Azure Data Factory vs SAS Access comparison

Microsoft and SAS are both solutions in the Data Integration category. Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.2, while SAS is ranked #63. Microsoft holds a 5.2% mindshare in DI, compared to SAS’s 0.4% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of SAS users who would recommend it.

Azure Data Factory

Read 92 Azure Data Factory reviews

13,131 Views
9,192 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

SAS Access

Read 3 SAS Access reviews

508 Views
366 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Azure Data Factory

SAS Access

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

SAS Access and Azure Data Factory compete in the data integration tools category. Based on their abilities in cloud environments, Azure Data Factory appears to have the upper hand due to its comprehensive cloud-based features.

Features: SAS Access provides strong data connectivity, compatibility with SAS technologies, and integration within SAS environments. Azure Data Factory offers extensive cloud service integration, automated workflows, and supports a range of data formats.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SAS Access is supported by detailed deployment guidelines and robust technical support, particularly for on-premises systems. Azure Data Factory provides flexible deployment options with comprehensive online support resources and documentation, suiting cloud-native environments well.

Pricing and ROI: SAS Access may incur higher setup costs unless organizations already employ SAS systems, offering good ROI within SAS ecosystems. Azure Data Factory features a subscription-based pricing model, delivering cost-effectiveness and scalability, with high ROI for enterprises leveraging cloud technology.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Data Factory vs. SAS Access Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Azure Data Factory vs. SAS Access

September 2025

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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 Data Factory

Ranking in Data Integration

1st

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud Data Warehouse (2nd)

SAS Access

Ranking in Data Integration

63rd

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Data Integration category, the mindshare of Azure Data Factory is 5.2%, down from 11.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAS Access is 0.4%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Data Integration Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Azure Data Factory	5.2%
SAS Access	0.4%
Other	94.4%

Data Integration

Featured Reviews

KandaswamyMuthukrishnan

Director at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Integrates diverse data sources and streamlines ETL processes effectively

Regarding potential areas of improvement for Azure Data Factory, there is a need for better data transformation, especially since many people are now depending on DataBricks more for connectivity and data integration. Azure Data Factory should consider how to enhance integration or filtering for more transformations, such as integrating with Spark clusters. I am satisfied with Azure Data Factory so far, but I suggest integrating some AI functionality to analyze data during the transition itself, providing insights such as null records, common records, and duplicates without running a separate pipeline or job. The monitoring tools in Azure Data Factory are helpful for optimizing data pipelines; while the current feature is adequate, they can improve by creating a live dashboard to see the online process, including how much percentage has been completed, which will be very helpful for people who are monitoring the pipeline.

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Robert Heck

Co Owner at Hecht und Heck GmbH

The solution is stable, scalable, and flexible

I rate the solution eight out of ten. The number of people required to maintain the solution is dependent on the other applications running. The solution in itself does not require a lot of maintenance. The solution is flexible and I recommend it when you have more complex applications with special requirements.

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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 use the solution to move data from on-premises to the cloud."

"The platform excels in data transformation with its user-friendly interface and robust monitoring capabilities, making ETL processes seamless."

"The most valuable features of the solution are its ease of use and the readily available adapters for connecting with various sources."

"The security of the agent that is installed on-premises is very good."

"I find the most valuable feature in Azure Data Factory to be its ability to handle large datasets."

"The data flows were beneficial, allowing us to perform multiple transformations."

"The most valuable feature of this solution would be ease of use."

"The data is more scalable."

More Azure Data Factory pros

"The most valuable feature is you have native access to the external databases."

"The most valuable part of SAS/ACCESS is what it is made for: connecting to remote systems that are not part of your physical SAS environment."

"The most valuable aspect of the solution is the ease of access to the data in those databases."

Cons

"Sometimes, the compute fails to process data if there is a heavy load suddenly, and it doesn't scale up automatically."

"It's a good idea to take a Microsoft course. Because they are really helpful when you start from your journey with Data Factory."

"For some of the data, there were some issues with data mapping. Some of the error messages were a little bit foggy. There could be more of a quick start guide or some inline examples. The documentation could be better."

"There are performance issues, particularly with the underlying compute, which should be configurable."

