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

Azure Backup vs Synology DSM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 11, 2024

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 Backup
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
10th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
58
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Synology DSM
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
17th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.0
Number of Reviews
10
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Azure Backup is 3.1%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.9%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Backup and Recovery
 

Featured Reviews

RituparnaBhattacharya - PeerSpot reviewer
Achieve cost savings and efficiency with high-level restore capabilities
I use Azure Backup mainly for backing up virtual machines The feature I find most effective in Azure Backup is the high-level restore. Additionally, it has a good impact on our cost savings and operational efficiency as it is a low-cost solution. The area that I believe needs improvement in…
Michael Adejoh - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and cost-effective
One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication. Currently, it lacks the capability to automatically stop backups if it detects a virus or suspicious network activity, as some third-party solutions can. Having AI-driven analytics to identify anomalies and halt backups during potential attacks, along with notifications to administrators, would be valuable. Additionally, providing a dashboard for monitoring the backup environment's security would be a beneficial feature. These improvements would help address security concerns and make Synology more competitive in this aspect.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The initial setup was very easy."
"It's easy to deploy."
"Azure Backup is easy to configure and restore."
"The most valuable feature of Azure Backup is the native backup capabilities."
"It is easy to schedule backups."
"Enables immediate recovery and immediate restoration."
"Azure Backup is easy to manage from a single dashboard."
"One of the most valuable features is security and connectivity to the data."
"The product performs well. It is easy to use and implement."
"It offers a variety of software options through its package center, allowing users to customize their NAS device to serve multiple purposes."
"The solution's most valuable feature stems from its ease of use, making it the tool's most interesting part."
"The most valuable aspect is its ability to handle multiple disks."
"Because of its simplicity and the wide array of features it offers, I would recommend DSM for both tech-savvy individuals and those who prefer a straightforward file-serving solution."
"The most valuable features are the basic storage, file management, Btrfs file system, and built-in backups that come with the solution."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it serves as a backup for our company's virtual machine."
"The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity."
 

Cons

"The compression ratio of the backup data should be improved."
"On-prem can be complex to set up but the cloud is simple."
"Azure Backup's licensing model is very challenging because it doesn't give a clear picture."
"In Avamar, the file-based restores are very quick and fast, whereas, in Azure Backup, VM restore is super easy, but if I have to do a file or a folder restore, I have to mount the entire VM image. I have to wait for some time for it to be mounted, and then I have to go inside and then check the file and copy it somewhere. It's a bit of a manual process, whereas in Avamar, you can directly select a file and folder, and it'll recover with whatever permissions you want."
"It doesn't have the option to have a backup from the database. It has backup for the files, folders, and backup only the whole virtual machine. But if I need to do a backup from the Oracle database, from an Exchange server or from SharePoint, this ability isn't there. There is no application backup."
"The monitoring and tagging features could be improved."
"The integration with the record database and integration with other applications will be good, especially with the database piece."
"The Azure Backup support for on-premises service is limited."
"There's a surveillance application that allows you to connect IP cameras and stream footage to Synology and it is a great feature, but it's not always clear that adding more cameras may require purchasing additional licenses."
"Synology DSM's user interface is not quite intuitive."
"Synology DSM is a good enough solution for small and medium companies, but I have not seen a big configuration of the solution for a big organization."
"Even though Synology provides a backup solution, it does not recognize the VM movement across cluster hosts."
"The only bothersome aspect is that the device is aging."
"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."
"Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly."
"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is pretty good, maybe $30 for a machine, I can't complain."
"It is a bit costly initially, but it is well worth it in the long run, especially for fighting against a number of threats, such as ransomware, which the IT industry is facing."
"The pricing of the solution does not depend on the service itself but rather on the minimum data volume encountered. This pricing approach seems reasonable and is on par with other competitors in the market. It is a good solution for on-premise needs because it is more cost-effective. When evaluating the overall financial expenditure, including operational costs and the impact on the IT team, Azure Backup is a favorable choice."
"We are paying about $100,000 USD per year, just for a couple of servers."
"It's around $10 to $15 per month per virtual machine, along with something extra based on the size of the data."
"The pricing of this solution is ok, but I'm expecting that the price will decrease in the future."
"Customers prefer Azure Backup because it has a pay-as-you-go model, and they won't have to pay an upfront amount at the initial level."
"This is an expensive solution in the Bangladesh marketplace."
"Synology DSM is a free tool."
"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."
"The licensing part of the solution is free. The hardware is more expensive than the other solutions in the market, but it's okay in the long run."
"The price of the solution is very good."
"It is quite an affordable solution."
"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."
"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Backup and Recovery solutions are best for your needs.
864,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
12%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

How does Azure Backup differ from Veeam Backup & Replication?
Veeam has a version for Azure but there are organizations, like ours, that are considering moving to an Azure environment and wonder if Azure Backup is better than Veeam Backup and Replication (Vee...
What do you like most about Azure Backup?
Azure Backup is easy to configure and restore.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Backup?
The pricing of Azure Backup is fine; it is a low-cost solution.
What do you like most about Synology DSM?
The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Synology DSM?
The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive.
What needs improvement with Synology DSM?
Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly.
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

No data available
Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Russell Reynolds Associates, Somerset County Council, Kardem, PCL Construction
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Azure Backup vs. Synology DSM and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
864,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.