Answer
Estimated plans show predicted row counts before execution.
Actual plans include real runtime row counts and performance metrics.
Quick Answer
Estimated plan shows what SQL Server planned to do before running the query — based on statistics. Actual plan shows what really happened including actual row counts, execution counts, and time. Comparing estimated vs actual row counts reveals where statistics are wrong and the plan went off-course.
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SugharaIQ Editorial Team
Verified Answer
This answer has been peer-reviewed by industry experts holding senior engineering roles to ensure technical accuracy and relevance for modern interview standards.
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Source: SugharaIQ