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Business Intelligence · head to head

Glassbox vs Microsoft SQL Server

Glassbox logo

Glassbox

Business Intelligence

Digital experience intelligence

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft SQL Server logo

Microsoft SQL Server

Databases

Enterprise-grade relational database management system

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft SQL Server has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Glassbox no fixed pricing tiers published; custom quotes required based on package, data retention, and session volume; Microsoft SQL Server licensing and on-premises deployment costs are high compared to open-source alternatives, with Enterprise Edition exceeding $60,000 for minimum core requirements
  • They diverge on capability: Glassbox covers Session Replay, Microsoft SQL Server covers T-SQL.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Glassbox and Microsoft SQL Server actually diverge.

Attributes where Glassbox and Microsoft SQL Server differ
AttributeGlassboxMicrosoft SQL Server
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, HybridWindows Server, Linux (RHEL, SUSE, Ubuntu), Docker, Azure
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDatabases
Founded20101989

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Glassbox

  • Session Replay
  • Struggle Detection
  • Journey Mapping
  • AI Insights
  • Voice of Customer
  • Adobe Analytics
  • Google Analytics
  • Salesforce

Only in Microsoft SQL Server

  • T-SQL
  • ACID Compliance
  • Advanced Security
  • In-memory OLTP
  • Columnstore Indexes
  • Always On Availability
  • Machine Learning Services
  • Azure

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Glassbox

  • User experience analysisnot Microsoft SQL Server
  • Bug reproductionnot Microsoft SQL Server
  • Conversion optimizationnot Microsoft SQL Server
  • Customer journey mappingnot Microsoft SQL Server
  • Usability testingnot Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server

  • Transaction processingnot Glassbox
  • Data storagenot Glassbox
  • Application backendnot Glassbox
  • Reportingnot Glassbox
  • Data analyticsnot Glassbox

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Glassbox

  • No fixed pricing tiers published; custom quotes required based on package, data retention, and session volume

Microsoft SQL Server

  • Licensing and on-premises deployment costs are high compared to open-source alternatives, with Enterprise Edition exceeding $60,000 for minimum core requirements
  • Performance monitoring toolset is insufficient for hybrid cloud environments requiring real-time analytics across multiple deployment types
  • Heavy I/O resource consumption can saturate disk volumes and degrade performance when processing large transaction workloads
  • Always On availability groups with up to 8 secondary replicas are limited to Enterprise edition only; Standard supports only basic availability groups with 2 replicas
  • CPU and memory scaling is capped at 4 sockets or 32 cores on Standard edition, limiting deployments requiring higher compute capacity

Pricing, plan by plan

Glassbox

On request
  • CustomFree
    • Full Platform
    • Mobile Analytics
    • Enterprise Support

Microsoft SQL Server

Free
  • ExpressFree
    • 4 cores maximum
    • 1.4 GB memory per instance
    • 50 GB database size limit
  • DeveloperFree
    • All Enterprise features
    • Non-production use only
  • Standard$3945/per 2-core pack
    • 32 core maximum per instance
    • 256 GB buffer pool memory
    • Basic availability groups with 2 replicas
  • Enterprise$15123/per 2-core pack
    • Unlimited scaling
    • Always On with up to 8 secondaries
    • Advanced security and HA features

Which should you pick?

Choose Glassbox if

  • You need session replay.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Hybrid.
  • You also want struggle detection.
Glassbox review

Choose Microsoft SQL Server if

  • You need t-sql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows Server, Linux (RHEL, SUSE, Ubuntu), Docker, Azure.
  • You also want acid compliance.
Microsoft SQL Server review

Questions people ask

Is Glassbox or Microsoft SQL Server better?
Neither clearly leads. Glassbox starts at On request and Microsoft SQL Server at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Glassbox or Microsoft SQL Server?
Microsoft SQL Server has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Glassbox and Free for Microsoft SQL Server.
Does Glassbox or Microsoft SQL Server run on more platforms?
Glassbox runs on Web, Mobile, Hybrid. Microsoft SQL Server runs on Windows Server, Linux (RHEL, SUSE, Ubuntu), Docker, Azure.
Can I use Microsoft SQL Server for free?
Yes. Microsoft SQL Server has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Glassbox starts at On request.
What is Glassbox best used for?
Glassbox is most often used for user experience analysis, bug reproduction, conversion optimization, customer journey mapping. Of those, user experience analysis and bug reproduction are not what Microsoft SQL Server is typically brought in for.
What can Glassbox do that Microsoft SQL Server cannot?
Glassbox covers Session Replay, Struggle Detection, Journey Mapping, AI Insights. Microsoft SQL Server covers T-SQL, ACID Compliance, Advanced Security, In-memory OLTP.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Glassbox: How much does Glassbox cost?

Glassbox uses custom pricing based on three factors: the selected package (Production Operation, Marketing/Business, or Product), data retention period, and session volume. The vendor encourages contacting sales to build customized packages.

Source
Microsoft SQL Server: What is the pricing model for SQL Server?

SQL Server uses core-based licensing with per-2-core pack pricing. Enterprise Edition costs approximately $15,123 per 2-core pack (minimum 8 cores). Standard Edition costs approximately $3,945 per 2-core pack. Developer and Express editions are free. Software Assurance adds 25-35% annually for upgrades and support.

Source
Glassbox: Does Glassbox offer add-ons for specific industries?

Yes, Glassbox offers specialized add-on solutions including fraud prevention, accessibility features, and call center solutions tailored for financial organizations.

Source
Microsoft SQL Server: Does SQL Server run on Linux?

Yes. SQL Server 2017 and later run on Linux (Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Ubuntu), Docker containers, and Windows with feature parity including Always On availability groups, Active Directory authentication, and encryption.

Source
Microsoft SQL Server: Is there a free edition of SQL Server?

Yes. SQL Server Express is free and includes all functionality of Enterprise edition for development and testing, with limits of 4 cores, 1,410 MB memory per instance, and 50 GB per database. Developer edition is also free for non-production use.

Source
Microsoft SQL Server: Can SQL Server be deployed offline?

Yes. SQL Server can be installed from offline media on machines without internet access. Microsoft provides complete offline installation packages for SQL Server, SSMS, and supporting components, making deployment in isolated or air-gapped environments feasible.

Source
Microsoft SQL Server: What high availability options does SQL Server provide?

SQL Server offers Always On availability groups (Enterprise only), Always On failover cluster instances, database mirroring, log shipping, and for disaster recovery, failover servers in Azure and Accelerated Database Recovery for faster recovery after failures.

Source
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