sp_Blitz vs SQLTriage — honestly.
sp_Blitz — Brent Ozar's First Responder Kit — is the best free first-pass in SQL Server, and we run it ourselves. This isn't a takedown. SQLTriage doesn't replace sp_Blitz; it imports its output and finishes the job — turning a triage list into a graded, board-ready report. Here's the honest difference, and when each one is the right tool.
Written by Adrian Sullivan — founder of sqldba, twenty years on SQL Server.
Same findings. A list, or a plan.
Where sqldba fits among ANZ + US providers.
An honest read of where sqldba fits among the SQL Server providers we share the market with. Different providers suit different needs. This maps where sqldba is the right call, and is candid about where another provider may suit you better.
| Dimension | sqldba | Global SQL Superstar | Premier US Consultancy | Solo Performance Expert | Premier NZ Integrator | NZ Enterprise MSP | Global Systems Integrator | MCM SQL Specialists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SQL Server-only focus | ||||||||
| Free named tool (FRK-style) | ||||||||
| Published pricing | ||||||||
| Published SLAs | ||||||||
| Named expert + credential | ||||||||
| Public, cited proof | ||||||||
| AI / LLM readiness | ||||||||
| Licensing-savings wedge | ||||||||
| Compliance / security angle | ||||||||
| Enterprise procurement comfort | ||||||||
| NZ-local presence |
Honest read — where each is the better fit
When sp_Blitz on its own is the right call.
If you're a DBA who wants a fast, no-install triage list and you'll action it yourself, sp_Blitz is perfect — run it in SSMS, read the priorities, fix what matters. You don't need anything on top of it, and we'd never tell you otherwise.
SQLTriage earns its place when the list has to leave the DBA's screen: when you need a single score the board can act on, a finding mapped to the framework you're audited against, a report someone who doesn't speak T-SQL can read, or a number you can track quarter on quarter to prove the estate is getting safer. Same findings — a plan instead of a list. That's the board-ready action plan in full.
sp_Blitz, SQLTriage and how they fit.
Is SQLTriage a fork of sp_Blitz?
No. SQLTriage imports sp_Blitz output and credits it — it is a governance layer on top, not a fork or a copy. sp_Blitz and the First Responder Kit are Brent Ozar’s work, open source under the MIT licence; we build on them, with attribution, independently.
So which one should I actually run?
Both, in effect. Run sp_Blitz (or let SQLTriage run the equivalent checks itself), then let SQLTriage grade the findings, map them to frameworks, and turn them into a report. You keep everything sp_Blitz gives you and gain the score and the board view.
Is the First Responder Kit still better for anything?
Yes — as a fast, scriptable, zero-install triage in SSMS, sp_Blitz is hard to beat, and we reach for it daily. SQLTriage earns its place the moment you need a score, a compliance mapping, a report a non-DBA can read, or a number you can track quarter on quarter.
Are you affiliated with Brent Ozar?
No. sp_Blitz, sp_BlitzFirst and the rest of the First Responder Kit are independent open-source projects. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Brent Ozar Unlimited — we simply think it is excellent and built SQLTriage to read its output.
Will SQLTriage touch production?
No. Read-only by default — it reads configuration and the sp_Blitz output and changes nothing, unless you explicitly approve a gated, reversible fix with rollback if a check fails.
Keep sp_Blitz. Not sure what to do with what it found?
Tell us what came back. A senior DBA reads every message and points you at the right next step, even when that is not us. SQLTriage itself is free and open source, and it reads the sp_Blitz output you already trust.