Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials
SQL Toolbelt Essentials is the classic SQL Server developer bundle — SQL Prompt, SQL Compare, SQL Data Compare, SQL Source Control & SQL Search, inside SSMS. Write, compare, version — the tools that made Redgate’s name.
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The Redgate platform family
This page covers SQL Toolbelt Essentials — the SQL Server dev bundle. The rest of the Redgate stack:
Quick facts
30-second orientation- Product
- SQL Toolbelt Essentials — SQL Server dev bundle
- Vendor
- Redgate (founded 1999 · Cambridge, UK)
- The category
- SQL Server developer & DBA tools
- What it does
- Write, compare & version SQL Server databases
- In the bundle
- SQL Prompt, SQL Compare, SQL Data Compare, SQL Source Control, SQL Search
- The star
- SQL Prompt — developer-loved productivity
- Lives in
- SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
- Note
- Old full ‘SQL Toolbelt’ is legacy; Essentials is current
- Vs
- dbForge (Devart), native SSMS/ADS (free), DataGrip, Toad
- In India via
- TechBag — scoping, honest compare, GST
Understand SQL Server developer tooling before you buy it
Most product pages skip this. We start here — so you buy a capability, not a buzzword.
What is SQL Toolbelt Essentials?
The classic SQL Server developer bundle — SQL Prompt (completion/formatting), SQL Compare, SQL Data Compare, SQL Source Control, SQL Search. Lives in SSMS. (Note: the old full Toolbelt is legacy; Essentials is current.)
Plain SSMS vs the SQL Toolbelt — the honest table
What consolidation actually replaces, dimension by dimension.
| Dimension | Unprotected / signature email | SQL Toolbelt Essentials (Redgate) |
|---|---|---|
| Writing SQL | Basic SSMS IntelliSense | SQL Prompt — smart, formatted |
| Formatting | Manual / inconsistent | One keystroke, team style |
| Schema change | Hand-written scripts | SQL Compare diff & sync |
| Data sync | Manual / error-prone | SQL Data Compare |
| Version control | None (DB outside Git) | SQL Source Control (in Git) |
| Finding objects | Hunt object explorer | SQL Search — instant |
| Bundle status | Old full Toolbelt (legacy) | Essentials (current) |
| Best fit | (varies) | Polished SQL Server dev productivity |
SQL Toolbelt Essentials is the classic SQL Server developer bundle — SQL Prompt (completion/formatting), SQL Compare, SQL Data Compare, SQL Source Control and SQL Search, inside SSMS. Honest: native SSMS/Azure Data Studio is free and ‘good enough’ for many; cheaper dbForge exists. Redgate’s edge is polish + SQL Prompt depth. Note the old full Toolbelt is legacy; Essentials is current. Premium; now PE-owned. TechBag scopes it & adds GST.
The five pieces of the platform
Vendors love diagrams; buyers need to know what they’re actually operating. Here’s the whole platform, demystified.
Write Better SQL, Faster
SQL Prompt adds IntelliSense-style completion, formatting, snippets and refactoring inside SSMS, so developers write consistent SQL faster.
Compare & Sync Schemas
SQL Compare diffs two database schemas and generates the script to synchronise them, for safe deployment between environments.
Compare & Sync Data
SQL Data Compare diffs and syncs the data in two databases, to migrate reference data, fix drift or verify environments match.
Version the Database
SQL Source Control links your database to Git or other systems from inside SSMS, so schema changes are tracked like code.
Find Any Object Fast
SQL Search finds any SQL object — tables, procs, columns, text — fast, across databases, inside SSMS. Find it instantly. No more hunting through the object explorer.
One SSMS toolkit for writing, comparing, versioning and finding SQL — schema and data changes scripted, not hand-made.
Twelve capabilities. Write, compare, version.
SQL Toolbelt Essentials boosts SQL Server developer productivity — write, compare, version, inside SSMS — the beloved dev kit of the Redgate portfolio.
Code Completion & IntelliSense
SQL Prompt’s context-aware completion inside SSMS understands your schema, so you write SQL faster with fewer errors.
SQL Formatting & Style
Format SQL to a consistent, team-agreed style with one keystroke, so code stays readable across the team.