"Currently, smaller businesses face a disadvantage in terms of pricing, and reducing costs could address this issue."

"The performance could be better. It would be better if Azure Data Factory could handle a higher load. I have heard that it can get overloaded, and it can't handle it."

"This solution is currently only useful for basic data movement and file extractions, which we would like to see developed to handle more complex data transformations."

"There are limitations when processing more than one GD file."

More Azure Data Factory cons

"The solution can provide access to the newer databases that come out sooner."

"The pricing model needs to be reconsidered and adjusted."

"I can't really recall any missing feature or general improvement that is needed. We don't really add too many new kinds of databases and therefore our needs are already met."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Data Factory is expensive."

"Pricing appears to be reasonable in my opinion."

"Azure products generally offer competitive pricing, suitable for diverse budget considerations."

"The solution is cheap."

"Pricing is comparable, it's somewhere in the middle."

"The price you pay is determined by how much you use it."

"Our licensing fees are approximately 15,000 ($150 USD) per month."

"It seems very low initially, but as the data grows, the solution’s bills grow exponentially."

More Azure Data Factory pricing and cost advice

"The pricing model is complex and is based on modular packages as well as the size of the applicable environment."

"The solution's pricing and licensing are expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

21%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Insurance Company

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	19
Large Enterprise	55

No data available

Questions from the Community

How do you select the right cloud ETL tool?

AWS Glue and Azure Data factory for ELT best performance cloud services.

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How does Azure Data Factory compare with Informatica PowerCenter?

Azure Data Factory is flexible, modular, and works well. In terms of cost, it is not too pricey. It offers the stability and reliability I am looking for, good scalability, and is easy to set up an...

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How does Azure Data Factory compare with Informatica Cloud Data Integration?

Azure Data Factory is a solid product offering many transformation functions; It has pre-load and post-load transformations, allowing users to apply transformations either in code by using Power Q...

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Comparisons

Snowflake vs Azure Data Factory

Compared 8% of the time

Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) vs Azure Data Factory

Compared 6% of the time

Informatica PowerCenter vs Azure Data Factory

Compared 6% of the time

FME vs Azure Data Factory

Compared 5% of the time

Palantir Foundry vs Azure Data Factory

Compared 5% of the time

More Azure Data Factory Competitors

Teradata vs SAS Access

Compared 52% of the time

SAP Analytics Hub vs SAS Access

Compared 48% of the time

More SAS Access Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Azure Data Factory

October 2025

Download Azure Data Factory product report

Buyer's Guide

Data Integration

September 2025

Download SAS Access product report

Also Known As

No data available

SAS/Access

Overview

Azure Data Factory efficiently manages and integrates data from various sources, enabling seamless movement and transformation across platforms. Its valuable features include seamless integration with Azure services, handling large data volumes, flexible transformation, user-friendly interface, extensive connectors, and scalability. Users have experienced improved team performance, workflow simplification, enhanced collaboration, streamlined processes, and boosted productivity.

Microsoft

SAS/ACCESS is an out-of-the-box solution for integrating SAS and third-party databases. You can read, write and update data regardless of the database or platform. Because the data appears native to SAS, there is no need to learn Structured Query Language (SQL) or any other database-specific query languages.

SAS

Sample Customers

1. Adobe 2. BMW 3. Coca-Cola 4. General Electric 5. Johnson & Johnson 6. LinkedIn 7. Mastercard 8. Nestle 9. Pfizer 10. Samsung 11. Siemens 12. Toyota 13. Unilever 14. Verizon 15. Walmart 16. Accenture 17. American Express 18. AT&T 19. Bank of America 20. Cisco 21. Deloitte 22. ExxonMobil 23. Ford 24. General Motors 25. IBM 26. JPMorgan Chase 27. Microsoft (Azure Data Factory is developed by Microsoft) 28. Oracle 29. Procter & Gamble 30. Salesforce 31. Shell 32. Visa

Los Angeles County, West Midlands Police, Credit Guarantee Corporation, Canada Post, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty

Buyer's Guide

Azure Data Factory vs. SAS Access

September 2025

Free Report: Azure Data Factory vs. SAS Access

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