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SQL Server licensing calculator

Enter the servers and VMs that run SQL Server. See every way Microsoft lets you license them, which one costs less, and which failover replicas need no licenses.

4core licenses per processor, at least
4core licenses per VM, at least
2core licenses in each pack

Source: Microsoft, SQL Server 2025 licensing guidance, checked October 30, 2026US estimated retail prices, as of October 30, 2026

Where SQL Server runs

One card for each physical server or virtualization host. The lower-cost way to license each one is picked for you; pick another to compare.

Server 1

SQL Server runs

Edition

Processors (sockets)

Cores per processorPhysical cores, not threads.

Passive HA replicasSynchronous, automatic failover.

Passive DR replicasAsynchronous, outside Azure.

Users, for Server + CAL

Standard can also be licensed with a server license and a CAL for every user or device that uses SQL Server, directly or through an application. Per core licensing needs no CALs.

Users or devicesCount people behind a shared app login too: pooling does not reduce CALs.

What to buy

SQL Server 2025. US estimated retail prices, as of October 30, 2026.

Standard core licenses: 84 2-core packs
Estimated list price: $15,780One-time licenses, before Software Assurance
Or as subscription licenses: $5,672/yrCore licenses, billed yearly

Server 1: Per core, Standard8

Not in production? SQL Server 2025 Enterprise Developer and Standard Developer editions are free, and licensed only for development, testing and demonstration, never for production. Small database? SQL Server 2025 Express is free for databases up to 50 GB (10 GB on SQL Server 2022), and uses at most one socket or four cores, whichever is less, and 1,410 MB of buffer pool memory.

Prices are the Open No Level (NL) estimated retail prices on Microsoft's SQL Server 2025 pricing sheet, the same as for SQL Server 2022. What you pay depends on your agreement and reseller, so treat them as a guide and check your quote.

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How SQL Server 2025 is licensed

Per core, on a physical server. License every physical core, with at least 4 core licenses per processor. Per core licensing covers any number of users, inside or outside the company, with no CALs. Hyper-threading does not change the count on a physical server.1
Per core, one VM at a time. License each VM’s virtual cores, at least 4 per VM, and a virtual core mapped to more than one hardware thread needs a license for each thread. Since SQL Server 2022 this needs Software Assurance or subscription licenses.1
The whole host, with Enterprise. License every physical core of a host with Enterprise and you can run SQL Server in as many VMs or containers as you have core licenses. With Software Assurance or subscription licenses, in any number.1
Server + CAL, Standard only. One server license for each server or VM that runs SQL Server, and a CAL for every user or device that uses it, directly or through other software. This model does not need Software Assurance.1
Free passive replicas. With Software Assurance or subscription licenses, each licensed SQL Server may have one passive replica for high availability, one for disaster recovery and one for disaster recovery in Azure without more licenses. A replica that serves data to clients or runs active workloads is not passive, and needs licenses like the primary.1
Standard has a size limit. Standard uses at most the lesser of 4 sockets or 32 cores (24 cores on SQL Server 2022), but on a bigger server every core still has to be licensed.2 3

Core licenses for common servers and VMs

Per core licensing, either edition. The VM column assumes each VM is licensed on its own.

Physical server	Core licenses	VM with	Core licenses
1 × 2-core processor	4 (2 packs)	1 virtual core	4
1 × 4-core processor	4 (2 packs)	2 virtual cores	4
1 × 8-core processor	8 (4 packs)	4 virtual cores	4
2 × 8-core processors	16 (8 packs)	6 virtual cores	6
2 × 12-core processors	24 (12 packs)	8 virtual cores	8
2 × 16-core processors	32 (16 packs)	12 virtual cores	12
2 × 24-core processors	48 (24 packs)	16 virtual cores	16

Server + CAL or per core?