Snippets & Refactoring
Reusable snippets and safe refactoring (rename, encapsulate, split) inside SSMS mean less boilerplate and fewer mistakes.
Schema Compare & Sync (SQL Compare)
Diff two database schemas and generate the sync script, to deploy changes safely or catch unexpected differences.
Data Compare & Sync (SQL Data Compare)
Diff and synchronise the data in two databases to migrate reference data, fix drift or verify environments match.
Safe, Reviewable Sync Scripts
Compare tools generate the sync script, so you can review exactly what will run before deploying.
Database Version Control (SQL Source Control)
Version the database from inside SSMS, linked to Git or others, so schema change is tracked and reviewable like code.
Works With Your Git Workflow
SQL Source Control links to Git and other systems, so database change follows the same process as application code.
Find Any Object (SQL Search)
Find any SQL object, including tables, procedures, columns and text, quickly across databases inside SSMS.
Lives Inside SSMS
The whole bundle lives inside SQL Server Management Studio, so developers gain productivity without leaving their usual tool.
Essentials — the Current Bundle
Essentials is the current bundle for new customers; the old full ‘SQL Toolbelt’ is legacy and renewals-only.
Developer Tools in the Redgate Stack
Fits alongside Flyway, Redgate Monitor and Test Data Manager, so developer productivity sits in the same DevOps family.
Watch Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials in action
The overview, getting started, and the core workflows.
SQL Prompt — SQL Server Code Completion & Formatting
The developer-favourite, in action.
Redgate Database DevOps — Introduced
Where the dev tools fit in the lifecycle.
Redgate with PostgreSQL
Cross-database context for the stack.
Want a live, India-context walkthrough for your environment?
Book a guided demo →Data is everywhere. Answers, in one place.
Here’s what genuinely sets the SQL Toolbelt apart (and when free native may be enough).
SQL Prompt — the developer-loved productivity multiplier
Writing SQL in plain SSMS is slow and inconsistent, and native IntelliSense is limited. SQL Prompt, the headline of SQL Toolbelt Essentials, offers schema-aware completion, one-keystroke formatting to a team style, snippets and safe refactoring inside SSMS, saving time and errors on every query, every day.
Write, compare, version — the everyday SQL Server essentials in one kit
SQL Toolbelt Essentials bundles the everyday SQL Server tools inside SSMS: SQL Prompt to write, SQL Compare and SQL Data Compare to diff and sync schema and data, SQL Source Control to version with Git, and SQL Search to find objects. It is the current bundle; the old full SQL Toolbelt is renewals-only.
Polish and productivity depth — the honest edge over free native tooling
Native SSMS and Azure Data Studio are free and good enough for many teams, and dbForge is cheaper. Redgate earns its premium on polish: SQL Prompt is far deeper than native IntelliSense and the compare tools are trusted for production change. For heavy SQL Server work it usually pays; for light use, native may suffice.
Fits developers’ workflow — inside SSMS, and in the Redgate stack
The whole kit runs inside SSMS, where developers already work, so there is no context switch and adoption is high. It also fits the Redgate stack alongside Flyway, Monitor and Test Data Manager. Because it is SSMS-centric, it is focused on SQL Server.
The tools that made Redgate’s name — and local via TechBag
SQL Prompt, SQL Compare and SQL Source Control built Redgate’s name over 20+ years. Redgate, founded in Cambridge, UK in 1999, has 200,000+ users and 92% of the Fortune 100, and is now majority-owned by Bregal Sagemount. Essentials is a quote-priced per-user subscription; TechBag also says when free SSMS or dbForge will do.
The honest scope
SQL Toolbelt Essentials bundles SQL Prompt, SQL Compare, SQL Data Compare, SQL Source Control and SQL Search inside SSMS. Its edge is polish, but free SSMS and Azure Data Studio, cheaper dbForge and DataGrip are real alternatives. New customers get Essentials; the old full SQL Toolbelt is renewals-only.
The numbers behind the platform
What your SQL Toolbelt journey looks like
Scoping (& premium vs free native)
Count developers and DBAs, pick the tools they need, and check whether free SSMS, Azure Data Studio or dbForge would suffice.
