No licensing cost. Ideal for students, hobbyists, or small web apps (max 10GB database size).

Lacks JSON support, graph processing, and modern security defaults (e.g., FOR JSON , STRING_AGG ). Older query optimizer than 2016+.

Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Express is a free, lightweight version of Microsoft’s flagship relational database management system. It is designed specifically for developers, students, and small-scale applications that need a reliable, feature-rich data store without the cost of a full license.