Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure: Azure SQL in Excel, Power BI and Tableau on Windows, Mac and Linux
Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure (listed on Devart's site as ODBC Driver for Azure SQL) is a $179.95-per-year ODBC driver for Windows, macOS and Linux that connects Excel, Power BI, Tableau, Access, SQL Server linked servers, Python and other ODBC tools to Azure SQL databases, with no SQL Server client to install. It adds SSH and HTTP tunneling, Azure AD (Entra) sign-in and a point-and-click setup on all three platforms.
Microsoft gives away its own ODBC Driver for SQL Server, which also reaches Azure SQL, so the question is what Devart adds for the money. The short answer: tunnels for databases you can't reach directly, a configuration dialog on Mac and Linux, compatibility tuning for specific BI and office tools, and a vendor who fixes problems with them.
Quick facts
- Version: 6.2.0, released October 16, 2026
- Developer: Devart
- Platforms: Windows x86 and x64 (including Terminal Server), macOS on Intel and Apple Silicon, Linux x86 and x64 (DEB and RPM)
- Database: Azure SQL V12, with Azure SQL Server 2022 support added in version 5.0.0
- Connection: direct over TCP/IP, no SQL Server client; SSL, SSH tunnel, HTTP/HTTPS tunnel
- Sign-in: SQL Server logins and Azure AD (Entra) modes such as AzureADPassword and AzureADIntegrated
- Price: $179.95 per year for a Desktop license on one platform, or $349.95 perpetual
- Trial: 30 days, activated with a trial key from a Devart account
- What we checked: the Buy Now order page charged $179.95 for Desktop for Windows with a 1-year subscription, and the same cart showed $349.95 for two years, $529.95 for three, $349.95 perpetual, and $999.95 per year or $1,999.95 perpetual for Server Standard. The download page listed version 6.2.0 with a 31.54 MB Windows installer. All checked on November 13, 2026. We didn't install the driver or connect it to an Azure database
Before you buy
Try Microsoft's free ODBC Driver for SQL Server first if your tools connect with it and your Azure server is reachable directly. Devart's driver earns its price when you need an SSH or HTTP tunnel, a GUI setup on macOS or Linux, fixes for a particular tool (FileMaker, Tableau, Visual FoxPro, Qlik Replicate and others appear in its change log), or vendor support. Licenses are per user and per platform, and a subscription license needs an internet connection to activate and to check its status; a perpetual license activates offline.
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Overview
Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure turns an Azure SQL database into a standard ODBC data source. You create a DSN with the server address (your-server.database.windows.net), database, user and password, choose the authentication mode, and every ODBC-aware program on that computer can query and update the data. The driver talks to Azure over TCP/IP itself, so there's nothing else to deploy.
It's one of more than 90 ODBC drivers Devart sells, and it moves with the family. Version 6.0.0 in November 2025 added a graphical configuration tool on macOS and Linux and Bearer Token authentication for HTTP tunnels. 6.1.0 in April 2026 improved compatibility with Qlik Replicate, PHP's PDO_ODBC and Node.js. 6.2.0 in October 2026 worked around a unixODBC 2.3.13-2.3.14 DSN bug and improved support for Ubuntu 24 and 26, CentOS 10, Visual FoxPro and DBeaver.
Features
Direct connection with no client software
Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure connects directly to Azure SQL over TCP/IP, so a user's PC needs only the driver's own installer. On large rollouts that matters: Devart's Site and OEM licenses add silent installation, and an MSI package is available for deployment through Group Policy.
Secure access: SSL, SSH and HTTP tunnels, Entra sign-in
Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure encrypts connections with SSL and can also reach the server through an SSH tunnel or an HTTP/HTTPS tunnel, which helps when port 1433 is blocked by a corporate firewall. It supports SQL Server logins and Azure AD (Microsoft Entra) authentication modes, and since version 5.1 it stores DSN passwords in encrypted form.