Equip the developers
Roll out SQL Prompt first for completion, formatting and refactoring in SSMS, the daily win developers feel immediately.
Add compare & source control
Add SQL Compare and SQL Data Compare for safe environment sync, and SQL Source Control to version the database in Git.
Standardise & extend the stack
Standardise formatting across the team, and pair with Flyway, Redgate Monitor and Test Data Manager for the full lifecycle.
The review scoreboard
Modelled on Gartner Peer Insights structure. *Counts and breakdowns are illustrative pending verified review collection.
Quick poll — what’s driving your evaluation?
Talk to an advisor“My developers ask for SQL Prompt by name: completion and formatting save time on every query, and plain SSMS now feels slow.”
“SQL Compare and SQL Data Compare let us sync schema and data between environments with reviewable scripts. Deployments aren’t scary.”
“SQL Source Control put our databases under Git version control from inside SSMS, so database change follows our app process.”
“It all lives in SSMS, so adoption was instant: no new tool to learn, just more productivity where developers already work.”
“TechBag said free SSMS was an option. For our heavy SQL Server team, SQL Prompt’s depth justified the premium; lighter teams may not.”
“TechBag flagged that the full ‘SQL Toolbelt’ is legacy, so we bought Essentials and only the tools our developers needed.”
“As a Redgate shop, the dev tools alongside Flyway and Monitor keep our database workflow coherent, from writing SQL to shipping it.”
“Redgate is premium and now PE-owned; TechBag flagged both, sized developer seats, was honest about free native, and added INR/GST.”
Where everyone sits — the grids
Analyst firms bury this view behind paywalls, and review-site grids score satisfaction, not fit for your estate. So here’s TechBag’s synthesis of the SQL Server dev-tools market — tap any vendor to see why it sits where it does.
TechBag Database Tools Grid
Execution strength vs product vision — the classic market map, minus the paywall.
Polished SQL Server dev bundle. This page's product.
Tooling Depth × Developer Productivity
The grid nobody publishes — SQL-tooling depth vs developer productivity.
SQL Prompt depth + mature compare tools.
Positions are TechBag’s illustrative synthesis of public review-platform data and vendor documentation — not a reproduction of any analyst graphic. Verify before relying on it.
SQL Toolbelt Essentials vs the SQL Server dev-tools field
dbForge, ApexSQL, free native SSMS/ADS, JetBrains DataGrip and Toad — honest lanes; the edge is polish & productivity depth (SQL Prompt especially). Light or cost-sensitive? Free native may suffice. Lower cost? dbForge. Cross-platform? DataGrip. We say so.
| Dimension | SQL Toolbelt Essentials | dbForge (Devart) | ApexSQL (Quest) | MS SSMS / ADS | JetBrains DataGrip | Toad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Beloved SQL Server dev bundle (polished) | Lower-cost SQL Server tools bundle | SQL Server tools (now Quest) | Free native SQL Server tooling | Cross-platform DB IDE (JetBrains) | Database dev/admin (Quest) |
| Cost | Premium (per-user subscription) | Lower cost | Commercial | Free | Subscription | Premium |
| Code completion / productivity (SQL Prompt) | SQL Prompt — developer-loved | Good completion | Good | Basic IntelliSense | Strong (IDE-grade) | Good |
| Compare & sync (schema/data) | SQL Compare / Data Compare (mature) | Compare tools included | Compare tools | None (native) | Some | Some |
| Platform focus | SQL Server (deepest heritage) | SQL Server (+ some others) | SQL Server | SQL Server | Many databases (cross-platform) | Oracle-strong + others |
| Best fit | Polished SQL Server dev productivity (esp. SQL Prompt) | Lower-cost SQL Server tools | SQL Server tools within Quest | Free, light or cost-sensitive use | Cross-platform, IDE-first developers | Oracle-heavy / broad DB admin |
Which data, analytics & observability approach fits you?
Honest fit signals — because the fastest way to lose your trust is to pretend one product wins every scenario.
