Azure Backup vs Synology DSM comparison

Microsoft and Synology are both solutions in the Backup and Recovery category. Microsoft is ranked #17 with an average rating of 7.9, while Synology is ranked #51. Microsoft holds a 1.3% mindshare in BRS, compared to Synology’s 1.4% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Synology users who would recommend it.

Azure Backup

Read 60 Azure Backup reviews

5,645 Views
5,419 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Synology DSM

Read 10 Synology DSM reviews

3,747 Views
3,672 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Azure Backup

Synology DSM

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 11, 2024

Azure Backup and Synology DSM compete in the backup solutions category. Synology DSM has the upper hand due to higher overall user satisfaction.

Features: Azure Backup provides robust cloud-based backup operations, supports a wide range of platforms, and offers automatic backups. Synology DSM offers local network backup, media server capabilities, and user-friendly management tools.

Room for Improvement: Azure Backup could improve interface intuitiveness, simplify settings, and enhance the user experience. Synology DSM could improve mobile app performance, increase third-party integration, and enhance speed and performance.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Azure Backup's deployment process is more intricate and requires technical expertise, but users rate its customer service highly. Synology DSM has a straightforward setup process suitable for less technical users, with mixed feedback on customer support effectiveness.

Pricing and ROI: Azure Backup users report higher costs associated with cloud storage and usage fees but find the ROI justifies it for enterprise environments. Synology DSM's initial setup cost is lower, and users feel it provides excellent ROI for small and medium businesses.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Backup vs. Synology DSM Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Azure Backup vs. Synology DSM

April 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 Backup

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

17th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Synology DSM

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

51st

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Azure Backup is 1.3%, down from 3.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.4%, down from 1.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Backup and Recovery Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Azure Backup	1.3%
Synology DSM	1.4%
Other	97.3%

Backup and Recovery

Featured Reviews

Sanjay Sahu

Project Manager at Capgemini

Has supported secure data storage with incremental backups and centralized monitoring

Azure Backup supports all the features that we need, so additional features are not an immediate need for me. The documentation for Azure Backup seems okay for me; it is good overall, but it should be more descriptive for each item. It should elaborate more on how backup and restore are fulfilled in different scenarios. One of the reviews indicates that Azure Backup needs improvements for specific backup options beyond just full VM snapshots. I believe it should be improved actually. Regarding specific backup options, I say there should be improvements compared to how they provided them in older days.

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Michael Adejoh

Solutions Manager at Excel Connect Ventures

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.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The principal use is as a backup solution for the Azure environment because we use 365 solutions."

"The fact that Azure Backup is integrated is one of its biggest advantages."

"The most valuable feature of Azure Backup is the file recovery and file vault."

"Microsoft technical support is okay; I never had any problem with it, and compared to Amazon Web Services, I think I like Microsoft's support because I just have to call them to obtain all the support that I need, and they are very proactive, helping you build solutions since they know that your business will grow and mature after helping you design the solution, provide you with tools, and free licenses."

"The initial setup was very easy."

"Microsoft has done a good job of providing a native backup solution with very affordable pricing."

"Azure Backup is easy to manage from a single dashboard."

"Technical support is very supportive and they are giving me the best that they can do."

More Azure Backup pros

"The most valuable features are the basic storage, file management, Btrfs file system, and built-in backups that come with the solution."

"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."

"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 features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity."

"The most valuable aspect is its ability to handle multiple disks."

"The product performs well. It is easy to use and implement."

"Synology DSM is very easy to work and operate."

More Synology DSM pros

Cons

"I would like to see better integration with more products, and more services."

"I would like to see better pricing."

"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."

"In terms of tech support, I'm disappointed with support."

"The extensibility onto hybrid environments needs a bit of tweaking for those on-prem."

"Azure Backup is limited to certain workloads. It would be helpful if Microsoft focused on enabling backups for Oracle and other unsupported databases."

"I think that what the product lacks now is an AI system; if we had that, we'd be able to more easily upgrade the hardware system."

"I once tried restoring a Linux environment, and the size of the Linux VM or the data disk was really huge. It took a really long time to restore the environment and send the data from the storage to the disk. It took around 25 to 30 minutes, which was much longer than I anticipated. They can improve the duration of such restore operations. In the next release, it would also be good if they could reduce the duration for transferring the data from their storage to the actual storage while creating a virtual machine. They can reduce the duration or increase the data transfer rate."

More Azure Backup cons

"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."

"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."

"One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication."

"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."

"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."

"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."

"Synology DSM's user interface is not quite intuitive."

More Synology DSM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This is an expensive solution in the Bangladesh marketplace."

"Azure Backup is a product that is priced at a cheap rate, and it is a great tool."

