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Poor SQL - Instant Free and Open-Source T-SQL Formatting Review

Worth it

Should I use Poor SQL - Instant Free and Open-Source T-SQL Formatting?

PoorSQL.com is a free online T-SQL formatting service using the open-source .Net 2.0 Poor Man's T-SQL Formatter library. - poorsql.com

· 5 days ago

Use it if you write T-SQL and want instant, free cleanup of messy queries. Skip it for other SQL dialects or any query containing data that should not leave your machine.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~14 public sources; mostly blogs, forums, and listings. No formal review-platform ratings found.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support evidence in sources
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

Web formatter

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Open-source libraryFree

Best for

  • T-SQL / SQL Server developers
  • Cleaning up legacy stored procedures
  • Quick one-off query formatting
  • Anyone wanting a zero-cost formatter

Not for

  • Anyone with confidential SQL — don't paste into a web tool
  • Postgres, BigQuery, or PL/SQL users — T-SQL only
  • Teams wanting supported tooling with SLAs
  • Users needing IDE-integrated always-on formatting

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Never paste queries with PII, credentials, or client data into online formatters; use the offline library instead

medium

No security or data-handling page exists; /security is a 404

medium

No support: if it mangles a query, you are on your own

low

T-SQL dialect lock-in; other databases need different tools

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Completely free and open-source
  • One-click, instant cleanup of tangled SQL
  • Highly customizable: casing, indentation, commas, colors
  • Usable offline as a .Net library or editor add-in
  • Recommended in SQL communities as a solid free resource

Cons

  • T-SQL only; no BigQuery, Postgres, or PL/SQL support
  • Security page returns a 404
  • Built on a dated .Net 2.0 library from 2013
  • Pasting proprietary queries into an online tool is risky
  • No vendor support; community-driven open-source project

Sources & method

- 10 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed; the site's own security page returns a 404, so pasting sensitive SQL carries unquantified exposure risk.

official x3review x5security x2
  • No security or data-handling page, returns '404 File not found'; no data-retention or privacy policy is published.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 10

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Completely free and open-source
  • Ease of use: 5/5. One-click, instant formatting
  • Feature depth: 3/5. Many toggles, but T-SQL only
  • Support quality. No support evidence in sources
  • Security posture: 2/5. Security page 404; paste-in exposure risk
  • Free Price Open-source, no account needed
  • Yes Free tier Web tool and library both free
  • .Net 2.0 Library vintage NuGet listing dated Feb 2013

Pricing

Web formatter

Free

  • Instant T-SQL formatting
  • Customizable formatting options

Open-source library

Free

  • .Net 2.0 library
  • Editor add-in integration

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed; the site's own security page returns a 404, so pasting sensitive SQL carries unquantified exposure risk.

  • No security or data-handling pagereturns '404 File not found'; no data-retention or privacy policy is published.²

What users say

Users and bloggers praise it as a fast, free way to make unreadable T-SQL readable, with no complaints surfaced in the sources reviewed.

“PoorSQL.com is a great free resource.”
Select Distinct blog
“A small free .Net 2.0 library”
NuGet Must Haves package listing
“PoorSQL is a web site where you copy th”
SQLTeam forums

Alternatives

Compare Poor SQL - Instant Free and Open-Source T-SQL Formatting with each alternative.

Full analysis

Based on ~14 public sources; mostly blogs, forums, and listings. No formal review-platform ratings found.

Free, instant T-SQL formatter. Great for messy queries; never paste sensitive SQL, and it won't help other dialects.

Methodology

Based on ~14 public sources; mostly blogs, forums, and listings. No formal review-platform ratings found.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. Poor SQL - Instant Free and Open-Source T-SQL Formatting (official)poorsql.com
    official
  2. Poor SQL security page (404)poorsql.com
    security
  3. Poor Man's T-SQL Formatter NuGet Packagenugetmusthaves.com
    official
  4. Automatically reformat SQL with this FREE tool - Select Distinctselectdistinct.co.uk
    review
  5. Is using online SQL prettifiers considered safe?security.stackexchange.com
    security
  6. Are there tools for automated re-arrangement of SQL?reddit.com
    review
  7. Customizable Formatting | StyleSQLstylesql.com
    review
  8. Cleaning up common T-SQL coding issues with SQL Promptred-gate.com
    official
  9. Poor Indentation - Transact-SQL (SQLTeam forums)forums.sqlteam.com
    review
  10. SQL - Formatting tool (Avonture blog)avonture.be
    review

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