Redgate SQL Data Generator vs dbForge Data Generator (2026)

Quick verdict

Short answer

Choose Redgate SQL Data Generator if your team already uses Redgate tools or SQL Toolbelt Essentials (where it is included), or you want custom generators written in Python. Choose dbForge Data Generator if you want a lower published entry price, a larger built-in generator library, a perpetual licence option, or documented support for Azure SQL Managed Instance, Synapse and Microsoft Fabric. Neither masks or subsets production data; both are Windows only and SQL Server only. Price the bundle you would actually buy, not just the standalone tool.

How we know: This comparison is research-based: features, supported platforms, versions, licence types and prices were checked on 7 November 2026 against Redgate's product, bundle, requirements and release notes pages and Devart's product, features, ordering, download and requirements pages. We have not installed either product, so nothing here is a measured result.

Redgate SQL Data Generator (version 4) reads a SQL Server schema and proposes a generator for each column from table and column names, data types, lengths and constraints. You adjust generators and row counts, and it inserts the data, following foreign keys so child rows reference valid parents. It runs as a Windows application, inside SSMS and from the command line. Version 4.8.0 (27 November 2025) added SSMS 22 and SQL Server 2025 support, with a documented known issue on data type generation; 4.8.16.8063 (5 November 2026) is the latest maintenance build.

dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server is Devart's equivalent: a standalone Windows tool, an SSMS add-in and part of dbForge Studio for SQL Server. Its Data Population Wizard lets you pick tables, row counts and generators, then execute the generated script, save it to a file or open it in the editor for review. Version 2026.2.82 was current on 16 October 2026. Devart sells separate Data Generator products for MySQL and MariaDB, Oracle and PostgreSQL; this page covers the SQL Server product.

Generators are not maskers. Both tools create new fictitious rows. If you need a masked or subsetted copy of production, look at test data management tools instead; see Tonic.ai vs GenRocket.

Side by side

Aspect	SQL Data Generator	dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server
Built-in generators (vendor stated)	60+ built-in generators, plus regular expression, SQL statement and cross-column generators	200+ meaningful generators and 15+ basic generators
Custom generators	Written in Python; regex and SQL generators can be shared	User-defined generators saved as XML files and shared; the product page also lists a Python generator among basic ones
Referential integrity	Foreign key support and inter-column dependencies	Foreign key generators and preserved inter-column dependencies
Repeatable data	Seeded random generation	Not stated on the pages checked
Documented SQL Server versions	Inconsistent: product page lists 2005 to 2017 and RDS; requirements page (2021) lists up to 2019; 4.8 release notes add 2025	SQL Server 2000 (limited) to 2025, LocalDB and SQL Server on Linux
Cloud services	Azure SQL Database, Amazon RDS and Google Cloud SQL for SQL Server (requirements page)	Azure SQL Database and Managed Instance, Synapse pools, Microsoft Fabric, Amazon RDS and others
SSMS integration	Runs inside SSMS; SSMS 22 support added in 4.8.0	SSMS 17 to 22 add-in from Object Explorer
Automation	Command-line interface	Command line, .bat files for Windows Task Scheduler, dbForge DevOps Automation
Licence types	Per-user annual subscription	Subscription or perpetual
Published price (1 user)	$303 per user per year (1-4 users)	From $199.95 per year
Bundles	SQL Toolbelt Essentials (11 tools, incl. SQL Test and SQL Compare)	dbForge SQL Tools (15 tools) and dbForge Studio for SQL Server
Free trial	14 days	30 days, no feature limits

Key differences

Generator library and customisation

Both tools pick a generator for each column automatically and let you override it. dbForge leans on a large ready-made library: Devart cites more than 200 "meaningful" generators for names, addresses, emails, IDs, credit card numbers and similar business data, plus 15 or more basic generators, and user-defined generators you can save as XML and share with a team. It also documents support for all SQL Server column types, including geography, geometry, hierarchyid, datetimeoffset and XML.

Redgate ships a smaller library (60 or more generators) but gives you more ways to write your own: regular expression generators, SQL statement generators that draw values from a query, cross-column generators, and custom generators written in Python. It also supports seeded generation so the same data set can be reproduced between runs, and can import existing data such as CSV files as a source of values. In our view dbForge suits teams that want most data to come out of the box, and Redgate suits teams that expect to script unusual rules.

Platform coverage and documentation

dbForge documents a wide and current platform list: SQL Server 2000 (limited) through 2025, LocalDB, SQL Server on Linux, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure Synapse Analytics pools, Microsoft Fabric and Amazon RDS, with SSMS 17 to 22.

Redgate's documentation is less consistent. The product page lists SQL Server 2005 to 2017 and Amazon RDS; the requirements page, last updated in 2021, lists 2008 to 2019 plus Azure SQL Database, RDS and Google Cloud SQL; and the 4.8.0 release notes add SQL Server 2025 with a known issue on data type generation. If you target SQL Server 2022 or 2025, Managed Instance or Fabric, confirm support in the trial. After any run, a quick orphan check on a key relationship confirms the data loaded as intended:

-- T-SQL: child rows whose parent is missing (should return 0)
SELECT COUNT(*) AS orphan_orders
FROM dbo.Orders AS o
LEFT JOIN dbo.Customers AS c ON c.CustomerID = o.CustomerID
WHERE c.CustomerID IS NULL;

Automation and CI

Both tools can run without the GUI, which matters if test databases are rebuilt in a pipeline. Redgate SQL Data Generator has a command-line interface, so a build agent with the tool installed can populate a database from a saved project before tests run; pair it with tSQLt or Redgate SQL Test for the tests themselves. dbForge documents a command-line generatedata operation, saving settings to .bat files for Windows Task Scheduler, and integration with dbForge DevOps Automation for CI/CD. Both need a Windows machine to run on, so Linux build agents need a Windows runner for this step.

