Software Alternatives & Startups

ApexSQL Search VS ApexSQL Refactor

Compare ApexSQL Search VS ApexSQL Refactor and see what are their differences

ApexSQL Search

SQL search - Search SQL data and objects for free in SSMS and Visual Studio

Rating
0 reviews
ApexSQL Refactor

ApexSQL Refactor is a free SQL formatter and database refactoring tool for SQL Server.

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Database Management popularity
43% vs 57%
alternatives listed
9 vs 14

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

ApexSQL Search
ApexSQL Refactor
Website apexsql.com quest.com
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

ApexSQL Search 0 features
ApexSQL Refactor 4 features

No features have been listed yet.

  • Improved Code Readability
    ApexSQL Refactor formats SQL code, helping to improve readability and maintainability by ensuring consistent styling.
  • Productivity Enhancements
    The tool automates repetitive refactoring tasks, allowing developers to focus on more complex issues and speeding up the development process.
  • Code Analysis
    It includes features for analyzing code to ensure it adheres to best practices, potentially reducing bugs and improving performance.
  • Integration
    Seamlessly integrates with SQL Server Management Studio, which is familiar to many developers, requiring less time to adapt.

Possible disadvantages

  • Learning Curve
    Initial setup and learning to use all features can be time-consuming for new users unfamiliar with the tool.
  • Potential Overhead
    Some users might find the addition of another tool into their workflow adds complexity and overhead, depending on the current environment.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running the tool can be resource-intensive, possibly affecting performance, especially on systems with limited resources.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    While useful for basic refactoring, advanced users might find it lacks certain deep refactoring capabilities compared to other specialized tools.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

ApexSQL Search
ApexSQL Refactor

Overall verdict

  • ApexSQL Search is a solid, free add-in for SQL Server Management Studio and Visual Studio that makes finding database objects and data fast and reliable, making it a worthwhile tool for many SQL Server professionals.

Why this product is good

  • It is completely free, offering strong value for individuals and teams working with SQL Server
  • Enables quick searching of text and objects across databases, tables, views, stored procedures, and more
  • Integrates directly into SQL Server Management Studio and Visual Studio for a seamless workflow
  • Provides object dependency analysis, helping you understand impact before making schema changes
  • Includes handy features like safe object renaming and data searching within tables
  • Backed by ApexSQL/Quest, a reputable vendor with a broad suite of SQL Server tools

Recommended for

  • Database administrators who need to locate objects and dependencies quickly
  • SQL developers working extensively within SSMS or Visual Studio
  • Teams managing large or complex SQL Server databases
  • Professionals looking for a free tool to search text and data across databases
  • Anyone needing safe object renaming and dependency tracking before schema changes

Overall verdict

  • ApexSQL Refactor is a solid, free SQL code formatting and refactoring tool that integrates directly into SQL Server Management Studio and Visual Studio, making it a valuable productivity add-in for T-SQL developers and DBAs.

Why this product is good

  • It's completely free, offering excellent value for teams and individuals working with SQL Server
  • Integrates seamlessly with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and Visual Studio
  • Provides extensive code formatting options with over 160 customizable formatting rules
  • Includes useful refactoring capabilities like safe object renaming, splitting tables, and encapsulating code as stored procedures
  • Helps enforce consistent coding standards across development teams
  • Offers features like adding surrogate keys, replacing one-to-many relationships, and object dependency tracking

Recommended for

  • SQL Server developers who want to standardize and clean up T-SQL code
  • Database administrators managing schema changes and refactoring tasks
  • Development teams needing consistent SQL formatting and coding conventions
  • Users of SSMS or Visual Studio looking for a free formatting add-in
  • Organizations wanting to improve code readability and maintainability without extra cost

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

ApexSQL Search 0 videos + Add
ApexSQL Refactor 2 videos + Add

No ApexSQL Search videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

An introduction to ApexSQL Refactor

More videos

  • - ApexSQL Refactor - Using the "Convert to code" feature

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
ApexSQL Search
ApexSQL Refactor
43% 43%
57% 57%
41% 41%
59% 59%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

ApexSQL Search no reviews yet
ApexSQL Refactor no reviews yet

Alternatives to ApexSQL Search and ApexSQL Refactor

When comparing ApexSQL Search and ApexSQL Refactor, you can also consider the following products.