Full ODBC support with tool-specific switches
Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure implements the ODBC API and data types and maps Azure SQL types to ODBC types in both directions. When a tool misbehaves, connection options let you force ODBC 2.x or 3.x behavior, return all strings as ANSI or Unicode, allow null strings in metadata, use local regional settings for numbers and dates, and turn on Multiple Active Result Sets (MARS).
Speed for large reads and writes
Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure batches SQL statements for bulk updates and uses connection pooling and local data caching to cut round trips to the cloud, which is where most of the time goes when Excel or a BI tool refreshes a big table from Azure.
Benefits
- One driver on every desktop. Windows, Mac and Linux users connect the same way, with a setup dialog on all three.
- Reaches locked-down servers. SSH and HTTP tunneling get through networks where a direct connection to port 1433 isn't allowed.
- Fewer tool quirks. Devart tests against specific tools and ships compatibility fixes for them release after release.
- Support with a name on it. Problems go to Devart's support team, with nightly builds for hotfixes.
Real-World Uses
- Excel reports from Azure. Finance pulls live Azure SQL tables into Excel on Windows and Mac without a SQL client on each machine.
- Power BI or Tableau dashboards. Analysts connect BI tools to Azure SQL through a DSN, with Entra sign-in.
- Linked server in SSMS. An on-premises SQL Server queries Azure SQL tables through a linked server built on the driver.
- Legacy applications. A Visual FoxPro, Access or FileMaker application moves its data to Azure SQL and keeps working through ODBC.
- Linux ETL jobs. A Python or PHP job on Ubuntu reads Azure SQL through unixODBC.
Who It's For, and Who Should Skip It
Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure is for teams that connect ODBC tools to Azure SQL and need tunneling, Mac and Linux setup without config-file editing, help with a specific tool, or a vendor to call.
Skip it if:
- Microsoft's free driver already works for you. If your tools connect fine, there's no need to pay.
- You need many users on one shared machine. That's a Server license at $999.95 a year, not Desktop.
- Your database is Azure Synapse or an on-premises SQL Server. Devart sells separate ODBC drivers for those.
Usage Guide
- Download the installer for your platform from the download page (EXE or MSI for Windows, PKG for macOS, DEB or RPM for Linux) and install it.
- Activate the 30-day trial with the key from your Devart account.
- On Windows, open the ODBC Data Source Administrator (odbcad32), choosing the 32-bit or 64-bit version that matches your application, and add a DSN with Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure.
- Enter the server (your-server.database.windows.net), database, user and password, pick the authentication mode, and turn on Encrypt with Trust Server Certificate set to No.
- Make sure your IP address is allowed in the Azure server's firewall, then click Test Connection.
- On macOS or Linux, use the configuration tool, or register the driver in odbcinst.ini and the DSN in odbc.ini, and test with isql.
Where it falls short
- Azure's firewall comes first. Devart's own troubleshooting list starts with blocked IP addresses and port 1433; no driver setting fixes a server that won't accept your address.
- Bitness mismatches. A DSN made in the 64-bit ODBC Administrator is invisible to a 32-bit application, and the other way round.
- Per-platform, per-user pricing. A Mac user and a Windows user need two Desktop licenses, and a shared server needs a Server license.
- Subscriptions phone home. A subscription license needs internet access to activate and to verify the license; choose perpetual for offline machines.
What Users Say
Review sites list Devart's ODBC drivers as one product line rather than driver by driver, so the feedback below covers the family, not this driver alone.
Ratings for Devart ODBC drivers
- Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 from 26 reviews of Devart ODBC Drivers.
- G2: about 4.5 to 4.6 out of 5 from 17 to 18 reviews of Devart ODBC Driver, depending on the page.
- TrustRadius: a much lower 5.2 out of 10 from 58 reviews and ratings.
What the reviews say
On Capterra, one reviewer said Devart's driver was the least expensive option they found, with the best instructions for their needs. On TrustRadius, individual reviews are more mixed: a 2019 reviewer of the Oracle edition scored it 7 out of 10, and another reviewer answered "Yes" both to whether implementation went as expected and to whether they would buy it again.
