# Microsoft SQL Server vs Neon

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** Neon

| Attribute | Microsoft SQL Server | Neon |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 43.9 (7% (low)) | 71.5 (70% (medium)) |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"SQL Server 2025 is Microsoft's enterprise database system built with strong security, high performance, and availability features. It includes native AI capabilities to help modernize data platforms and accelerate application development. It is indexed under Relational Databases.","source":"https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sql-server","question":"What is Microsoft SQL Server?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Microsoft SQL Server supports Windows, Linux and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sql-server","question":"What platforms does Microsoft SQL Server support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Microsoft SQL Server can be deployed cloud / SaaS, on-premise and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sql-server","question":"Can Microsoft SQL Server be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 3 integrations for Microsoft SQL Server, including LangChain, Semantic Kernel and Entity Framework Core. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sql-server","question":"What does Microsoft SQL Server integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed GDPR for Microsoft SQL Server. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Microsoft SQL Server not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/compliance/recycling","question":"What security certifications does Microsoft SQL Server have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"Microsoft SQL Server is available worldwide. The vendor is headquartered in the United States.","source":"https://www.microsoft.com/golf/etc.clientlibs/onecloud/components/content/reimagine/atomic/carousel/v1/carousel/clientlibs/pricing-styles.ACSHASHbcdafd3e07059ae596973551430292fc.min.css","question":"Where is Microsoft SQL Server available?","confidence":0.75}]` | `[{"answer":"Neon is a managed Postgres database service that automatically scales compute and storage based on workload demands. It features instant database branching for testing and development, point-in-time restore capability, and maintains SOC2 and HIPAA compliance. It is indexed under Relational Databases.","source":"https://neon.tech","question":"What is Neon?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Neon offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans start at $0.00. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://neon.tech","question":"Is Neon free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed browser-based access to Neon. That is the extent of what we could verify from public sources, so it may well offer desktop or mobile clients we have not indexed.","source":"https://neon.tech","question":"What platforms does Neon support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have only confirmed a cloud / SaaS deployment for Neon, so it appears to be vendor-hosted. If a self-hosted option exists we have not found it documented publicly.","source":"https://neon.tech","question":"Can Neon be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA and GDPR for Neon. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Neon not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://neon.tech","question":"What security certifications does Neon have?","confidence":0.6}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true,"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | SQL Server 2025 is Microsoft's enterprise database system built with strong security, high performance, and availability features. It includes native AI capabilities to help modernize data platforms and accelerate application development. | A fully-managed PostgreSQL database that automatically scales compute resources, supports Git-like environment branching, and includes built-in user authentication without additional licensing. |
| features.capabilities | `{"sql_model":"full_sql","geo_spatial":"native","json_document":true,"license_class":"proprietary","acid_transactions":"full"}` | `{"isolation":"serializable","sql_model":"full_sql","deployment":"managed","serverless":true,"consistency":"strong","replication":"async","license_class":"proprietary","horizontal_scale":"read_replica","acid_transactions":"full","automatic_failover":true,"wire_compatibility":"postgres"}` |
| integrations.count | 3 | 2 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"LangChain"},{"name":"Semantic Kernel"},{"name":"Entity Framework Core"}]` | `[{"name":"Datadog"},{"name":"OpenTelemetry","category":"monitoring"}]` |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | - |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"windows":true}` | `{"cli":true}` |
| pricing | - | `{"type":"usage","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","summary":"Free - Build and learn","features":["100 projects","100 CU-hours monthly per project","0.5 GB storage per project","Compute up to 2 CU (8 GB RAM)","Unlimited team members","Managed backend","Better Auth","Object Storage (Beta)","Functions (Beta)"],"description":"Build and learn free with no time limits and no credit card required","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"storage":"0.5 GB per project","projects":"100","max_compute_cu":"2","cu_hours_monthly":"100 per project"}},{"free":false,"name":"Launch","summary":"Usage-based, typical $15/mo (intermittent load, 1 GB)","features":["Compute autoscaling up to 16 CU","Scale to zero when inactive","Database storage with 7-day instant restore history","100 snapshots","Monitoring with 3-day retention","Private networking options","Object Storage (Beta)","Functions (Beta)","AI Gateway (Beta)"],"components":[{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"CU-hour"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.106,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB-month"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.35,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"branch-hour"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.002,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB-month"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.2,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Pay-per-usage plan for variable workloads","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"projects":"100","max_compute_cu":"16","branches_per_project":"10"}},{"free":false,"name":"Scale","summary":"Usage-based, typical $701/mo (high load, 100 GB)","features":["Compute autoscaling up to 56 CU","Configurable scale-to-zero","Database storage with up to 30-day instant restore history","100 snapshots","SLAs included","HIPAA compliance","Private networking with Private Link","Monitoring with 14-day retention and export (Datadog, OTel)","Spending limits","Multiple egress options","Object Storage (Beta)","Functions (Beta)","AI Gateway (Beta)"],"components":[{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"CU-hour"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.222,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB-month"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.35,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"branch-hour"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.002,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB-month"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.2,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.01,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Pay-per-usage plan for production workloads with SLAs and compliance features","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"projects":"1000+","max_compute_cu":"56","branches_per_project":"25"}}],"summary":"Free tier with 100 CU-hours/mo. Usage-based: Launch plan $0.106/CU-hr + $0.35/GB-mo, Scale plan $0.222/CU-hr + $0.35/GB-mo. Typical $15–$701/mo.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://neon.tech","retrievedAt":"2026-08-03T12:40:59.605Z","startingPrice":{"amount":0.002,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | - | yes |
| pricing.model | commercial | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | - | low |
| pricing.transparent | - | no |
| reliability.sla_pct | - | 99.95 |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.disclosure_policy | yes | - |
| security.fedramp | - | yes |
| security.gdpr | yes | yes |
| security.hipaa | - | yes |
| security.iso27001 | - | yes |
| security.pci | - | yes |
| security.soc2 | - | yes |
| security.trust_center | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security | - |

## Capabilities (Relational Databases)

| Capability | Microsoft SQL Server | Neon |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| SQL model | Full SQL | Full SQL |
| **Transactions** |  |  |
| ACID transactions | Full | Full |
| Highest isolation level | - | Serializable |
| **Consistency** |  |  |
| Consistency | - | Strong |
| **Scale** |  |  |
| Horizontal scale | - | Read replicas |
| **Replication** |  |  |
| Replication | - | Async |
| **Availability** |  |  |
| Automatic failover / HA | - | ✓ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Deployment | - | Managed |
| Serverless / scale-to-zero | - | ✓ |
| **Compatibility** |  |  |
| Wire compatibility | - | Postgres protocol |
| **Extensibility** |  |  |
| Extensions / plugins / UDFs | - | - |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Licence class | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| **Data types** |  |  |
| JSON / document support | ✓ | - |
| Geo / spatial | Native | - |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T20:12:33.981Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*