For a single Standard server, at Microsoft’s estimated retail prices, Server + CAL costs less while the number of users and devices stays at or below the figure here. Every extra server under Server + CAL needs only its own server license, because a CAL covers its user on every licensed server.4

Standard server with	Per core price	Server + CAL is cheaper up to
4 cores	$7,890	30 users or devices
8 cores	$15,780	64 users or devices
16 cores	$31,560	132 users or devices
24 cores	$47,340	201 users or devices

Questions people ask

Do I need a license for a development or test server?

SQL Server 2025 Enterprise Developer and Standard Developer editions are free, and licensed only for development, testing and demonstration, never for production.1 2 3

When is SQL Server Express enough?

SQL Server 2025 Express is free for databases up to 50 GB (10 GB on SQL Server 2022), and uses at most one socket or four cores, whichever is less, and 1,410 MB of buffer pool memory.1 2 3

Do hyper-threads count?

Not on a physical server, where you license physical cores. In a VM, every virtual core counts, and a virtual core mapped to more than one hardware thread needs a license for each thread, so a VM given 8 threads needs 8 core licenses.1

Can I license a few SQL Server VMs without Software Assurance?

Per core, no: since SQL Server 2022, licensing individual VMs per core needs Software Assurance or subscription licenses. Without them you can license Standard VMs with Server + CAL, or license every physical core of the host with Enterprise.1

Does a reporting replica need a license?

Yes. Only a passive replica, one that serves no data to clients and runs no active workloads, is free with Software Assurance or subscription licenses. A secondary that serves reads or reports is licensed like the primary.1

Do I need CALs for an application that pools its connections?

Yes. Under Server + CAL, multiplexing or pooling does not reduce the CALs needed: every person or device behind the application needs one. Per core licensing needs no CALs at all.1

What changed from SQL Server 2022?

The licensing model is the same and so are the prices. Standard now uses up to 32 cores (24 on SQL Server 2022), Express databases can reach 50 GB (10 GB before), Developer is now two free editions, Enterprise Developer and Standard Developer, and Standard as well as Enterprise may run Power BI Report Server.2 3

Can I pay as I go instead?

Yes, through Azure Arc, which bills SQL Server per core by the hour with at least four cores per OSE and no up-front licenses. Server + CAL is not available that way.5 4

Does this cover Azure?

Not the prices. In Azure you pay for SQL Server with the service, or use licenses with Software Assurance or subscriptions under the Azure Hybrid Benefit: 16 Enterprise core licenses cover 16 vCores of Business Critical or 64 of General Purpose.1

Sources

SQL Server 2025 licensing guidanceMicrosoft, checked October 30, 2026Per core and Server + CAL licensing, the core minimums, licensing by VM and hardware threads, unlimited virtualization, passive replicas, multiplexing, the Azure Hybrid Benefit and the Developer editions.
Editions and supported features of SQL Server 2025Microsoft Learn, checked October 30, 2026Standard's limit of the lesser of 4 sockets or 32 cores (24 on SQL Server 2022), and Express's limits: 50 GB per database, one socket or four cores, 1,410 MB of buffer pool.
Editions and supported features of SQL Server 2022Microsoft Learn, checked October 30, 2026SQL Server 2022's limits: Standard at the lesser of 4 sockets or 24 cores, and Express at 10 GB per database.
SQL Server 2025 pricingMicrosoft, checked October 30, 2026Estimated retail prices for Enterprise and Standard 2-core packs, the Standard server license and CAL, subscription prices per 2-core pack a year, and pay-as-you-go prices.
Manage licensing and billing of SQL Server enabled by Azure ArcMicrosoft Learn, checked October 30, 2026Pay-as-you-go billing through Azure Arc, metered per core with at least four cores per OSE.

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Built by Sentsai from Microsoft’s published licensing guide and prices. Sentsai is not affiliated with Microsoft. This is a planning aid, not a statement of your license rights: the Product Terms and your agreement decide those, and prices vary by country, program and reseller. SQL Server is a trademark of Microsoft.