Production profile: 24 databases, about 35.0 GB total (data plus logs), low writes and moderate reads. Consolidation is still the most economical path. License status and SQL Agent usage are the biggest decision drivers; Azure can be much cheaper if you have SQL Server licenses with Software Assurance (Azure Hybrid Benefit) already I dont know what license we use.
Decision snapshot
Consolidation means hosting many small databases together on one shared instance or pool.
Managed SQL Server
No code change
- Low risk and fastest timeline.
- Built in backups and patching.
- Elastic pools fit 24 DBs well.
- License included pricing is higher.
- Express or Web limits may apply.
SQL Server on VM (BYOL)
Lower infra, higher ops
- Lowest monthly cost with licenses.
- Full SQL feature control.
- Manual patching and backups.
- License mobility required.
PostgreSQL or MySQL
Lowest long term spend
- 60 to 80 percent lower cost.
- Fully managed everywhere.
- 6 to 12 week migration effort.
- Stored procedure rewrites.
Narrow your options
Toggle providers and answer the gating questions to filter the cost table and bands below.
Monthly cost bands
Per-provider pricing (monthly, 24 DBs consolidated)
| Option | On-Demand | 1-Year | 3-Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SQL Server compatible | ||||
| AWS RDS SQL Server Express | $74 | $49 | — | 10 GB / DB, no SQL Agent |
| GCP Cloud SQL SQL Server Express | $105 | $80 | $53 | 10 GB / DB, no SQL Agent |
| Azure SQL on VM + AHB | $81 | $55 | — | Requires Software Assurance |
| AWS EC2 SQL Server BYOL | $110 | $70 | — | Requires Software Assurance |
| Azure SQL Elastic Pool + AHB | $222 | $175 | $75 | Best pool fit; requires SA |
| GCP Cloud SQL SQL Server Web | $139 | $113 | $86 | No BYOL on Cloud SQL |
| Azure SQL DTU Pool (50 eDTU) | $110 | — | — | DTU model, no reserved pricing |
| AWS RDS SQL Server Standard | $297 | $192 | $126 | Full SQL Agent support |
| Azure SQL Managed Instance + AHB | $470 | — | $150 | Closest to on-prem; requires SA |
| Azure SQL Elastic Pool (no AHB) | $370 | $291 | $246 | License included, no SA needed |
| Open source alternatives | ||||
| AWS RDS PostgreSQL | $50 | $32 | $22 | Lowest long-term cost |
| Azure PostgreSQL Flexible | $62 | $38 | $25 | Managed, auto-scale |
| Azure MySQL Flexible | $62 | $38 | $25 | Managed, auto-scale |
| GCP Cloud SQL PostgreSQL (small) | $30 | — | — | Lightweight tier |
| AWS RDS MySQL | $47 | $31 | — | Managed MySQL |
| AWS Aurora PostgreSQL Serverless | $46 | — | — | Pay-per-query, scales to zero |
| GCP Cloud SQL PostgreSQL | $105 | $80 | $53 | Standard tier |
| Sevalla PostgreSQL (1 CPU / 4 GB) | $65 | — | — | Good if apps on Sevalla |
| Sevalla PostgreSQL (2 CPU / 8 GB) | $145 | — | — | Higher tier for larger workloads |
Fit check: SQL Server vs open source
- SQL Agent jobs are required.
- Teams want zero code change.
- Existing tooling depends on SQL Server features.
- Cost reduction is a top priority.
- Stored procedure use is light.
- Applications can change drivers.
Dev environment strategy
Local Docker for dev
- Removes dev cloud cost.
- Fast iteration with local control.
- Keeps prod cleanly separated.
Add a small instance cost on top of production. Use the lowest tier that satisfies SQL Agent needs.
| Dev option | Monthly / yearly |
|---|---|
| SQL Server Express (AWS or GCP) | $49 to $105 / $588 to $1,260 |
| SQL Server on VM (BYOL) | $55 to $110 / $660 to $1,320 |
| PostgreSQL or MySQL (managed) | $22 to $62 / $264 to $744 |
| Sevalla managed PostgreSQL | $65 to $145 / $780 to $1,740 |
Next checks
Verify licensing
- Confirm Software Assurance status.
- Check license mobility for VM paths.
Confirm Enterprise needs
- List SQL Agent jobs in use.
- Check for Enterprise only features.