Azure Data Factory vs Snowflake comparison

Microsoft and Snowflake Computing are both solutions in the Cloud Data Warehouse category. Microsoft is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.2, while Snowflake Computing is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.1. Microsoft holds a 6.9% mindshare in CDW, compared to Snowflake Computing’s 17.7% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of Snowflake Computing users who would recommend it.

Azure Data Factory

Read 92 Azure Data Factory reviews

14,334 Views
2,437 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Snowflake

Read 101 Snowflake reviews

9,962 Views
7,173 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Azure Data Factory

Snowflake

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 24, 2025

Snowflake and Azure Data Factory are competitors in the data integration and management category. Between the two, Snowflake seems to have the upper hand due to its advanced data warehousing features and flexibility.

Features: Snowflake offers excellent scalability for handling petabytes of data, dynamic adjustments in node size, and access to multiple file formats such as CSV and JSON. Snowpipe enables real-time data ingestion, and time travel allows historical data access. Azure Data Factory supports a wide range of integrations, has strong data transformation capabilities, and features a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, making it robust for orchestration tasks.

Room for Improvement: Snowflake could improve spatial components, auto-ingestion for streaming data, and user interfaces. Its pricing model needs more clarity. Azure Data Factory would benefit from better merge statement support, enhanced complex data transformation features, and improved integration with non-Microsoft services.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Snowflake is mainly deployed on public clouds, offering broad environmental support with robust documentation and responsive support. However, users note the lack of detailed service level agreements. Azure Data Factory similarly focuses on public cloud deployment, offering reliable support but users encounter challenges in complex scenarios.

Pricing and ROI: Snowflake has a pay-as-you-go pricing model with credit-based costs, charging for compute resources separately from storage. Its unpredictability is a concern for some users. Azure Data Factory's pay-per-use model is appreciated for flexibility, with users noting its cost-effectiveness in reducing integration expenses. Both promise ROI through operational efficiencies and scalable management.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Data Factory vs. Snowflake Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Azure Data Factory vs. Snowflake

July 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:

ROI

Sentiment score

6.8

Azure Data Factory offers cost-effective, efficient data consolidation for actionable insights, saving time and resources compared to manual processes.

Sentiment score

6.8

Snowflake users praise its scalability and ease of use, though financial gains vary and may require longer usage periods.

Our stakeholders and clients have expressed satisfaction with Azure Data Factory's efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Deena Thayalan

Data Engineer at Vthinktechnologies

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Data Factory report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Snowflake report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.4

Azure Data Factory support is generally satisfactory, with responsive assistance, though some users report delays or costly consulting.

Sentiment score

5.7

Snowflake support is responsive and helpful, with high user satisfaction, despite occasional slower response times and ticketing reliance.

The technical support is responsive and helpful

Joy Maitra

Sr. Technical Architect at Hexaware Technologies Limited

The technical support from Microsoft is rated an eight out of ten.

Brian Sullivan

Chief Analytics Officer at Idiro Analytics

The technical support for Azure Data Factory is generally acceptable.

Rama Subba Reddy Thavva

Solution Architect at Mercedes-Benz AG

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Data Factory report

I received great support in migrating data to Snowflake, with quick responses and innovative solutions.

Snehasish Das

Technology Leader at eTCaaS

The technical support from Snowflake is very good, nice, and efficient.

reviewer1438647

Data Architect at ATOS

For more quotes and insights, download the Snowflake report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.5

Azure Data Factory is highly scalable and flexible but has room for improvement with third-party integrations and large datasets.

Sentiment score

7.8

Snowflake offers excellent scalability, adaptable to varying needs, with minimal challenges but requires cost and resource management attention.

Azure Data Factory is highly scalable.

Brian Sullivan

Chief Analytics Officer at Idiro Analytics

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Data Factory report

Snowflake is very scalable and has a dedicated team constantly improving the product.

Snehasish Das

Technology Leader at eTCaaS

The billing doubles with size increase, but processing does not necessarily speed up accordingly.

reviewer1438647

Data Architect at ATOS

For more quotes and insights, download the Snowflake report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

7.8

Azure Data Factory is stable and reliable, with occasional issues in responsiveness and large dataset handling.

