Hi @dwaine
Here are the differences between Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance:
Architecture: Azure SQL Database is a fully managed Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) database engine, while Azure SQL Managed Instance is a fully managed Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) database engine that provides a native virtual network (VNet) integration.
Compatibility: Azure SQL Database is compatible with most SQL Server features, but it does not support all SQL Server features. Azure SQL Managed Instance is more compatible with SQL Server features than Azure SQL Database.
Scalability: Azure SQL Database is highly scalable and can scale up or down based on demand. Azure SQL Managed Instance is also highly scalable and can scale up or down based on demand, but it has a higher maximum database size limit than Azure SQL Database.
Pricing: Azure SQL Database is generally less expensive than Azure SQL Managed Instance, but the pricing depends on the specific requirements of the user.
Networking: Azure SQL Database can be accessed over the public internet or through a virtual network (VNet) service endpoint. Azure SQL Managed Instance can only be accessed through a virtual network (VNet) service endpoint.
Security: Azure SQL Database provides built-in security features such as firewall rules, authentication, and encryption. Azure SQL Managed Instance provides additional security features such as private endpoints and virtual network (VNet) service endpoints.
Please find Features, Platform capabilities, Resource limits of SQL Database and SQL Managed Instance in below document
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/features-comparison?view=azuresql#features-of-sql-database-and-sql-managed-instance
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.
Thank you!