AWS Snowball vs Microsoft Azure Data Box comparison

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft are both solutions in the Data Migration Appliances category. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is ranked #1 with an average rating of 7.8, while Microsoft is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.3. Amazon Web Services (AWS) holds a 33.5% mindshare in DMA, compared to Microsoft’s 21.6% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of Amazon Web Services (AWS) users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

AWS Snowball

Read 10 AWS Snowball reviews

2,489 Views
2,389 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Microsoft Azure Data Box

Read 11 Microsoft Azure Data Box reviews

1,738 Views
1,738 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

AWS Snowball

Microsoft Azure Data Box

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

Microsoft Azure Data Box and AWS Snowball are leading solutions in the data transfer sector. While both offer scalable options, AWS Snowball appears to have the advantage due to its advanced feature set, despite its higher cost.

Features: Microsoft Azure Data Box offers enhanced security, seamless integration with Azure services, and efficient infrastructure scalability. AWS Snowball stands out with automatic data encryption, built-in data analytics, and high-capacity transfer capabilities. These features make AWS Snowball particularly attractive for complex data needs.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Azure Data Box could enhance support for bandwidth-limited environments and improve its patch management processes. AWS Snowball might benefit from expanded interoperability with non-AWS services and could further streamline initial setup to simplify deployment. Both solutions could enhance their real-time data tracking features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Azure Data Box focuses on seamless integration into existing systems, complemented by strong Azure support. AWS Snowball offers a straightforward deployment process with detailed documentation and responsive support, typically providing a smoother experience for users.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Azure Data Box provides a cost-effective solution with strong ROI for regular data transfers, particularly within the Azure ecosystem. AWS Snowball, with its higher pricing, justifies costs through advanced features and infrastructure, delivering substantial ROI for businesses prioritizing cutting-edge capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed AWS Snowball vs. Microsoft Azure Data Box Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

AWS Snowball vs. Microsoft Azure Data Box

December 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

AWS Snowball

Ranking in Data Migration Appliances

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud Migration (11th)

Microsoft Azure Data Box

Ranking in Data Migration Appliances

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Data Migration Appliances category, the mindshare of AWS Snowball is 33.5%, down from 41.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure Data Box is 21.6%, down from 29.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Data Migration Appliances Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
AWS Snowball	33.5%
Microsoft Azure Data Box	21.6%
Other	44.9%

Data Migration Appliances

Featured Reviews

Kevin-Davis

Global CTO AWS Business Group at Eviden

Seamless data transfer and efficient migration with customizable storage sizes

I like that I can take data and send it straight to S3 when it loads in. The interface for getting my data onto the Snowball is so streamlined. I don't know if you've ever seen it before. It's really cool. I connect them to the backplane of our existing network. I'm able to address it quickly and move the data quickly inside my customers' data centers. There's a little screen on it, which changes the UPS codes and all that stuff. The label and everything AWS electronic, so I don't have to deal with shipping issues. It makes it super simple and easy to use from end to end.

Read full review

Saul Perales

Systems Administrator at Xignux SA de CV

Enable efficient infrastructure management with high availability and quick adaptability

Our primary use case is for application implementations and migrations, mostly in an enterprise environment. It specifically involves cloud solutions and middleware services like data and virtual machines The scalability and availability of Microsoft Azure Data Box allow us to provide necessary…

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The support team's awesome, and they've always been very responsive."

"AWS helps save time and costs, being a managed cloud provider with evolving services."

"The most valuable features of AWS Snowball for me are its security measures and its flexibility."

"The way the data is moved is very clever. Also, the interface is very simple and user-friendly."

"AWS offers managed services which save time and reduce administrative overhead."

"The solution is elastic."

"It's a nice way of shipping a lot of data without using a network."

More AWS Snowball pros

"One valuable aspect is the support we receive from Microsoft Azure vendors."

"It is a good fit with ease of integration there."

"Microsoft Azure Data Box has an encryption practice feature that I have found to be valuable; it is very good, and there are no challenges."

"We're looking at this solution because it's part of an overall tool suite, so the integration piece is what's striking our interest in it."

"The availability and quick scalability of Microsoft Azure Data Box are highly valuable."

"The solution has allowed the organization to safely transfer and store into the cloud easily and quickly large amounts of data that can then be readily accessed."

"The Azure Data Box saves us a great deal of time when migrating data to Azure."

"The primary use case for Microsoft Azure Data Box involves transferring huge amounts of data from the customer's on-premise environment, ensuring it's shipped correctly with all tags and encryptions."

More Microsoft Azure Data Box pros

Cons

"It's not cheap."

"It's not an easy product to start using for a beginner, but If you're a professional, it's easy to understand."

"If AWS Snowball is intercepted, there is a potential risk of unauthorized access to the data."

"I think AWS Snowball could improve by expanding its availability to more countries."

"There's always room for improvement as you use the service more and gain expertise. Some challenges I've faced include the time factor (data transfer can be time-consuming), data validation after the transfer, risks associated with physical handling and shipping of the device, and ensuring data security during transit."

