Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

SQL Server Management Studio VS Sequel Pro

Compare SQL Server Management Studio VS Sequel Pro and see what are their differences

SQL Server Management Studio logo SQL Server Management Studio

SSMS is a software application that is used for configuring, managing, and administering all...

Sequel Pro logo Sequel Pro

MySQL database management for Mac OS X
  • SQL Server Management Studio Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-14
  • Sequel Pro Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-03

SQL Server Management Studio features and specs

  • Comprehensive Interface
    SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) provides a comprehensive and user-friendly interface for managing SQL Server instances. It includes features like query execution, database design, and server management all in one tool.
  • Intelligent Code Completion
    SSMS has IntelliSense, which helps with code completion, syntax highlighting, and real-time error checking, improving developer productivity and reducing errors.
  • Integration with Azure
    SSMS seamlessly integrates with Azure SQL Database and Azure Synapse Analytics, enabling users to manage cloud-based databases and data warehouses effectively.
  • Built-in Performance Tuning Tools
    SSMS includes built-in tools for performance tuning and troubleshooting, such as Database Engine Tuning Advisor and Extended Events, helping DBAs optimize database performance.
  • Security Management
    The tool provides robust security management features, including user authentication, authorization, and activity monitoring to ensure data protection.
  • Free to Use
    SSMS is free to download and use, providing a cost-effective solution for managing SQL Server instances without additional software expenses.

Possible disadvantages of SQL Server Management Studio

  • Performance Issues
    Users sometimes report that SSMS can be slow or become unresponsive, especially when dealing with large databases or complex queries.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    While comprehensive, the extensive feature set of SSMS may require a significant investment of time and effort to learn, particularly for beginners.
  • Limited Support for Non-Microsoft Databases
    SSMS is primarily designed for SQL Server, which means it has limited support for other database management systems. This can be a drawback for users working in multi-DBMS environments.
  • Resource Intensive
    The application can be resource-intensive, consuming considerable system memory and CPU, which can affect the performance of other applications running on the same machine.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Users have reported encountering bugs and glitches in SSMS, which can disrupt workflow and necessitate workarounds or waiting for updates from Microsoft.
  • Lack of Advanced Collaboration Features
    SSMS lacks advanced collaboration features found in other modern IDEs, such as real-time co-editing and built-in version control system integration, which could be beneficial for development teams.

Sequel Pro features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Sequel Pro features an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for even beginners to interact with MySQL databases without needing to know extensive SQL commands.
  • Customization
    Offers a range of customization options, including custom queries and saved query favorites, allowing users to tailor the tool to their specific needs.
  • Free and Open-Source
    Sequel Pro is free to download and use. Its open-source nature ensures that users can contribute to its development and benefit from community-driven improvements.
  • Native macOS Application
    Designed specifically for macOS, offering a seamless experience for Mac users with native look and feel.
  • Data Editing
    Provides functionality to easily edit data directly within the application, simplifying the process of managing database content.
  • Import/Export Capability
    Supports importing and exporting databases in various formats such as CSV, SQL, XML, and other common formats.

Possible disadvantages of Sequel Pro

  • macOS-Only
    Sequel Pro is only available for macOS, which limits its usability for those who are using other operating systems.
  • Lacks Some Advanced Features
    While it covers most basic and intermediate needs, it lacks some advanced features found in other database management tools, which may be necessary for more complex database tasks.
  • Infrequent Updates
    Updates and bug fixes are somewhat infrequent, which can lead to prolonged periods where users might encounter unresolved issues or lack new features.
  • Stability Issues
    Some users have reported stability issues, including crashes and bugs, which can disrupt workflow and data management tasks.
  • No Official Support
    Lacks official customer support, relying instead on community forums and user-generated documentation, which may not be as reliable or fast for resolving urgent problems.

SQL Server Management Studio videos

SQL Server Management Studio Intro

More videos:

  • Review - Tips and Tricks for Using SQL Server Management Studio Effectively

Sequel Pro videos

What is Sequel Pro

More videos:

  • Review - Controlling your Databases with Sequel Pro, Part 2: Connecting and Creating a Database

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to SQL Server Management Studio and Sequel Pro)
Databases
25 25%
75% 75
Database Management
25 25%
75% 75
MySQL Tools
24 24%
76% 76
Database Tools
10 10%
90% 90

User comments

Share your experience with using SQL Server Management Studio and Sequel Pro. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare SQL Server Management Studio and Sequel Pro

SQL Server Management Studio Reviews

We have no reviews of SQL Server Management Studio yet.
Be the first one to post

Sequel Pro Reviews

15 Best MySQL GUI Clients for macOS
Sequel Pro is a completely free and open-source MySQL database manager that delivers the basic functionality for data management. If you need a simple tool to handle queries in multiple MySQL databases, this might be it.
Source: blog.devart.com
Top Ten MySQL GUI Tools
Sequel Pro is a widely used tool for open-source relational database environments on remote and local servers. Native to only macOS X, Sequel Pro works with cloud providers while performing table creation, customer queries, and syntax highlighting.
Top 10 of Most Helpful MySQL GUI Tools
A freeware Mac OS-based tool for MySQL databases, Sequel Pro performs all fundamental tasks. Users can create, modify, filter, and delete databases and tables, write and execute queries, import and export data, etc. The tool is compatible with Mac OS X only, which is inconvenient for those users who prefer other OS platforms.
Source: www.hforge.org
20 Best SQL Management Tools in 2020
Sequel Pro is a fast, easy-to-use database management tool for working with MySQL. This SQL management tool helpful for interacting with your database. It is also easy to add new databases, add new tables, add new rows, and any other type of databases using this software.
Source: www.guru99.com
10 Best MySQL GUI Tools
Sequel Pro is a free MySQL database management tool which allows performing all basic tasks such as adding, modifying, removing, browsing, and filtering databases, tables, and records, running queries, and more. While other MySQL tools we looked at are available for Windows and other OS, Sequel Pro will only work on Mac OS X. This tool is the successor of the CocoaMySQL...
Source: codingsight.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Sequel Pro might be a bit more popular than SQL Server Management Studio. We know about 2 links to it since March 2021 and only 2 links to SQL Server Management Studio. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

SQL Server Management Studio mentions (2)

  • What should I do?
    (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms) [AdventureWorks Sample Database ]. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Practicing with SQL for free
    Azure is unnecessary. You can use sql server (developer) together with sql server management studio. Source: over 3 years ago

Sequel Pro mentions (2)

  • Lol! Developer got no chill!
    Check out https://sequelpro.com/ Completely free and, imo, better than TP. Source: over 2 years ago
  • User friendly GUI for OSX
    Doing some Googling Sequel Pro looks very promising as well as Navicat. Ideally something FOSS or at least free, but willing to pay if needed. Source: almost 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing SQL Server Management Studio and Sequel Pro, you can also consider the following products

DBeaver - DBeaver - Universal Database Manager and SQL Client.

Navicat - Powerful database management & design tool for Win, Mac & Linux. With intuitive GUI, user manages MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server, SQLite, Oracle & PostgreSQL DB easily.

phpMyAdmin - phpMyAdmin is a tool written in PHP intended to handle the administration of MySQL over the Web.

SQL Developer - Oracle SQL Developer is a free, development environment that simplifies the management of Oracle Database in both traditional and Cloud deployments.

DataGrip - Tool for SQL and databases

DbVisualizer - DbVisualizer is the universal database tool for developers, DBAs and analysts.