Difference Between Sql Server VARCHAR and NVARCHAR Data Type

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Below table lists out the major difference between the VARCHAR and NVARCHAR Data Type in Sql Server:

	Varchar[(n)]	NVarchar[(n)]
Basic Definition	Non-Unicode Variable Length character data type. Example: DECLARE @FirstName AS VARCHAR(50) =‘BASAVARAJ’SELECT @FirstName	UNicode Variable Length character data type. It can store both non-Unicode and Unicode (i.e. Japanese, Korean etc) characters. Example: DECLARE @FirstName AS NVARCHAR(50)=‘BASAVARAJ’SELECT @FirstName
No. of Bytes required for each character	It takes 1 byte per character Example: DECLARE @FirstName AS VARCHAR(50) =‘BASAVARAJ’SELECT @FirstName ASFirstName,DATALENGTH(@FirstName) ASLengthResult:FirstName Length BASAVARAJ 9	It takes 2 bytes per Unicode/Non-Unicode character. Example: DECLARE @FirstName AS NVARCHAR(50)=‘BASAVARAJ’SELECT @FirstName ASFirstName,DATALENGTH(@FirstName) ASLength Result:FirstName Length BASAVARAJ 18
Optional Parameter nrange	Optional Parameter n value can be from 1 to 8000.Can store maximum 8000 Non-Unicode characters.	Optional Parameter n value can be from 1 to 4000.Can store maximum 4000 Unicode/Non-Unicode characters
If Optional Parameter n is not specified in the variable declaration or column definition	If Optional parameter value nis not specified in the variable declaration or column definition then it is considered as 1. Example: DECLARE @firstName VARCHAR=‘BASAVARAJ’SELECT @firstName FirstName,DATALENGTH(@firstName)Length Result:FirstName Length B 1	If Optional parameter value n is not specified in the variable declaration or column definition then it is considered as 1. Example: DECLARE @firstName NVARCHAR=‘BASAVARAJ’SELECT @firstName FirstName,DATALENGTH(@firstName)Length Result:FirstName Length B 2
If Optional Parameter n is not specified in while using CAST/CONVERT functions	When this optional parameter n is not specified while using the CAST/CONVERT functions, then it is considered as 30.Example:DECLARE @firstName VARCHAR(35)=‘BASAVARAJ PRABHU BIRADAR INDIA ASIA’SELECT CAST(@firstName AS VARCHAR)FirstName,DATALENGTH(CAST(@firstNameAS VARCHAR)) Length Result:FirstName Length BASAVARAJ PRABHU BIRADAR INDIA 30	When this optional parameter n is not specified while using the CAST CONVERT functions, then it is considered as 30.Example:DECLARE @firstName NVARCHAR(35)=‘BASAVARAJ PRABHU BIRADAR INDIA ASIA’SELECT CAST(@firstName AS NVARCHAR)FirstName,DATALENGTH(CAST(@firstNameAS NVARCHAR)) Length Result:FirstName Length BASAVARAJ PRABHU BIRADAR INDIA 60
Which one to use?	If we know that data to be stored in the column or variable doesn’t have any Unicode characters.	If we know that the data to be stored in the column or variable can have Unicode characters.
Storage Size	Takes no. of bytes equal to the no. of Characters entered plus two bytes extra for defining offset.	Takes no. of bytes equal to twice the no. of Characters entered plus two bytes extra for defining offset.

As both of these are variable length datatypes, so irrespective of the length (i.e. optional parameter n value) defined in the variable declaration/column definition it will always take the no. of bytes required for the actual charcters stored. The value of n defines maximum no. of characters that can be stored.

Read the article Difference between Sql Server Char and Varchar Data Type to understand in detail the difference between the fixed and variable length data type.