Azure Stack vs Microsoft Azure VMware comparison

Azure Stack and Microsoft Azure VMware are both solutions in the Hybrid Cloud Computing Platforms category. Azure Stack is ranked #1 with an average rating of 7.8, while Microsoft Azure VMware is ranked #10 with an average rating of 9.0. Azure Stack holds a 16.3% mindshare in HCCP, compared to Microsoft Azure VMware’s 3.6% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Azure Stack users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Microsoft Azure VMware users who would recommend it.

Azure Stack

Read 69 Azure Stack reviews

3,619 Views
3,510 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Microsoft Azure VMware

Read 4 Microsoft Azure VMware reviews

500 Views
500 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Azure Stack

Microsoft Azure VMware

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 15, 2024

Azure Stack and Microsoft Azure VMware compete within the cloud solutions category. Azure Stack appears to have the upper hand in hybrid cloud environments with cost-effective options, whereas Microsoft Azure VMware is preferred by existing VMware users for its comprehensive cloud capabilities.

Features: Azure Stack provides seamless integration into hybrid cloud infrastructures, data locality for regulatory needs, and flexibility in hybrid solutions. Microsoft Azure VMware offers complete VMware environment support, excellent compatibility for enterprises using VMware, and strong VMware tool integration.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Azure VMware is known for its straightforward deployment and robust support for VMware tools, making the transition smoother for existing VMware users. Azure Stack requires more integration effort for hybrid solutions but supports complex hybrid strategies effectively.

Pricing and ROI: Azure Stack is cost-effective for those seeking hybrid solutions without extensive changes to existing systems, often providing a quicker ROI in such scenarios. Microsoft Azure VMware may have higher setup costs due to VMware licensing, but it offers strong ROI through enhanced cloud capabilities for established VMware environments.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Stack vs. Microsoft Azure VMware Report (Updated: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Azure Stack vs. Microsoft Azure VMware

March 2026

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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

Azure Stack

Ranking in Hybrid Cloud Computing Platforms

1st

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) (2nd)

Microsoft Azure VMware

Ranking in Hybrid Cloud Computing Platforms

10th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Hybrid Cloud Computing Platforms category, the mindshare of Azure Stack is 16.3%, down from 29.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure VMware is 3.6%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Hybrid Cloud Computing Platforms Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Azure Stack	16.3%
Microsoft Azure VMware	3.6%
Other	80.1%

Hybrid Cloud Computing Platforms

Featured Reviews

Rajendra-Satale

Data Architect at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

Unified data platform has improved regulatory compliance but still needs better integration features

It is difficult to say about Azure Stack improvement because I need to revisit and study it again. The pricing is okay, but on the services side, perhaps we need to think about some services, not all. I would not like to see any additional features in the future. To give them more like a 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10, I think they need to improve on the interface, implementation, configuration, and integration with other products, so I rate them an eight. As compared to AWS, they need to add more features. I would like to see operations and storage features, like AI features or security features.

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DhammikaWeerakoon

Solutions Area Lead at Tech One Global

Cloud migration has reduced hardware dependence and optimizes security and AI-ready operations

Microsoft Azure VMware is an area that requires attention. I believe the VMware part should eventually merge with Azure as a single Azure platform, moving away from hypervisor-on-hypervisor architecture and instead bringing VMware features into Azure as native capabilities or as VMware-labeled features running in a true cloud environment. Some features should be brought in to achieve this integration. Additional improvements for Microsoft Azure VMware would include integration with Azure Site Recovery and disaster recovery capabilities. The ideal scenario would be VMware as primary with disaster recovery in Azure, connecting in a native manner. These improvements should be delivered as an integrated solution available out of the box rather than as separate components. Integration with other solutions such as Microsoft Site Recovery should encompass Azure native business continuity and disaster recovery with VMware. Microsoft Azure VMware would serve as primary hosting and connect natively to business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities with Azure. This should be available as a native feature.

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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

"We have found the Kubernetes version is one of the key components which we are using heavily."

"Azure Stack is like a hybrid model with a CI/CD pipeline. The IaaS and PaaS model works well with a hybrid type of connectivity."

"It has every feature that we need and overall, it's pretty good."

"The user interface is nice and very simple to use."

"The most valuable feature is IaaS."

"For hybrid cloud operations, the seamless transition it enables is key. Most enterprises have a lot of workloads on-premises, and they want a smooth way to move into the cloud. Some things are on-prem, and some things are on the cloud. Azure Stack bridges that gap with solutions that work well for their existing on-premises infrastructure."

"It is stable with 99.9% uptime."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of deployment for services such as SSH, creating a web site, and Azure billing services to measure the consumption of resources."

More Azure Stack pros

"The integration is very good."

"Since organizations are already on VMware, they can lift and shift everything to Microsoft Azure VMware, allowing the data center to be moved as a whole rather than as separate servers."

"The capabilities are like a lift-and-shift operation for moving existing VMware environments to the cloud. The time for migration onto the cloud has substantially reduced."

"For new users, if you have a scalable environment where a VMware data center makes sense for your business, I definitely recommend AVS."

"Regarding stability, it is like a five-star solution."

Cons

"There are some minor issues or bugs with it that I know are there."

"The user experience could be improved to make it more comfortable."