Sentiment score

8.2

Snowflake offers high stability and reliability with minimal downtime, rapid recovery, and seamless failover across platforms, especially AWS.

The solution has a high level of stability, roughly a nine out of ten.

Brian Sullivan

Chief Analytics Officer at Idiro Analytics

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Data Factory report

Snowflake is very stable, especially when used with AWS.

Snehasish Das

Technology Leader at eTCaaS

Snowflake as a SaaS offering means that maintenance isn't an issue for me.

reviewer1438647

Data Architect at ATOS

For more quotes and insights, download the Snowflake report

Room For Improvement

Azure Data Factory needs better integration, scheduling, support, AI features, and user interface improvements for efficient data management.

Snowflake needs interface improvements, better ETL, machine learning features, pricing clarity, advanced tools, and enhanced documentation and security.

There is a problem with the integration with third-party solutions, particularly with SAP.

Rama Subba Reddy Thavva

Solution Architect at Mercedes-Benz AG

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.

KandaswamyMuthukrishnan

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

Incorporating more dedicated API sources to specific services like HubSpot CRM or Salesforce would be beneficial.

Brian Sullivan

Chief Analytics Officer at Idiro Analytics

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Data Factory report

Enhancements in user experience for data observability and quality checks would be beneficial, as these tasks currently require SQL coding, which might be challenging for some users.

reviewer1438647

Data Architect at ATOS

Cost reduction is one area I would like Snowflake to improve.

Snehasish Das

Technology Leader at eTCaaS

For more quotes and insights, download the Snowflake report

Setup Cost

Azure Data Factory offers competitive, flexible pricing based on usage, with costs integrating Azure services and varying significantly.

Snowflake offers competitive pay-as-you-go pricing with some concerns over transparency, predictability, and potential cost escalation.

The pricing is cost-effective.

Brian Sullivan

Chief Analytics Officer at Idiro Analytics

It is considered cost-effective.

Joy Maitra

Sr. Technical Architect at Hexaware Technologies Limited

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Data Factory report

Snowflake's pricing is on the higher side.

Snehasish Das

Technology Leader at eTCaaS

Snowflake lacks transparency in estimating resource usage.

reviewer1438647

Data Architect at ATOS

For more quotes and insights, download the Snowflake report

Valuable Features

Azure Data Factory excels in data integration with user-friendly features, scalability, and over 100 connectors for seamless data movement.

Snowflake excels in scalability, efficiency, ease of use, AI/ML capabilities, security, and seamless third-party integration, enhancing user experience.

The orchestration features in Azure Data Factory are definitely useful, as it is not only for Azure Data Factory; we can also include DataBricks and other services for integrating the data solution, making it a very beneficial feature.

KandaswamyMuthukrishnan

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

The platform excels in handling major datasets, particularly when working with Power BI for reporting purposes.

Deena Thayalan

Data Engineer at Vthinktechnologies

It connects to different sources out-of-the-box, making integration much easier.

Joy Maitra

Sr. Technical Architect at Hexaware Technologies Limited

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Data Factory report

Snowflake is a data lake on the cloud where all processing happens in memory, resulting in very fast query responses.

Snehasish Das

Technology Leader at eTCaaS

Being able to perform AI and Machine Learning in the same location as the data is quite advantageous.

reviewer1438647

Data Architect at ATOS

For more quotes and insights, download the Snowflake report

Categories and Ranking

Azure Data Factory

Ranking in Cloud Data Warehouse

2nd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Data Integration (1st)

Snowflake

Ranking in Cloud Data Warehouse

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

101

Ranking in other categories

Data Warehouse (1st), AI Synthetic Data (1st)

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Cloud Data Warehouse category, the mindshare of Azure Data Factory is 6.9%, down from 9.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Snowflake is 17.7%, down from 23.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Data Warehouse Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Snowflake	17.7%
Azure Data Factory	6.9%
Other	75.4%

Cloud Data Warehouse

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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Snehasish Das

Technology Leader at eTCaaS

Transformation in data querying speed with good migration capabilities

Snowflake is a data lake on the cloud where all processing happens in memory, resulting in very fast query responses. One key feature is the separation of compute and storage, which eliminates storage limitations. It also has tools for migrating data from legacy databases like Oracle. Its stability and efficiency enhance performance greatly. Tools in the AI/ML marketplace are readily available without needing development.