Choose SQL Toolbelt Essentials if…
- You want SQL Prompt — the developer-loved code completion, formatting & refactoring for SQL Server
- You want mature compare & sync tools (schema and data) for safe environment-to-environment change
- You want database version control (SQL Source Control) and instant object search, inside SSMS
- You value polish & productivity depth — with TechBag adding honest scoping & GST
Free native (SSMS / Azure Data Studio) if…
- You’re light or cost-sensitive — native tooling is FREE and ‘good enough’ for many; TechBag says so honestly
dbForge (Devart) if…
- You want a LOWER-COST SQL Server tools bundle — Redgate’s edge is polish & productivity depth
JetBrains DataGrip if…
- You’re cross-platform / IDE-first and want one tool across many databases (not just SQL Server)
ApexSQL / Toad if…
- You want SQL Server tools within Quest (ApexSQL), or Oracle-heavy / broad database admin (Toad)
Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials is one of 28 databases & data tools products TechBag carries. The Databases & Data Tools guide narrows them to a shortlist and shows the reasoning. →
What could this save you?
Drag the sliders (developers/DBAs; hour cost as loaded rate). Estimates contrast plain SSMS (slower SQL writing, manual formatting, hand-written deployment scripts, no version control) vs the Toolbelt (SQL Prompt productivity, safe compare/sync, source control) — the wins are developer time saved and deployment errors avoided. Illustrative — TechBag sizes the seats and is candid about free native.
Loaded cost = salary + overheads per productive hour. Illustrative only — your TechBag quote models your actual environment and modules.
Three ways to consume it
SQL Toolbelt Essentials is a per-user subscription (quote-priced, not perpetual). It’s premium versus free native tooling (SSMS, Azure Data Studio) and cheaper rivals (dbForge). Note: the old full ‘SQL Toolbelt’ is legacy/renewals-only — Essentials is the current bundle for new customers. Treat any third-party figures as indicative. Redgate bills in its list currency; TechBag sizes the seats and handles INR/GST — quote current figures.
SQL Toolbelt Essentials (per user, by quote)
Best for SQL Server dev productivity
- SQL Prompt — completion, formatting & refactoring (developer-loved)
- SQL Compare & Data Compare — safe schema/data sync
- SQL Source Control + SQL Search — all inside SSMS
+ Platform add-ons
Best for a broader rollout
- Scoped to your estate
- Add-on modules as needed
- Phased, right-sized deployment
+ honest scoping & local support
Best value with TechBag
- Seat sizing + candid advice on when free native (SSMS/ADS) suffices
- Premium vs free/dbForge; Essentials is current (old Toolbelt is legacy); PE-owned
- TechBag adds INR/GST invoicing, right-tooling & local support
Buy it for less — TechBag pricing beats list
Whatever the list prices above, TechBag negotiates a significantly better deal — with GST-compliant INR invoicing and local support. Ask us for your discounted quote.
Get an India-ready quote
Tell us your requirements and current tools — we’ll model it against what you spend today.
The 8 questions to ask every vendor
Take this into your next vendor call — including ours.
Developers writing SQL in plain SSMS? SQL Prompt adds smart completion, formatting and refactoring — a daily multiplier.
Hand-writing deployment scripts? SQL Compare & SQL Data Compare diff and sync schema and data safely.
Databases outside version control? SQL Source Control puts them in Git, from inside SSMS.
Hunting through object explorer? SQL Search finds any object instantly across databases.
Is free SSMS/Azure Data Studio good enough? For light use, maybe — TechBag is candid about when native suffices.
Weighing dbForge or DataGrip? Redgate’s edge is polish + SQL Prompt depth. TechBag compares honestly.
The old full ‘SQL Toolbelt’ is legacy/renewals-only — Essentials is the current bundle. TechBag scopes the right one.
Per-user subscription (quote-priced) — TechBag sizes the seats, right-tools the bundle, and adds INR/GST.
Questions buyers ask
Ready to boost your SQL Server developers?
Scope Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials (the beloved SQL Server dev kit — SQL Prompt, SQL Compare, SQL Data Compare, SQL Source Control and SQL Search, inside SSMS) — and let a TechBag advisor size the seats, compare honestly vs free native and dbForge, confirm the current Essentials bundle, and add INR/GST and local support.
Stats, ratings, review counts and pricing are illustrative and sourced from public materials; verify before purchase.