Licensing and bundles

Redgate sells SQL Data Generator as a per-user annual subscription, and includes it in SQL Toolbelt Essentials alongside SQL Compare, SQL Data Compare, SQL Prompt and SQL Test. If you already pay for Toolbelt Essentials you already have it. Devart offers subscription and perpetual licences, includes Data Generator in the 15-tool dbForge SQL Tools bundle, and builds a data generator into dbForge Studio for SQL Server, so Studio users should check whether their edition already covers it before buying the standalone tool. Devart's per-edition price table did not render in the page text, so only the "from" price is confirmed.

Pricing and licensing

Redgate SQL Data Generator. Listed on Redgate's product page on 7 November 2026: $303 per user for a 1-year subscription in the 1-4 user band (shown as equivalent to $25.25 per user per month). The page shows a dollar sign without naming the currency; lower per-user rates for the 5-9 and 10+ bands were not readable. It is also included in SQL Toolbelt Essentials, listed at $1,410 per user per year for 1-4 users. A 14-day free trial is offered.

dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server. Listed on Devart's product page on 7 November 2026: from $199.95 per year, and the dbForge SQL Tools bundle (15 tools) from $469.95 per year. The ordering page describes subscription and perpetual licence types, but its edition and price table did not load in the page text, so per-edition and perpetual prices are not quoted here. A 30-day free trial with no feature limits is available.

Pricing checked on the vendors' official pages on 7 November 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.

Where each one leads

SQL Data Generator strengths

Custom generators in Python, plus regex, SQL statement and cross-column generators
Seeded generation for repeatable data sets
Included in SQL Toolbelt Essentials with SQL Compare, SQL Prompt and SQL Test
Can disable triggers and constraints during generation
Published per-user price and continuing 4.8 maintenance builds

dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server strengths

Larger built-in library: 200+ meaningful and 15+ basic generators
Lower published starting price, with a perpetual licence option
Documented support for SQL Server 2000 (limited) to 2025, Managed Instance, Synapse and Fabric
Wizard can execute, save or open the generated script for review
Longer 30-day trial and inclusion in dbForge SQL Tools and dbForge Studio

Limitations

SQL Data Generator limitations

SQL Server and Windows only
Supported-version lists on Redgate's pages disagree, so confirm support for your version
Smaller built-in generator library
Subscription only on the product page; no perpetual option shown

dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server limitations

SQL Server and Windows only; other engines need separate Devart products
Per-edition prices were not readable on the ordering page
Repeatable seeded generation is not documented on the pages checked
Custom generator scripting is less clearly documented than Redgate's Python generators

When to choose each

Choose SQL Data Generator if

You already own SQL Toolbelt Essentials or other Redgate tools
You expect to write custom generation rules in Python or SQL
You need the same seeded data set on every run for repeatable tests
Your team standardises on Redgate SQL Test and tSQLt for database unit tests

Choose dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server if

You want the lowest published entry price or a perpetual licence
You target Azure SQL Managed Instance, Synapse or Microsoft Fabric
You want a large ready-made library of business data generators
You already use dbForge Studio for SQL Server or the dbForge SQL Tools bundle

When neither is right

You need masked or subsetted copies of production data: see Tonic.ai vs GenRocket or Delphix vs K2view.
You need a quick CSV, JSON or SQL file for any engine without installing anything: Mockaroo runs in the browser.
Your tests already create their own rows in throwaway containers: Testcontainers plus fixtures in code may be enough.
You work on PostgreSQL or MySQL rather than SQL Server: neither of these SQL Server products applies; Devart sells separate generators for those engines.

Final recommendation

Bottom line

For a Windows-based SQL Server team the two tools are close substitutes. Redgate SQL Data Generator makes the most sense when it comes bundled in a Redgate subscription you already have, or when you want Python and seeded generation for scripted, repeatable data. dbForge Data Generator makes the most sense on price, licence flexibility, generator count and documented coverage of newer Azure and Fabric targets. Run both trials against your own schema, check the SQL Server versions you deploy to, and compare the bundle you would really buy.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Redgate SQL Data Generator or dbForge Data Generator?

On published starting prices checked on 7 November 2026, dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server starts at $199.95 per year and Redgate SQL Data Generator at $303 per user per year (1-4 users). If you already own SQL Toolbelt Essentials or dbForge Studio for SQL Server, you may already have one of them.

Can either tool mask production data?

No. Both generate new synthetic rows. Redgate sells a separate product, Redgate Test Data Manager, for masked copies, and dedicated test data management tools such as Tonic.ai cover masking and subsetting.

Do they support SQL Server 2025?

Devart's requirements page lists SQL Server 2025. Redgate's 4.8.0 release notes added SQL Server 2025 support with a known issue on data type generation, while its product and requirements pages still list older versions. Confirm in a trial.

Can I run them in a CI pipeline?

Yes, both have a command line, so a Windows build agent with the tool installed can populate a test database before tests run. Devart also documents .bat scheduling and dbForge DevOps Automation.

Do they work with PostgreSQL or MySQL?

Not these products. Redgate SQL Data Generator is SQL Server only. Devart sells separate Data Generator products for MySQL and MariaDB, Oracle and PostgreSQL.

Sources

Checked November 2026.

How we research comparisons: our editorial method.