The gap between Capterra's and G2's high averages and TrustRadius's low overall score is large, and the review counts are small, so treat any single number with caution.
The pattern: the driver family is well rated where most of its reviews are, and the reviews are about Devart's ODBC line in general rather than the Azure driver. The 30-day trial against your own Azure database is the better test.
Comparisons
Devart vs Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server
Microsoft's driver is free and is the reference for SQL Server and Azure SQL. Devart's adds SSH and HTTP tunneling, a configuration dialog on macOS and Linux, options for tools with unusual ODBC habits, and paid support. If the free driver connects your tools, use it; if you hit a tunnel, platform or tool problem, Devart's 30-day trial is the cheap way to find out whether it solves it.
SQL Azure driver vs Devart's SQL Server and Synapse drivers
Devart sells separate ODBC drivers for SQL Server and for Azure Synapse Analytics. Pick the SQL Azure driver for Azure SQL Database; if you also run on-premises SQL Server or Synapse, the ODBC Universal Bundle, which Devart says covers drivers for 92 databases and cloud applications, may cost less than several single licenses.
Editions and Pricing
All editions use the one Buy Now button on this page: the order page opens set to Desktop for Windows with a 1-year subscription, and you change the edition, platform, term or license model there. Each license covers one platform.
| Edition |
Subscription (1 year) |
Perpetual |
Who can use it |
| Desktop (Windows, macOS or Linux) |
$179.95 |
$349.95 |
One user at a time on one computer |
| Server Standard (Windows, macOS or Linux) |
$999.95 |
$1,999.95 |
Many users on one server with up to 6 cores |
| Server Enterprise, Site, OEM |
On request |
On request |
Any core count, a whole company, or redistribution |
A Desktop subscription paid up front costs $349.95 for two years and $529.95 for three. Priority support is an optional extra, and Devart gives 5, 10 or 15 percent off for 5, 10 or 20 copies.
FAQs
Does Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure support Azure AD (Entra) sign-in?
Yes. Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure supports Azure AD authentication modes such as AzureADPassword and AzureADIntegrated, set as the Authentication mode in the DSN, as well as SQL Server logins.
Do I need the SQL Server client or Microsoft's driver installed?
No. Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure connects to Azure SQL directly over TCP/IP, so it doesn't need any SQL Server client software.
Does it work on an Apple Silicon Mac?
Yes. Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure has supported Apple Silicon since version 4.0.1 (May 2021), and since version 6.0 macOS has a graphical configuration tool.
Can I use one license on Windows and Mac?
No. Devart sells ODBC Driver for SQL Azure licenses per platform, so Windows, macOS and Linux each need their own license at the same price.
Can I use it for a Power BI gateway or a web server?
Only with a Server license. The Desktop edition of Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure is for one user at a time on one computer; servers where several users or processes reach the driver need Server Standard (up to 6 cores) or Server Enterprise.
What happens when the subscription ends?
Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure on a subscription works only during the paid term and checks the license online. A perpetual license keeps the version you bought running indefinitely and activates offline.
System Requirements
- Windows x86 or x64, including Windows Terminal Server (31.54 MB EXE or 33.22 MB MSI installer)
- macOS on Intel x64 or Apple Silicon (20.79 MB PKG)
- Linux x86 or x64, DEB or RPM packages (about 6 MB)
- An Azure SQL database that allows your IP address through its firewall
- No SQL Server client; internet access to activate a subscription license
Conclusion
Devart ODBC Driver for SQL Azure is worth $179.95 a year when Microsoft's free driver isn't enough: you need an SSH or HTTP tunnel to reach the database, Mac and Linux users who want a setup dialog, a fix for a tool that misbehaves over ODBC, or support from a vendor. It's actively maintained, with new versions about twice a year. The main reason not to buy it is that free alternative: if Microsoft's driver connects your tools without trouble, keep it. Otherwise, run the 30-day trial against your real Azure database, and buy the license that matches who will use it.
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