Microsoft pricing comparison
SQL Server Extended Security Updates: cost and options
SQL Server 2016 left support on 14 July 2026. Microsoft's Azure Arc list price for its ESUs is $1,081 a month per 2 cores on Enterprise and $278 on Standard, with a 4-core minimum per instance. Free ESUs on Azure VMs apply to SQL Server 2014 only. Microsoft lists no ESU for 2017, which ends on 12 October 2027.
Microsoft prices and terms checked 26 Oct 2026 on Microsoft's own pricing and documentation pages, dates against endoflife.date. Written by the OSSeva team, which sells PostgreSQL migration and support and does not support SQL Server.
Where each SQL Server version stands
| Version | End of support | Microsoft ESU | ESU available until |
|---|---|---|---|
| SQL Server 2014 | 9 Jul 2024 | Yes, from Year 1 starting 10 Jul 2024 | July 2027 |
| SQL Server 2016 | 14 Jul 2026 | Yes, billing from 15 Jul 2026 | 17 Jul 2029 |
| SQL Server 2017 | 12 Oct 2027 | None listed as of 26 Oct 2026 | Not applicable |
| SQL Server 2019 | 8 Jan 2030 | None listed | Not applicable |
Dates from endoflife.date and Microsoft's ESU FAQ, checked 26 Oct 2026. Microsoft's own pages give two different July 2027 end dates for SQL Server 2014 ESUs (8 and 12 July), so this page says July 2027. ESUs include Critical security updates only, and Microsoft ships them when the Microsoft Security Response Center rates a vulnerability Critical, so there is no regular release cadence.
What SQL Server ESUs cost
Microsoft prints the same list price whether the server is in Azure, on premises or in another cloud: a monthly rate per two cores, with SQL Server 2014 and 2016 on the same rates.
| Edition | Per 2 cores, per month | Per 2 cores, per year | Per core, per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | $1,081 | $12,972 | $6,486 |
| Standard | $278 | $3,336 | $1,668 |
Source: Microsoft's Azure Arc pricing page, SQL Server 2014 and 2016 tables, read 26 Oct 2026. Yearly figures are our arithmetic (monthly rate x 12). Microsoft lists one monthly rate and no separate rate for year 2 or year 3. If you cannot connect an instance to Azure Arc, you may buy ESUs through volume licensing, which Microsoft prices through your account team, so no public price exists for that route.
What you are billed for
What you must have
Worked examples at list price
| Instance | Per month | Per year | Three years at the same rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard, 4-core VM (the minimum) | $556 | $6,672 | $20,016 |
| Standard, 16-core VM | $2,224 | $26,688 | $80,064 |
| Enterprise, 16-core VM | $8,648 | $103,776 | $311,328 |
Arithmetic on the list price: cores divided by 2, times the monthly rate. The last column assumes the instance stays enrolled for the full three years and the rate does not change; ESUs end when you upgrade or migrate. For a cost comparison against your own estate, use the database support cost calculator.
Free ESUs on Azure: which version, which platform
| Where it runs | SQL Server 2014 | SQL Server 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| SQL Server on Azure VMs | Free ESUs | Can subscribe; not free |
| Azure VMware Solution | Free ESUs | Can subscribe; not free |
| Azure Stack | Free ESUs | Can purchase; not free |
| On premises, other clouds, hosted | Subscribe through Azure Arc | Subscribe through Azure Arc |
Microsoft states that starting with SQL Server 2016, moving a workload to SQL Server on Azure VMs no longer gives free ESUs. A server with SQL Server 2014 on an Azure VM is covered for free until ESUs end; a server with 2016 pays the rate above. ESU charges stop at once if you migrate to Azure SQL or upgrade, with no cancellation needed.
Your options compared: ESU, upgrade, Azure SQL or PostgreSQL
OSSeva is listed first because it is the option we sell. It is a fit only for databases whose applications you control. It does not support SQL Server, so for anything that must stay on SQL Server the other rows apply.