"It should be improved in terms of integrations. It could be integrated more with external tools."

"As opposed to AWS, Azure is a costly solution. It's on par with AWS more than anything else."

"The precision of anonymous activity tracking should be improved, particularly in identifying the correct location because IP information is sometimes inaccurate."

"The response time for technical support is very poor. It takes days to receive a response, and the technicians handling the tickets do not seem very technical."

"Customers need to consider the Disaster Recovery. Microsoft tech is only providing support to Azure."

"I would only recommend this solution to smaller organizations like ours because I cannot really speculate what big issues that the bigger organizations will face."

More Azure Stack cons

"Azure VMware needs to cater to smaller enterprises, as it is currently meant for larger entities."

"Azure VMware needs to cater to smaller enterprises, as it is currently meant for larger entities. One improvement could be more support for mid-sized or scalable environments."

"Microsoft Azure VMware is an area that requires attention."

"Well, sometimes they release product after product, so it's it's kind of hard to keep an overview of all the different aspects of of the solutions."

"The only issue is that a small challenge was found regarding the network...to have extended, smooth VLANs and everything else was a little bit complicated."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Subscription model customers need not make large expenditures on upfront purchasing."

"The solution is expensive."

"The premium version is too costly."

"In terms of costs, it is a standard price, and there is no negotiation."

"I don't have a specific feature, my customers use all of the features that are available and the entire stack."

"Pricing could be improved so I rate it an eight out of ten."

"IaaS’s pricing is high."

"Azure Stack is expensive."

More Azure Stack pricing and cost advice

"The solution is very competitive."

"The mandatory requirements, such as a minimum of three nodes, make it expensive. The customers need to sign up for approximately $20,000 per month."

"To be honest, the tool comes at a high price."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Government

University

14%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Insurance Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	33
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	26

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Azure Stack?

For hybrid cloud operations, the seamless transition it enables is key. Most enterprises have a lot of workloads on-premises, and they want a smooth way to move into the cloud. Some things are on...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Stack?

Maintenance is included as part of the overall cost.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Azure Stack?

I am not really aware about Azure Stack's integration capabilities with my existing IT investments; my technical team would know more about it.I think Azure Stack is a bit expensive, but it is defi...

See all answers

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

The pricing is high, rated around nine to 9.5 out of ten. The mandatory requirements, such as a minimum of three nodes, make it expensive. The customers need to sign up for approximately $20,000 pe...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Azure VMware?

Azure VMware needs to cater to smaller enterprises, as it is currently meant for larger entities. One improvement could be more support for mid-sized or scalable environments. The licensing policy ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Azure VMware?

For Azure VMware services, most of our customers come from a public sector background. These customers are transitioning due to the Broadcom acquisition of VMware. They are moving from their on-pre...

See all answers

Comparisons

VMware Cloud Foundation vs Azure Stack

Compared 43% of the time

AWS Outposts vs Azure Stack

Compared 16% of the time

Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) vs Azure Stack

Compared 14% of the time

Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) vs Azure Stack

Compared 8% of the time

Red Hat OpenShift vs Azure Stack

Compared 3% of the time

More Azure Stack Competitors

Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) vs Microsoft Azure VMware

Compared 36% of the time

VMware Cloud on AWS vs Microsoft Azure VMware

Compared 24% of the time

Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) vs Microsoft Azure VMware

Compared 15% of the time

More Microsoft Azure VMware Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Azure Stack

March 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure VMware

March 2026

Download Microsoft Azure VMware product report

Overview

Information not available

Microsoft

Microsoft Azure VMware provides a seamless integration of VMware environments into Azure, offering enterprises an efficient way to extend workloads and optimize their IT infrastructure. This facilitates a native VMware experience within Azure, ideal for scaling and modernizing services.

Azure VMware enables businesses to leverage existing investments in VMware tools and skills while taking advantage of Azure's scalability and global reach. Users find it valuable for disaster recovery, datacenter extension, and application modernization. It supports consistent operations and reduces complexity by simplifying operations and cutting IT costs. Additionally, users appreciate its ability to integrate with other Azure services for increased functionality and performance.

What are the key features of Microsoft Azure VMware?

Hybrid Platform: Integrates on-premise VMware tools with Azure for consistent management.
Scalability: Easily scale VMware-based applications leveraging Azure's infrastructure.
Disaster Recovery: Offers robust solutions for backup and recovery scenarios, ensuring business continuity.
Flexibility: Supports various VMware workloads, optimizing performance and costs.

What benefits should you evaluate in reviews?

Cost Efficiency: Potential for reduced IT expenses by utilizing cloud resources for scaling.
Time Savings: Streamlines operations time with easy management and deployment.
Seamless Integration: Preserves existing investment in VMware tools and skills.
Enhanced Security: Utilizes Azure's comprehensive security features to protect workloads.

In industries like healthcare and finance, Microsoft Azure VMware is implemented to enhance datacenter capacities and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Its ability to integrate with existing resources allows companies to transition workloads without significant disruption, providing a flexible and scalable solution that supports innovation while maintaining operational continuity.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Weblink, Fathym, Sage, CFD Support Ltd, The UberCloud Inc.

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Azure Stack vs. Microsoft Azure VMware

March 2026

Free Report: Azure Stack vs. Microsoft Azure VMware

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