SQL Server tools I’d pick depending on the job
SSMS is still the default for SQL Server, but I don’t think one tool covers every workflow well. So I’d split it by the actual job.
For quick admin work: SSMS. Still the safest default. Free, official, familiar. Good for quick checks, server settings, security, backups, and all the normal admin stuff.
Bad part: it starts feeling clunky when you do heavier dev work.
For daily SQL development: dbForge Studio for SQL Server Better fit when you spend a lot of time writing and cleaning up SQL. Autocomplete, formatting, snippets, query builder, debugging, schema/data compare.
Bad part: Windows-native and paid if you need the full feature set.
For release-heavy teams: Redgate SQL Toolbelt. Good when database changes need versioning, review, compare, and a proper deployment process around them.
Bad part: expensive, and the workflow can feel more like SSMS plus extra add-ons than one unified place to work.
For auditing/recovery/very specific tasks: Quest (ex ApexSQL). Makes sense when you need a tool for one painful thing, like auditing, monitoring, or recovery.
Bad part: can feel fragmented fast.
For older enterprise setups: Toad for SQL Server. Still around, especially in teams that used Toad for years.
Bad part: heavier and feels dated.
My take: SSMS is fine as the base. But once you’re doing serious SQL development, comparing environments, or pushing DB changes through releases, you usually need something else next to it.