| Option | What it costs | What you get | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Migrate to PostgreSQL with OSSeva (migration plan) | Not published. Migration is scoped per application after an assessment; support is quoted per cluster. A senior engineer replies within 1 business day. | PostgreSQL on your own servers, VMs, Kubernetes or cloud account, with no per-core licence fee, then 24/7 support from the same team | T-SQL has to be rewritten, and a vendor-certified application usually has to stay on SQL Server. Self-managed Babelfish is not part of OSSeva support |
| Buy Microsoft ESUs | $1,081 or $278 per 2 cores per month, as above | Critical security updates with no code changes, for 2016 to July 2029 | Paid for as long as you stay. No general technical support. No ESU for 2017 is listed |
| Upgrade to SQL Server 2022 or 2025 | A Microsoft licence and the work of an upgrade | A supported version, with the ESU charge ending on upgrade | Licensing stays on Microsoft's cycle, and the operating system may need an upgrade too |
| Azure SQL Managed Instance or Azure SQL Database | Azure service pricing | A managed service where Microsoft patches the engine; ESU charges stop on migration | The databases move onto Microsoft's cloud service and its terms |
| Stay on 2016 or 2017 unpatched | Nothing | Nothing | No security updates and no Microsoft support tickets for that version |
Options and caveats follow Microsoft's SQL Server end of support pages and our SQL Server end of life guide. Version guides: SQL Server 2016 and SQL Server 2017.
What moves the cost of migrating to PostgreSQL
This page states no migration price and no duration, because neither can be set without an assessment. What changes the work: the schema size, how much T-SQL has to be rewritten in PL/pgSQL, how many clients connect, the downtime window you can accept, and whether each application can leave SQL Server at all. After cutover the cluster moves into support priced per cluster, and the tier sets the cover: Critical CVEs are patched within 48 hours and High within 7 days, Assure adds 24/7 reactive support, and Operate adds 24/7 monitoring and a 15-minute P1 response.
Start with the SQL Server to PostgreSQL migration plan, then price the ESU months you may still need as a bridge against it.
When migrating is not the answer
- A vendor certifies its product only on SQL Server. That application stays, and ESUs or an upgrade are the route.
- You want Microsoft to run the database. Azure SQL Managed Instance fits better than self-managed PostgreSQL.
- You need SQL Server itself patched. OSSeva does not support SQL Server, and only Microsoft ships its updates.
Sources
Every third-party figure on this page was read on the vendor's own page on 26 Oct 2026. Prices change; confirm with the vendor before you budget.
- Microsoft, Azure Arc pricing (Extended Security Updates): azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/azure-arc/core-control-plane/ (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Microsoft, What are Extended Security Updates for SQL Server: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/sql-server/end-of-support/sql-server-extended-security-updates?view=sql-server-ver17 (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Microsoft, SQL Server ESU FAQ: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/sql-server/end-of-support/extended-security-updates-frequently-asked-questions?view=sql-server-ver17 (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Microsoft, SQL Server ESUs enabled by Azure Arc: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/sql-server/azure-arc/extended-security-updates?view=sql-server-ver17 (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Microsoft, Windows Server and SQL Server Extended Security Updates: microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/extended-security-updates (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- endoflife.date, Microsoft SQL Server: endoflife.date/api/mssqlserver.json (checked 26 Oct 2026)
How much do SQL Server ESUs cost?
Through Azure Arc, Microsoft lists $1,081 a month per 2 cores for Enterprise edition and $278 a month per 2 cores for Standard, for SQL Server 2014 and 2016 alike. That is $6,486 and $1,668 per core per year, with a 4-core minimum per instance. Microsoft's page lists one monthly rate and no separate year 2 or year 3 rate. Volume-licensing ESUs are quoted by your Microsoft account team.
Is SQL Server 2016 still supported?
Not by default. Support for SQL Server 2016 ended on 14 July 2026 and Microsoft no longer accepts support tickets for it unless you subscribe to ESUs. ESUs are available until 17 July 2029. They carry Critical security updates only and no general technical support.
Does SQL Server 2017 have Extended Security Updates?
Microsoft's ESU documentation lists SQL Server 2014 and 2016 only. As of 26 Oct 2026 no ESU is listed for 2017, and its extended support ends on 12 October 2027. Plan an upgrade or a migration before that date rather than counting on an ESU.
Are SQL Server ESUs free on Azure?
Only for SQL Server 2014. Microsoft says 2014 workloads moved to SQL Server on Azure VMs receive free ESUs. SQL Server 2016 on Azure VMs can subscribe to ESUs but is not eligible for free ones, so the same per-core charge applies.
What can I use instead of SQL Server ESUs?
Upgrade to a supported SQL Server version, move to Azure SQL, or migrate the database to PostgreSQL. OSSeva migrates SQL Server databases to PostgreSQL and then supports the PostgreSQL cluster; it does not support or patch SQL Server itself. Migration scope is set per application after an assessment, so this page states no price or duration for it.
Get a quote
Price a PostgreSQL migration.
Send the SQL Server versions, edition and database count you run. A senior engineer replies within 1 business day and scopes an assessment.
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