"The pricing of this solution is good, and it is one of the easiest things that you can sell Azure with."

"The price should be cheaper, but it's affordable if you use the yearly subscription."

"Azure Backup is a moderately priced solution."

"Licensing fees are paid on a monthly basis."

"Considering the fact that our company's enterprise-sized customers use the solution, the product's price is fine and is not on the higher side of the spectrum."

"The price is pretty good, maybe $30 for a machine, I can't complain."

More Azure Backup pricing and cost advice

"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."

"It is quite an affordable solution."

"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."

"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."

"The price of the solution is very good."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Construction Company

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	26
Midsize Enterprise	12
Large Enterprise	24

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	1

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...

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What do you like most about Azure Backup?

Azure Backup is easy to configure and restore.

See all answers

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

The pricing of Azure Backup is fine; it is a low-cost solution.

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Comparisons

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Compared 14% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 6% of the time

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Compared 6% of the time

N-able Cove Data Protection vs Azure Backup

Compared 4% of the time

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Compared 5% of the time

UrBackup vs Synology DSM

Compared 4% of the time

SyncBack Pro vs Synology DSM

Compared 3% of the time

GoodSync For Business vs Synology DSM

Compared 3% of the time

NAKIVO Backup & Replication vs Synology DSM

Compared 3% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Azure Backup

May 2026

Download Azure Backup product report

Buyer's Guide

Synology DSM

April 2026

Download Synology DSM product report

Also Known As

No data available

Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)

Overview

Azure Backup provides efficient data protection with features like fast recovery and encryption. It integrates seamlessly with Azure services, offering scalable, secure storage solutions. Users benefit from straightforward configurations and flexible retention, although improvements in hybrid integration are needed.

Azure Backup stands out with its comprehensive data protection capabilities, including features such as incremental backups and geo-replication. It ensures consistent security and performance through its scalability and redundancy. Users find the platform cost-effective and appreciate its seamless integration with Azure services. While Azure Backup excels in many areas, such as ease of use and robust monitoring, challenges persist in hybrid environment integration and application-level backups.

What key features does Azure Backup offer?

Ease of use: Features straightforward configuration and incremental backups.
Fast recovery: Supports rapid data restoration with geo-replication.
Advanced protection: Provides encryption and flexible retention options for data security.
Seamless integration: Works well with Azure services for a unified experience.
User-friendly management: Offers robust monitoring and reporting tools.

What advantages should users expect from Azure Backup?

Cost-effectiveness: Provides affordable data protection solutions.
Scalability: Ensures consistent performance with cloud scalability.
Security: Enhances data security with advanced encryption features.
Efficiency: Simplifies backup processes with efficient scheduling.

Azure Backup is widely used in sectors requiring robust data protection, such as financial services, healthcare, and government. It is ideal for organizations looking to back up virtual machines, manage disaster recovery, or support cloud migrations. Its adaptability allows businesses to safeguard SAP workloads and SQL databases efficiently.

Microsoft

Synology DSM offers a comprehensive disk management and virtualization backup solution, known for its seamless connectivity across Mac, Windows, and Linux systems, enabling both novice and expert users to efficiently organize and secure their digital data.

Synology DSM integrates intuitive features like the Btrfs file system, built-in backups, and Active Backup for Business, streamlining application installations such as Plex Media Server and Docker. It provides robust security and versatility, supporting VPNs, web servers, and virtualization. Synology DSM is utilized for data backup in virtual machines, local user management, file-sharing networks, and remote file accessibility. It assists organizations in centralized data replication and protection, managing multiple terabytes across locations while serving as a firewall and file management system.

What features does Synology DSM offer?

Disk Management: Efficiently manages storage across multiple platforms.
Seamless Connectivity: Supports Mac, Windows, and Linux for a unified experience.
Btrfs File System: Offers advanced data protection and recovery options.
Active Backup for Business: Provides comprehensive backup solutions for critical data.
Versatility: Supports VPN, web servers, and virtualization for expanded utility.

What benefits should users consider?

Security: Maintains data integrity and protection across networks.
Stability: Ensures consistent operation for essential applications.
Ease of Use: Facilitates straightforward installation and management of applications.
Scalability: Handles large-scale data replication and protection efficiently.

In industries like IT and media, Synology DSM is an effective tool for centralized data management and security. Businesses rely on its extensive backup capabilities to manage and protect large datasets, enabling effective collaboration and remote access solutions across locations. Users incorporate its add-ons to enhance network deployment and connectivity, optimizing data flow and operational efficiency.

Synology

Sample Customers

Russell Reynolds Associates, Somerset County Council, Kardem, PCL Construction

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Azure Backup vs. Synology DSM

April 2026

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