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

Microsoft Azure File Storage vs Zadara comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 1, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
4.0
Mixed experiences with Microsoft Azure File Storage highlight ROI benefits, integration ease, but variable efficacy for medium businesses.
Sentiment score
8.2
Zadara offers cost-effective scalability, eliminating upfront investments with flexible, nearly limitless capacity, potentially saving 50% in time and money.
The cost is not cheaper compared to AWS, and we have not seen the expected return on investment.
Cloud System Engineer at cloud251
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.3
Azure File Storage support varies by contract, location, and status; premium users enjoy faster response than standard users.
Sentiment score
8.2
Zadara's exceptional, 24/7 global customer service and technical expertise reduce user workload, earning high satisfaction ratings.
I would rate the tech support and vendor support for Microsoft Azure File Storage nine or ten out of ten.
Senior Manager at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
The perspective documentation is good.
Database Architect at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Microsoft technical support is very prompt.
Senior System Administrator at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
We lack adequate response times and a 24/7 service level agreement.
Cloud System Engineer at cloud251
I rate the technical support from Zadara as nine out of ten.
IT Technical Architect at AVALIS
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.6
Microsoft Azure File Storage is highly scalable, easily integrates, adapts to needs, and receives strong user ratings.
Sentiment score
7.6
Zadara provides scalable, flexible workload management, supporting business growth with adjustable tiers and high performance for various needs.
We successfully handled a huge transaction during an iPhone launch without any issues.
Senior Manager at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Zadara is a fully-fledged platform, and our customers are happy with its use.
Cloud System Engineer at cloud251
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
6.4
Microsoft Azure File Storage is reliable with high ratings, minor issues, and requires good internet for optimal performance.
Sentiment score
7.5
Users appreciate Zadara for its stability, high-availability, and reliability, noting minimal downtime and dependable performance in demanding environments.
There are a few technical issues that need to be fixed within the Azure ecosystem.
Data & Analytics Practitioner (BI Dw, Big Data) at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
I rate the stability of Microsoft Azure File Storage as a seven out of ten.
Database Architect at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
We sometimes encounter glitches with bigger files, but everything else works as expected.
Lead Software Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Azure File Storage needs better cost clarity, technical support, usability, security, performance, and diagnostics to enhance user experience.
Zadara needs better communication, advanced features, broader support, improved infrastructure, and user-friendly upgrades to enhance market competitiveness.
There is a limitation on the storage capacity, like four terabytes.
Database Architect at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
The information is not readily available on the internet, so we have to double-check and understand everything.
Senior Manager at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Some chunking logics need to be better to address issues with processing bigger files.
Lead Software Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Maintenance can also be complicated, especially when deeper troubleshooting requires navigating the CLI and searching for logs.
IT Technical Architect at AVALIS
Adding AI capabilities could enhance the offering as well.
Cloud System Engineer at cloud251
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Azure File Storage pricing is usage-based, often higher than competitors, with savings via long-term contracts and reservations.
Zadara offers predictable pay-per-use pricing, with all-inclusive features and support, appealing to cost-conscious enterprise buyers.
I would rate it three or three and a half out of ten on the pricing scale.
Lead Software Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
I would rate the pricing of Microsoft Azure File Storage seven or eight, where one is high and ten is low.
Senior Manager at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
The pricing for Microsoft Azure File Storage is five out of ten, not so expensive and not so low.
Database Architect at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
The pricing is considered expensive.
Cloud System Engineer at cloud251
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Azure File Storage excels in flexibility, integration, security, and cost-effectiveness, meeting diverse organizational file storage needs.
Zadara offers flexible cloud integration, scalable storage solutions, and predictable costs with high performance, reliability, and user-friendly support.
It is satisfying our requirements with encryption and security features in place.
Senior Data Production Engineer at a wellness & fitness company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Existing tools might not integrate well, which might cause challenges if we go for another vendor.
Data & Analytics Practitioner (BI Dw, Big Data) at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
We recently handled a huge transaction during an iPhone launch without any problems.
Senior Manager at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
The most valuable feature is its storage management capability.
Cloud System Engineer at cloud251
Zadara's troubleshooting feature is very valuable for me.
IT Technical Architect at AVALIS
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Azure File Storage
Ranking in Public Cloud Storage Services
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
53
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Zadara
Ranking in Public Cloud Storage Services
15th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
All-Flash Storage (32nd), Software Defined Storage (SDS) (17th), Compute Service (10th), File and Object Storage (20th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Public Cloud Storage Services category, the mindshare of Microsoft Azure File Storage is 8.6%, down from 12.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zadara is 2.0%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Public Cloud Storage Services Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Azure File Storage8.6%
Zadara2.0%
Other89.4%
Public Cloud Storage Services
 

Featured Reviews

Karthik-A - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Has simplified customer data management and improved file transfer workflows
We are using AWS as well, and the main difference is that Microsoft Azure File Storage is more user-friendly for configuration-related and admin-related activities. We do not have to perform many complex activities, making it simpler compared to AWS. Security-wise, there are some concerns because it is in the cloud. The customers need to double-check, and they are not giving complete approval when it comes to security. I would rate Microsoft Azure File Storage's security compliance features seven or eight out of ten. It is secure, but since it is in the cloud, we have to convince customers when providing solutions. Many questions were raised while providing the architecture and solution for this file transfer management system. We convinced them because we have the feature and showed a demo, but it is still a prototype. We have to get approval before starting the work. The data redundancy options in Microsoft Azure File Storage are good. I am facing some challenges in convincing customers, and additional information would be helpful to address these challenges. Microsoft Azure File Storage saves time compared to AWS. We tried the prototype in AWS as well, but Azure is easier. Regarding cost, it is slightly less compared to AWS. The functionality of Microsoft Azure File Storage does not pose any issues, though basic users find it complex and require training. Regarding stability, I would rate Microsoft Azure File Storage 8.5 to 9. Scalability in Microsoft Azure File Storage is impressive. We recently handled a huge transaction during an iPhone launch without any problems.
KK
IT Technical Architect at AVALIS
Troubleshooting becomes more accessible and management improves over time
I use this product as storage. Specifically, I use it as big storage. That's the main use case for Zadara Zadara's troubleshooting feature is very valuable for me. After the last update, managing the product became easier. Management is more straightforward and useful. These improvements are…
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Public Cloud Storage Services solutions are best for your needs.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
5%
Computer Software Company
19%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Government
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business18
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise25
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business12
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

Which file storage system is better - Amazon EFS (elastic file storage) or Azure File Storage?
Amazon EFS is easy to set up: you can use the AWS management console, API, or command-line. Amazon EFS can grow to petabytes and deliver consistent low latencies and high levels of throughput. This...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Azure File Storage?
The cost of Microsoft Azure File Storage depends on the storage account, whether it is premium or standard; there is a cost difference, with the cost being higher for premium and lower for standard...
What needs improvement with Zadara?
The initial installation was difficult because many steps required the command line interface (CLI). Maintenance can also be complicated, especially when deeper troubleshooting requires navigating ...
What is your primary use case for Zadara?
I use this product as storage. Specifically, I use it as big storage. That's the main use case for Zadara ( /products/zadara-reviews ).
What advice do you have for others considering Zadara?
As for the pros and cons, the main concerns are the complexity of the initial installation and the complicated maintenance due to the CLI usage. Overall, I do not have other complaints. My overall ...
 

Also Known As

MS Azure File Storage
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Talon, Camden
Time, Inc. A&E Network, The Washington Post, News UK, McGraw Hill, Gilt, Toshiba, Deloitte, VMware
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Azure File Storage vs. Zadara and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.