Freedom251 › Database Monitoring
SQLGrease
What SQLGrease is
SQLGrease monitors SQL Server performance through a Windows collector service running inside the customer network. It supports SQL Server 2008 through 2025, Azure SQL Database, Azure Managed Instances, and Amazon RDS, and can monitor multiple instances. Diagnostics cover query-level wait events, historical execution plans, response times, CPU, IO, locks, deadlocks, memory, and tempdb usage. Query Store integration maps collected plans to Query Store and generates commands to force or unforce plans. Users can configure events and email notifications for long executions, waits, blocking, plan changes, and exceeded baselines. The maker says data leaves the network over HTTPS, while constants in query, deadlock, and execution-plan data are masked before transmission. Collection permissions include VIEW SERVER STATE and VIEW ANY DEFINITION; Azure SQL Database also needs VIEW DATABASE STATE, and OS counters require sysadmin. Plans start at $79 a month. A fully functional 30-day trial is available without payment information.
Who it suits
SQLGrease suits teams responsible for SQL Server performance across on-premises or supported cloud databases. It is useful when query diagnostics, execution-plan controls, and configurable alerts are needed.
What it does well
- Monitors multiple SQL Server instances
- Tracks waits, plans, locks, deadlocks, CPU, and IO
- Integrates with Query Store force and unforce commands
- Masks constants before data leaves the network
- 30-day trial requires no payment information
What to know first
- No free plan
- Starts at $79 a month
- Lite stores only two hours of history
- OS performance counters require sysadmin
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $1,010.00 yearly · 15 Gig storage · Unlimited users · 8 to 24 cpus | $1,010 a year |
| Premium | $119.00 monthly · 30 Gig storage · Unlimited users · 24+ cpus | $119 a month |
| Premium | $1,214.00 yearly · 30 Gig storage · Unlimited users · 24+ cpus | $1,214 a year |
| Basic | $79.00 monthly · 8 Gig storage · Unlimited users · Up to 8 cpus | $79 a month |
| Basic | $806.00 yearly · 8 Gig storage · Unlimited users · Up to 8 cpus | $806 a year |
| Standard | $99.00 monthly · 15 Gig storage · Unlimited users · 8 to 24 cpus | $99 a month |
As sqlgrease.com lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
SQLGrease provides detailed SQL Server diagnostics, plan management, and alerting across several supported database environments. Check retention, storage tiers, and required permissions against your monitoring setup.
Facts from SQLGrease's own pages
- Alerts
- Users can configure events and email notifications for conditions such as long executions, waits, blocking, plan changes, and exceeded baselines. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Company
- The about page identifies Franklin Yamamoto as founder and CEO and says SQLGrease was built by a small team of technology enthusiasts. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Compliance
- SQLGrease says it is audited for SOC 2 compliance by a third party and offers its compliance report upon request. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Data handling
- The maker says its collector sends data outbound over HTTPS, and query, deadlock, and execution plan sanitization masks constants before data leaves the customer network. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- A lightweight Windows collector service runs in the customer network and can monitor multiple SQL Server instances. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Permissions
- The security page says VIEW SERVER STATE and VIEW ANY DEFINITION are sufficient for collection, with VIEW DATABASE STATE for Azure SQL Database; OS performance counters require sysadmin. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Plan limits
- The pricing page lists storage tiers of 8, 15, and 30 Gig and recommends them for up to 8, 8 to 24, and 24+ CPUs respectively. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Product
- SQLGrease monitors SQL Server performance and supports SQL Server versions 2008 through 2025, Azure SQL Database, Azure Managed Instances, and Amazon RDS. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Query diagnostics
- It tracks query-level wait events, historical execution plans, response times, CPU, IO, locks, deadlocks, memory, and tempdb usage. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Query Store
- Query Store integration maps collected execution plans to Query Store and generates commands to force or unforce plans. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Retention
- SQLGrease Lite stores only 2 hours of historical data, while regular plans allow more history. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Trial
- The 30-day trial is fully functional and requires no payment information to start. · sqlgrease.com, 4 Oct 2026
Where SQLGrease stands on Freedom251
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