SQL Server monitoring tools help database administrators track performance, identify bottlenecks, and ensure optimal database health. Whether you need a free SQL monitor for a small environment or an enterprise-grade SQL performance monitoring solution, this guide covers the best options available in 2026.
The top SQL Server monitoring tools include Microsoft's SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) with built-in monitors, the open-source MSSQL monitoring tools DBA Dash, SQLWATCH, and Stack Overflow's Opserver, and commercial solutions like Redgate SQL Monitor and Datadog Database Monitoring.
Built-in Tools within SSMS
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is primarily a tool for managing and administering SQL Server instances, databases, and their associated objects. While SSMS itself is not a dedicated monitoring tool, it does provide some features and integrations that allow DBAs to monitor SQL Server performance and activity:
The Activity Monitor
The Activity Monitor provides real-time insights into SQL Server database performance and health, aiding in troubleshooting, resource monitoring, and ensuring smooth server operation.
Reports
Reports offer disk usage data, performance dashboards, and top queries by CPU, duration, and IO, helping identify resource-intensive queries.
SQL Server Profiler
SQL Server Profiler, though deprecated, is available in older SSMS versions for tracing SQL Server events. Extended Events is recommended as a modern alternative.
Extended Events
Extended Events is the replacement for SQL Server Profiler. It's a lightweight, customizable monitoring system for capturing detailed performance and troubleshooting data.
Open Source Tools
DBA Dash
DBA Dash is a free, open source monitoring tool for SQL Server. It provides DBAs with insights into the health, performance, and activity of SQL Server instances.
It is particularly useful for small to medium-sized environments where a full-fledged enterprise monitoring solution might be overkill.
Key Features
- Daily DBA Checks: Backups, corruption, memory dumps, DBCC, availability groups, log shipping, mirroring, agent jobs, disk space, query store, identity columns, and more.
- Performance Monitoring: CPU, IO, blocking, running queries, slow queries, stored procedures, performance counters, memory, and more.
- Track Configuration: Configuration settings, trace flags, hardware, patching, and tempdb across all servers, with automatic change tracking.
SQLWATCH
SQLWATCH is decentralized, real to near-real time SQL Server monitoring solution. It is designed to provide comprehensive monitoring out of the box and to serve as a monitoring framework for your own projects or applications. It collects performance data in a local database with an option for centralised reporting for convenience.
Key Features
- 5-second granularity for capturing workload spikes.
- Grafana for real-time dashboards and Power BI for in-depth analysis.
- Extensive configuration options.
- Zero maintenance and unlimited scalability.
Opserver
Opserver by Stack Exchange monitors multiple systems, including SQL Server, Redis, and Elasticsearch, providing an "all servers" view for CPU, memory, network, and hardware stats.
Commercial Tools
Redgate SQL Monitor
Redgate SQL Monitor is a comprehensive, enterprise-grade SQL Server monitoring and performance tuning tool developed by Redgate Software. Optimize performance, ensure security, and mitigate potential risks with fast deep-dive analysis and customizable alerting.
Datadog Database Monitoring
Datadog Database Monitoring provides deep visibility into databases across all of your hosts. Dig into historical query performance metrics, explain plans, and host-level metrics all in one place, to understand the health and performance of your databases and troubleshoot issues as they arise.
SQL Server Monitoring Tools Comparison
| Tool | Type | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSMS Activity Monitor | Built-in | Free | Quick real-time diagnostics |
| SSMS Extended Events | Built-in | Free | Detailed event tracing |
| DBA Dash | Open Source | Free | Small to medium environments |
| SQLWATCH | Open Source | Free | Near-real-time monitoring with Grafana |
| Opserver | Open Source | Free | Multi-system monitoring (SQL Server + Redis + more) |
| Redgate SQL Monitor | Commercial | Paid | Enterprise SQL performance monitoring |
| Datadog Database Monitoring | Commercial | Paid | Full-stack observability with database monitoring |
Conclusion
Built-in tools within SSMS provide essential monitoring capabilities for immediate insights. Open source solutions like DBA Dash, SQLWATCH, and Opserver offer flexibility and cost-effectiveness, making them ideal for smaller setups or those seeking customizable options. For enterprises requiring comprehensive monitoring and performance tuning, commercial tools like Redgate SQL Monitor and Datadog Database Monitoring deliver robust features and advanced analytics.
FAQ
What is the best free SQL Server monitoring tool?
DBA Dash is the best free, open-source SQL Server monitoring tool. It provides daily DBA checks, performance monitoring (CPU, IO, blocking, slow queries), and configuration tracking across all your SQL Server instances.
Does SQL Server have built-in monitoring?
Yes, SQL Server includes several built-in monitoring capabilities through SSMS: Activity Monitor for real-time performance insights, Extended Events for detailed event tracing, and Performance Reports for disk usage and top queries. SQL Server Profiler is also available but deprecated in favor of Extended Events.
What is the best SQL performance monitoring tool?
For enterprise environments, Redgate SQL Monitor and Datadog Database Monitoring are the leading commercial SQL performance monitoring tools. For free options, DBA Dash and SQLWATCH provide comprehensive performance monitoring for SQL Server with customizable dashboards.
How to monitor SQL Server performance?
You can monitor SQL Server performance using built-in tools like Activity Monitor and Extended Events in SSMS, open-source tools like DBA Dash or SQLWATCH for ongoing monitoring, or commercial solutions like Redgate SQL Monitor for enterprise-grade performance analysis and alerting.
