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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 August 2025, in the Container Registry category, the mindshare of Azure Container Registry is 11.7%, up from 10.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Harbor is 26.6%, down from 28.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Container Registry
 

Featured Reviews

Soumen Dey - PeerSpot reviewer
The whole package is valuable as it allows for easy application cloning and deployment
There is a need for a graphical interface instead of writing code in Visual Studio to create images. Currently, it requires using PowerShell scripts or YAML files, which means needing to know scripting languages. A single product combining Kubernetes service with Azure Container Registry could improve usability, making actual operations smoother. However, I haven't found any bottlenecks or problems with it.
reviewer2584182 - PeerSpot reviewer
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 whole package is valuable as it allows for easy application cloning and deployment."
"What I like best about Azure Container Registry is that it's fast. It also has 24 x 7 reliability. I didn't face any downtime issues using Azure Container Registry. I also like how secure the solution is, especially as it's from Microsoft."
"Azure Container Registry can be used to detect vulnerabilities in your image."
"It's running behind a big financial and legal customer, who runs Service Fabric behind a front door, servicing local banking containers on an ISV solution developed internally."
"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."
"It's great for storing images on containers."
"Pricing is reasonable."
"The solution allows you to isolate standard containers, which is its most valuable feature. Azure Container Registry does what it's supposed to do and gives you visibility into the Docker images, the logs, information on pulling and pushing the data, etc."
"Right now this is the leading product in this category."
"The most valuable feature of Harbor is its security scanning capability."
 

Cons

"It should be easier to use. It can have more graphical interfaces to manage containers. At present, the handling or management of the containers is very basic."
"There is a need for a graphical interface instead of writing code in Visual Studio to create images."
"The building of images on the container is quite cumbersome."
"Lacks the option of having access keys stored in a master key vault."
"We have not explored geo-replication features."
"It's not an open source, and we pay per hour to Microsoft Azure."
"The deployment is an area that needs improvement, as it can take some time to deploy."
"The setup process is mildly complex. There is no straightforward management platform, so there's a level of complexity to it."
"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."
"The product is competitively priced."
"The Premium version includes some enhancements but is still quite okay with regard to pricing."
"I would rate the pricing four out of ten."
"When using Azure Container Registry, it was $1.5 or $1.6 per day, but I'm unsure how much it costs today."
"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."
"The cost of the product is free."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Healthcare Company
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Azure Container Registry?
Azure Container Registry is an easy-to-install, easy-to-configure, and easy-to-deploy solution.
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 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: July 2025.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.