Microsoft Access vs SQL: What Are the Differences?

Comparitech recently asked their readers an intriguing question:

“Microsoft Access: Is It Still Relevant in 2022?” 

The reason this question is so profound is twofold. One is that the Microsoft Office suite has been on the market for close to 30 years. Second is that Microsoft Access is not the only solution for businesses.

Many businesses turn to Microsoft SQL as a better solution to meet their needs.

So, what is the difference between Microsoft Access vs SQL? Further, how do you know which is the right one for your business?

You do not need to be an IT expert to understand what makes each unique. Here is how to tell the difference.

What Is Microsoft Access?

It is a part of the suite of applications in Microsoft 365. It is a powerful application that business and enterprise users can use to be more productive.

Microsoft Access allows you to view and edit data, like Excel. However, it is more powerful than Excel. It can handle a lot more data at one time.

Microsoft Access Guide

With Microsoft Access, you can manipulate data with queries and pre-made forms.

The challenge with Microsoft Access is that if there is a data failure, or a file becomes corrupted, the only way you could recover it is with a backup database you would need to store on another drive.

Microsoft Access and Microsoft SQL

Before talking about the differences, here is what they have in common. They are both database applications, and they both support relational tables.

One major difference between Microsoft Access vs SQL is that Microsoft Access is perfect for small businesses, while Microsoft SQL works well for medium to large businesses.

There are at least one dozen various editions of the Microsoft SQL Server. The different editions all range in terms of workloads and audiences. These include both small single-machine applications and large applications which are Internet-facing for many concurrent users to work.

We recommend you click here to buy the Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Standard.

Microsoft SQL Guide

Microsoft SQL only offers a command-line interface and is more for experts. This means that it takes more time to learn the application, as it is less intuitive.

Also, unlike Microsoft Access, the benefit of Microsoft SQL is that it supports automatic backup procedures to a media disk or network drive. Programmers can use transaction logs to roll back procedures.

Another consideration for choosing Microsoft SQL over Microsoft Access is the increase in security. If your business files and stores a lot of sensitive data like credit card information and other personal confidential information, this would be of significant benefit to you.

Microsoft Access vs SQL

Now that you can see the significant differences between Microsoft Access vs SQL, it will help equip you to make the right decision about which application is best for your organization. Ultimately, choose the one that will help your organization be more productive.

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