities that can enhance your database scripting knowledge. Ultimately, the role of the user should be the criterion to select your database management system software.

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