Introducing our new self-service model: Start converting instantly

Alina Svidunovich

Content Writer, Ispirer Systems

When dealing with database migration, you often need a simple and reliable solution that you can test right here, right now, without scheduling demos or committing to long processes. To meet that need, we’re introducing a self-service model for SQLWays. It’s designed for companies ready to explore and test the tool independently—directly, immediately, and without intermediaries.

This approach doesn't replace our expert-led collaboration model — it complements it. But for teams looking to start today, the self-service path offers flexibility, autonomy, and speed.

This article explains why we made this shift, who it’s for, and how it works.

What Is Self-Service — and Why We're Introducing It

Self-service means accessing and evaluating the product independently — no calls, coordination, or waiting. It's a faster, more flexible way to get started, with everything you need to explore the tool independently.

For us, it's a way to give you more control over the process. It means less friction, more autonomy, and quicker results.

From now on, you can download SQLWays directly from our website, run test conversions, and choose the best plan at your own pace.

When is a self-service tool a go-to solution?

Database migration is a critical undertaking that demands thorough analysis, risk assessment, and careful evaluation of trade-offs. The self-service model is particularly beneficial for:

• Small to mid-sized projects. Companies with limited migration scope can benefit from hands-on testing. Instead of investing time in lengthy expert demonstrations, they can perform a trial migration on a subset of their data to directly assess conversion quality and efficiency.
• Large-scale enterprise migrations. A self-service approach enables teams to validate conversion accuracy early in the process for complex projects. This ensures high-quality outcomes and helps secure executive buy-in by demonstrating real-world results before committing to a full-scale migration budget.

The benefits of a self-service model

Here are the key reasons behind this change:

• Immediate access. Download SQLWays from the website, connect your first database, and test migrations, all within 15 minutes. This is particularly valuable when you're under tight deadlines or working in different time zones where scheduling calls is challenging.
• Flexibility for testing. Real-world testing beats theoretical demos every time. Our free plan lets you migrate 1500 lines of code and 2 GB of data with full functionality for a month. Please note that you cannot use the conversion result in production. Light and starter plans allow for more extensive testing without sales involvement. This means you can test performance with your actual data volumes and evaluate ease of use with your team's workflow before making any financial commitment. When you're ready to scale, upgrading takes just a few clicks.
• Better fit for different business sizes. Other organizations have fundamentally different evaluation needs. Startups and small businesses often need to get started immediately with minimal bureaucracy - they don't have dedicated procurement teams to handle lengthy sales processes. At the other extreme, enterprises frequently require phased adoption - they might want to test with one department before rolling out company-wide. Our new model accommodates all these scenarios, allowing you to start small with just a credit card and then expand usage as needed through self-service or by engaging our sales team for volume discounts.
• Less red tape, more results. While we'll always provide expert guidance for complex migrations, many everyday use cases don't require this level of hand-holding. By removing these artificial barriers, we're making it dramatically easier for qualified users to get value from our solution immediately. For those who do need personalized assistance? Our sales engineers are still available.

SQLWays: a self-service tool for database migration

We understand that evaluating a database migration tool requires hands-on experience. That’s why we offer a free trial of SQLWays, allowing you to test its capabilities on a small scale before committing.

How it works:

1. Visit our Pricing Page to explore available plans.
2. Select the option that best fits your project—whether it’s a trial for testing SQLWays on a small scope or a plan that fits your scope.
3. Start migrating immediately.

Perfect for small projects or pilot migrations, our free trial lets you verify conversion quality, performance, and ease of use - ensuring SQLWays meets your needs before you invest.

While the self-service SQLWays doesn't include direct customer support, we've designed It to be intuitive and straightforward. The clean, user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate, even for first-time users. You'll find everything you need in our detailed documentation and step-by-step guides. This approach lets you verify exactly how SQLWays works with your specific databases before making any commitment.

Use cases for a self-service model of SQLWays

Our new self-service model was designed to meet users' real-world needs who want immediate, hands-on access to our database migration tool. While the option to speak with our sales team remains available, certain types of users will find the ability to get started instantly particularly valuable:

• Developers and DevOps teams often know what they need from a migration tool. They don't require a sales demo - they need to test the software against their specific database configurations, run performance benchmarks with real data, and validate that it fits into their existing workflows. Self-service access allows them to skip the formalities and start testing the tool immediately.
• Startups and scaling businesses also benefit from the flexibility of instant access. Sometimes, waiting for sales approvals or procurement processes can slow down critical migrations. With self-service, teams can onboard quickly, test the tool at their own pace, and scale usage up or down as their needs evolve—without lengthy contract negotiations.
• For enterprise teams, self-service enables a more agile evaluation process. Instead of coordinating vendor demos across multiple departments, internal stakeholders can quietly test SQLWays in specific environments, gather real migration results, and build consensus before committing to a broader rollout. This bottom-up approach leads to smoother adoption in large organizations.
• Freelancers and consultants working with multiple clients appreciate the ability to access the tool on demand. Waiting for sales outreach isn't practical when a client has an urgent migration need. Self-service allows these independent experts to provision the tool immediately, demonstrate its value in real-time, and deliver faster results.

Try SQLWays risk-free: Start your migration today

Database migration doesn't have to be a daunting, high-risk endeavor. With a self-service model, organizations of all sizes can take control of their migration process at their own pace while minimizing upfront costs and delays.

Whether you're a small team looking for a quick, cost-effective solution or a large enterprise seeking to validate migration quality before full-scale deployment, SQLWays offers a risk-free way to experience its capabilities firsthand. By simplifying access and providing immediate value, we enable you to make confident, data-driven decisions - without lengthy sales cycles or complex onboarding.

Ready to see how SQLWays can streamline your migration? Start your free trial today and take the first step toward a seamless, efficient database transition.