Software Alternatives & Startups

dbForge Search for SQL Server VS ApexSQL Refactor

Compare dbForge Search for SQL Server VS ApexSQL Refactor and see what are their differences

dbForge Search for SQL Server

dbForge Search is a free SSMS add-in for search of SQL objects and data in database tables and views with handy management of search results.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Free
ApexSQL Refactor

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

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Databases popularity
53% vs 47%
alternatives listed
14 vs 14

Base details

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

dbForge Search for SQL Server
ApexSQL Refactor
Website devart.com quest.com
Pricing —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

dbForge Search for SQL Server 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.

dbForge Search for SQL Server
ApexSQL Refactor

Overall verdict

  • dbForge Search for SQL Server is a solid, reliable tool for quickly locating database objects and data across SQL Server instances, and it's especially appealing because it's offered as a free add-in for SQL Server Management Studio.

Why this product is good

  • It's a free add-in that integrates directly into SQL Server Management Studio, requiring minimal setup
  • It performs fast, comprehensive searches for database objects (tables, views, procedures, functions, etc.) and text within object definitions
  • It helps identify object dependencies, which is valuable for impact analysis before making schema changes
  • It supports searching for data within tables, not just object names
  • Devart is a well-established vendor with a strong track record of database tooling and ongoing support

Recommended for

  • Database developers who frequently navigate large or complex SQL Server databases
  • DBAs who need to perform impact analysis and locate object dependencies
  • Teams already using SSMS who want seamless integration without extra cost
  • Anyone needing to quickly find specific objects or data in unfamiliar or legacy databases

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.

dbForge Search for SQL Server 0 videos + Add
ApexSQL Refactor 2 videos + Add

No dbForge Search for SQL Server 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
dbForge Search for SQL Server
ApexSQL Refactor
53% 53%
47% 47%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using dbForge Search for SQL Server and ApexSQL Refactor. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Log in or Post with

Reviews and articles

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

dbForge Search for SQL Server no reviews yet
ApexSQL Refactor no reviews yet

We have no reviews of dbForge Search for SQL Server yet. Be the first one to post

Alternatives to dbForge Search for SQL Server and ApexSQL Refactor

When comparing dbForge Search for SQL Server and ApexSQL Refactor, you can also consider the following products.