Read full review

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

20%

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	18
Large Enterprise	55

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	28
Midsize Enterprise	20
Large Enterprise	56

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.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What do you like most about Snowflake?

The best thing about Snowflake is its flexibility in changing warehouse sizes or computational power.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Snowflake?

It is complicated to understand how requests impact warehouse size. Unlike competitors such as Microsoft and Databricks ( /products/databricks-reviews ), Snowflake lacks transparency in estimating ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Snowflake?

Pricing is quite high for Snowflake Data Cloud, which is an area that could be improved. Snowflake Data Cloud is still beneficial to use, but only if you can afford it. It can be cost-effective if ...

See all answers

Comparisons

Informatica PowerCenter vs Azure Data Factory

Compared 6% of the time

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

Compared 6% of the time

Palantir Foundry vs Azure Data Factory

Compared 5% of the time

FME vs Azure Data Factory

Compared 5% of the time

Oracle Data Integrator (ODI) vs Azure Data Factory

Compared 5% of the time

More Azure Data Factory Competitors

Dremio vs Snowflake

Compared 7% of the time

Teradata vs Snowflake

Compared 7% of the time

Amazon EMR vs Snowflake

Compared 7% of the time

SAP BW4HANA vs Snowflake

Compared 7% of the time

AWS Lake Formation vs Snowflake

Compared 6% of the time

More Snowflake Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Azure Data Factory

August 2025

Download Azure Data Factory product report

Buyer's Guide

Snowflake

August 2025

Download Snowflake product report

Also Known As

No data available

Snowflake Computing, Snowflake Data Cloud

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

Snowflake provides a modern data warehousing solution with features designed for seamless integration, scalability, and consumption-based pricing. It handles large datasets efficiently, making it a market leader for businesses migrating to the cloud.

Snowflake offers a flexible architecture that separates storage and compute resources, supporting efficient ETL jobs. Known for scalability and ease of use, it features built-in time zone conversion and robust data sharing capabilities. Its enhanced security, performance, and ability to handle semi-structured data are notable. Users suggest improvements in UI, pricing, on-premises integration, and data science functions, while calling for better transaction performance and machine learning capabilities. Users benefit from effective SQL querying, real-time analytics, and sharing options, supporting comprehensive data analysis with tools like Tableau and Power BI.

What are Snowflake's Key Features?

Scalability: Easily adjusts to handle growing data volumes.
Seamless Integration: Works with a wide range of platforms.
Consumption-Based Costs: Pay only for what you use.
Time Travel: Access historical data effortlessly.
Data Sharing: Secure and efficient sharing of datasets.
Time Zone Conversion: Built-in feature for global operations.
Security: Robust measures to protect sensitive information.
Compute and Storage Separation: Independent scaling for optimal performance.

What Benefits Should You Look for?

Cost Efficiency: Optimized pricing models for minimal waste.
Enhanced Performance: Fast queries and processing times.
Flexibility: Handles both structured and semi-structured data.
Analytics Capabilities: Supports advanced data analysis and reporting.

In industries like finance, healthcare, and retail, Snowflake's flexible data warehousing and analytics capabilities facilitate cloud migration, streamline data storage, and allow organizations to consolidate data from multiple sources for advanced insights and AI-driven strategies. Its integration with analytics tools supports comprehensive data analysis and reporting tasks.

Snowflake Computing

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

Accordant Media, Adobe, Kixeye Inc., Revana, SOASTA, White Ops

Buyer's Guide

Azure Data Factory vs. Snowflake

July 2025

Free Report: Azure Data Factory vs. Snowflake

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