"24/7 support is more expensive on AWS compared to Azure."

"The stability of the solution isn't ideal and should be improved."

"The costs of services the customer needs also matter, such as storage requirements and whether storage is rational."

More AWS Snowball cons

"For me it doesn't work well. ... If you are a non-Microsoft shop, to use Microsoft Azure Data Box, you would need to integrate it with your other vendors, and whether or not that will be possible will depend on the platform or platforms that host them."

"Deployment can be a major challenge. It's important to understand the organization's policies, the data store where the data will be going, the necessary permissions, and the specific type of Data Box being used. We also need to consider the encryption keys that need to be utilized."

"It's a single node solution. If it can be spread out across more of the enterprise and have more segregation in its virtual environment, that would be good."

"The device must be transported off-site before the data is uploaded into the Microsoft Azure Cloud."

"On an enterprise level, a per-user license for more than 1,000 users is very costly."

"The solution is straightforward with simple application migration, but plug-and-play AI is not involved simultaneously."

"Currently, I do not see any areas for improvement."

"I am not confident in this device's ability to perform a network backup in our data center."

More Microsoft Azure Data Box cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's not a cheap solution, but the price is right for the product."

"The tool's pricing depends on the type of Snowball device you choose, the amount of data you need to transfer, and the service fees involved. There’s a standard price for larger data transfers and a flat job fee, which includes the first ten days of on-site usage. Typically, there are no additional data transfer fees."

"This is a pay-as-you-go solution, where you pay for the amount of storage space that you are using."

"The pricing is based on the size of the appliance needed to store the data."

"The product’s pricing is normal for enterprises but higher for SMBs."

"On a scale of one to five, with one being not good and five being competitive, I would rate this solution as a four."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	4

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Microsoft Azure Data Box or AWS Snowball?

Microsoft Azure Databox is a 45-pound, super rugged, tamper-resistant, human-managed hardware appliance that can transfer up to 100TB of data capacity to copy, store, then send to the Azure cloud. ...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS Snowball?

Depending of what is your priority; UseAWS Snowball if you are heavily invested in AWS or need edge computing features Choose Azure Data Box for smooth integration with Azure and potentially lower ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with AWS Snowball?

It's difficult to make a comparison and it depends on the customer. When analyzing costs, I must see how the customer uses AWS, Azure, or Google. Google is particularly interesting, for example, fo...

See all answers

What do you like most about Microsoft Azure Data Box?

We use the solution for integration purposes.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Azure Data Box?

I would rate the price for Microsoft Azure Data Box as medium; it's neither low nor high.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Azure Data Box?

I suggest Azure improve Microsoft Azure Data Box for better and faster transportation capabilities.

See all answers

Comparisons

Google Transfer Appliance vs AWS Snowball

Compared 43% of the time

Cloudwick Amorphic Data Platform vs AWS Snowball

Compared 10% of the time

AWS Snowball Edge vs AWS Snowball

Compared 5% of the time

IBM Cloud Mass Data Migration vs AWS Snowball

Compared 5% of the time

Palantir Foundry vs AWS Snowball

Compared 4% of the time

More AWS Snowball Competitors

Google Transfer Appliance vs Microsoft Azure Data Box

Compared 21% of the time

IBM Cloud Mass Data Migration vs Microsoft Azure Data Box

Compared 10% of the time

AWS Snowball Edge vs Microsoft Azure Data Box

Compared 7% of the time

Palantir Foundry vs Microsoft Azure Data Box

Compared 5% of the time

Cloudwick Amorphic Data Platform vs Microsoft Azure Data Box

Compared 4% of the time

More Microsoft Azure Data Box Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

AWS Snowball

January 2026

Download AWS Snowball product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure Data Box

January 2026

Download Microsoft Azure Data Box product report

Also Known As

Amazon AWS Snowball, Amazon Snowball, Snowball

Azure Data Box, MS Azure Data Box

Overview

Snowball is a petabyte-scale data transport solution that uses devices designed to be secure to transfer large amounts of data into and out of the AWS Cloud. Using Snowball addresses common challenges with large-scale data transfers including high network costs, long transfer times, and security concerns. Customers today use Snowball to migrate analytics data, genomics data, video libraries, image repositories, backups, and to archive part of data center shutdowns, tape replacement or application migration projects. Transferring data with Snowball is simple, fast, more secure, and can be as little as one-fifth the cost of transferring data via high-speed Internet.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

The Azure Data Box service lets you transfer terabytes of data into Azure in a quick, inexpensive, and reliable manner. Microsoft accelerates the secure data transfer by shipping you disks and handling the end-to-end logistics.

Transfer large amounts of data to Azure in 4 easy steps – order, receive, copy data to disks, and return disks to Azure. After the disks are received, data is ingested into Azure and disks are securely wiped.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Wazee Digital, Craftsy, Live Nation, Essess

Oceaneering

Buyer's Guide

AWS Snowball vs. Microsoft Azure Data Box

December 2025

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