Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Azure Container Registry vs Harbor comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 2025

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

Azure Container Registry
Ranking in Container Registry
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
21
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Harbor
Ranking in Container Registry
3rd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
5.9
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Container Registry category, the mindshare of Azure Container Registry is 12.2%, up from 11.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Harbor is 25.0%, down from 27.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Container Registry Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Harbor25.0%
Azure Container Registry12.2%
Other62.8%
Container Registry
 

Featured Reviews

Sanjay Sahu - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at Capgemini
Geo-replication and reliable deployments with private endpoints streamline our integration processes
We are using Azure Logic Apps in our integration, in addition to Azure Container Registry The geo-replication features of Azure Container Registry are powerful. They facilitate alias connectivity and architecture implementation with private endpoints. The integration with Azure Kubernetes…
reviewer2584182 - PeerSpot reviewer
DevOps Engineer at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
Enhance security with automated vulnerability detection and private registry support
We use Harbor for Docker containers to build from our GitLab CI/CD pipeline. This pipeline then automatically pushes to our Harbor instance. We are still working on storing Helm charts in the Harbor instance as well Harbor has improved our organization's security and stability in our container…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The scanning of Docker images is the most valuable feature."
"Pricing is reasonable."
"Azure Container Registry is an easy-to-install, easy-to-configure, and easy-to-deploy solution."
"The geo-replication features of Azure Container Registry are powerful, facilitating alias connectivity and architecture implementation with private endpoints, while the integration with Azure Kubernetes services ensures reliable deployments."
"It's great for storing images on containers."
"We like the fact that this is a secure solution, that employs a token-based system, which can be used to manage all the applications under this product."
"The portability and elasticity features are the most valuable."
"Specific tokens can be used to set folder structure or restrict things like read or write access."
"Right now this is the leading product in this category."
"The most valuable feature of Harbor is its security scanning capability."
 

Cons

"The setup process is mildly complex. There is no straightforward management platform, so there's a level of complexity to it."
"The solution could always improve its security measures with regard to access."
"The security, dashboards, and monitoring system could be improved."
"The deployment is an area that needs improvement, as it can take some time to deploy."
"The solution has no areas that need improvement."
"The solution has become more popular in the last few years but I find that the technical support has not increased their knowledge base, so more knowledgeable support staff can help improve the solution."
"Lacks the option of having access keys stored in a master key vault."
"The setup for Azure Container Registry was a bit complex. Still, the main problem was that whenever a new image was generated, that new Docker image needed to be updated in Azure Container Registry."
"The product should integrate better with other storage options."
"The GUI needs to improve."
"There is a need for more support for public repositories, like the Google Cloud GTR, which is not as integrated as desired."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Azure is a bit expensive."
"I would rate the pricing four out of ten."
"The Premium version includes some enhancements but is still quite okay with regard to pricing."
"The product is competitively priced."
"Azure Container Registry, has no cost, but you pay for storage service."
"I have no information on how much Azure Container Registry costs. I know it's the only solution my institution can use, so the cost was approved."
"When using Azure Container Registry, it was $1.5 or $1.6 per day, but I'm unsure how much it costs today."
"The cost of the product is free."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Container Registry solutions are best for your needs.
884,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Healthcare Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise10
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Container Registry?
The pricing is on the lower side and not costly. Customers usually pay approximately $500 USD monthly, though this includes multiple services, not just the Azure Container Registry.
What needs improvement with Azure Container Registry?
The essential tools such as the VMs and Azure Container Registry meet our needs. We have not explored geo-replication features.
What is your primary use case for Azure Container Registry?
I was working with SQL and in Azure DevOps. When the development team created the microservices, the microservices needed the connection with the SQL database. I used the SQL database to connect th...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Harbor?
Harbor is open source and part of the graduated Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) landscape, making it a cost-effective solution.
What needs improvement with Harbor?
There is a need for more support for public repositories, like the Google Cloud GTR, which is not as integrated as desired. Additionally, more example implementations for installation using Ansible...
What is your primary use case for Harbor?
We use Harbor for Docker containers to build from our GitLab CI/CD pipeline. This pipeline then automatically pushes to our Harbor instance. We are still working on storing Helm charts in the Harbo...
 

Also Known As

Microsoft Azure Container Registry
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

DNV GL, Alaska Airlines, Finastra
AXA, Talking Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Azure Container Registry vs. Harbor and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.