This year’s Microsoft Ignite conference, which happened in November, included some bad news for users of SQL Server Web Edition. How bad? It’s been discontinued. There’s no web edition in the 2025 release, and SQL Server 2022 Web Edition will be the last of its kind.
After many years the affordable, no-fuss option that has been good enough for many of us is starting to slowly disappear.
There’s plenty of runway left—SQL Server 2022 is in support until next decade—but the clock is ticking and the longer you spend on the Web Edition from now, the longer you’ll go without any new features or upgrades. Your options for the future include:
Upgrading to the Standard Edition which adds power and features, but also cost.
Refactoring code to squeeze into the limitations of the free Express Edition, which might be too restrictive.
Moving away from SQL Server entirely, which might not be easy.
It’s time to start making a plan.
The gap that SQL Server Web Edition filled so well
The Web Edition of SQL Server was basically the good enough, affordable choice. It was capable of solving real problems without blowing your budget. In terms of features and price, the next step up is the Standard edition, followed by SQL Server Enterprise at the top of the ladder. If you’re reading this, you don’t need the Enterprise edition.
There’s also SQL Server Developer, which can’t be licensed for production environments, and the Express edition, which is free and consequently comes with limitations. In some situations, perhaps you could refactor your code and get SQL Server Express to do the job that the Web Edition doing today.
We pass on a very manageable licence price of $45 per month for SQL Server Web Edition. How does SQL Standard compare? It depends either on CPU cores or on CAL counts, but the short answer is that you’ll need to budget thousands of dollars. It’s a big jump up.
For a lot of websites and SaaS apps, SQL Server Standard is way too much in terms of both features and cost. But if you're likely to outgrow the Web Edition in the next half-decade or so, then the step up to Standard is an obvious option.
Where to next?
When thinking about the future, the first thing to remember is that SQL Server 2022 Web Edition is in long-term support until January 2033. Microsoft will keep it patched and secure and we’ll keep offering it.
If you’re happy to stick with 2022’s feature set, even for new Windows servers, that’s a seven year buffer. Just don't leave it till the last minute to decide your next move.
The Express Edition is free, but limited
If you can squeeze into the restrictions of SQL Server Express Edition, it's a free option. Microsoft's own description of it is, "the entry-level, free database, ideal for learning and building desktop and small server data-driven applications".
For SQL Server 2025, limitations include:
Compute capacity (database engine, single instance): 1 socket or 4 cores.
Memory for buffer pool (per instance): 1,410MB.
Memory for columnstore segment cache (per instance): 352MB.
Memory-optimized data size per database: 352MB.
Relational database size: 50GB.
SQL Server Standard would be a smooth move, with a price tag
As a straight upgrade from the Web Edition, moving up to SQL Server Standard Edition would be the easiest option from a technical point of view. But the major consideration here is the price difference, which we’ve already talked about above.
For most Web Edition users, the Standard Edition probably won’t be good value for money.
On the other hand, for some businesses this could be the sign you need to prepare for the step up. Perhaps you've had some good growth since the days when you latched onto the Web Edition. Maybe you're running a fleet of servers now, and a few large databases. You've built a sturdy foundation and you expect to be running a bigger business in the future. If the extra power of SQL Server Standard could fit that future then it becomes a question of when to swap out the Web Edition.
If you want to explore your options, talk with us and we’ll help you see how the cost of the upgrade would balance out for you.
Open-source alternatives are worth a serious look
There’s a lot to like about open source database options. No licences, which means no licensing surprises. A robust ecosystem designed to flex when any single supplier discontinues a product. Years and years of road-testing built in.
Migrating from SQL Server to an open source alternative is never going to be an overnight job. Complexities can multiply, but with a clear plan and enough time you can set yourself up for many years.
Options to consider include PostgreSQL, which calls itself “The World's Most Advanced Open Source Relational Database”; Oracle’s MySQL; and MariaDB, a MySQL fork that is now the default database on our Cloud Container platform.
All of these are open source, stable, and bring long-term predictability. If you’d like an expert opinion on how they compare in your case, just ask.
The end of SQL Server Web Edition means the start of your adaptation
We’re not here to disparage Microsoft. SQL Server is really good software. But removing Web Edition leaves a noticeable hole.
There’s no rush to work out how you’ll adapt, but there’s a clear timeline in front of you. January 2033 is your hard deadline and between now and then, SQL Server 2022 Web Edition is going to look more and more outmoded. Microsoft has already released the 2025 version of other editions.
2026 is the year to work on your plan. We’re happy to help you plot a course that suits you.