Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) vs Qualys VMDR comparison

Microsoft and Qualys are both solutions in the Container Security category. Microsoft is ranked #19 with an average rating of 7.8, while Qualys is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.5. Microsoft holds a 0.8% mindshare in Container Security, compared to Qualys’s 2.4% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Qualys users who would recommend it.

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Read 40 Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) reviews

2,378 Views
785 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Qualys VMDR

Read 95 Qualys VMDR reviews

13,863 Views
2,495 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Qualys VMDR

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 13, 2025

Qualys VMDR and Azure Kubernetes Service compete in the cybersecurity and cloud service sectors. Qualys VMDR has a slight edge for those prioritizing vulnerability management and real-time insights, while AKS stands out for its scalability and seamless integration with Azure products.

Features: Qualys VMDR boasts machine-learning-backed intelligence, real-time inventory, and cloud agent usability, which are essential for efficient vulnerability management. Azure Kubernetes Service offers robust security with integration into tools like Azure Active Directory and Azure Policies, coupled with its ease of deployment and automation features, making it highly beneficial for scalable applications.

Room for Improvement: Qualys VMDR needs to strengthen its machine learning capabilities and improve integration with platforms like ServiceNow to reduce false positives and enhance reporting clarity. AKS could improve its cost-efficiency and simplify its user interface, alongside enhancing its integration with various cloud services to better cater to diverse business needs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Qualys VMDR supports versatile deployment models across public, private, hybrid, and on-premises setups, though it presents deployment complexities noted by users. It also faces criticism for variable customer service and delayed response times. In contrast, AKS excels in public and private cloud integration with easier scalability but experiences mixed reviews regarding support efficiency, highlighting delays that can affect user satisfaction.

Pricing and ROI: Both Qualys VMDR and AKS are regarded as expensive. Qualys VMDR, though pricier, is perceived to deliver a strong ROI due to its superior security features. Its high performance is seen as justification for its cost. AKS's pay-as-you-go model may appeal to larger enterprises thanks to its managed services and scalability, though smaller organizations find it costly. Despite its price, AKS offers substantial operational efficiency and resource management, balancing its cost with its offerings.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) vs. Qualys VMDR Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) vs. Qualys VMDR

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

8.1

The ROI from Azure Kubernetes Service depends on specific use cases, duration of use, and challenges with cost-effectiveness.

Sentiment score

7.4

Qualys VMDR improves security by reducing vulnerabilities, streamlining patch management, and enhancing compliance, risk mitigation, and cost efficiency.

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) report

We saw a return on investment through significant savings in time, money, and resources.

Shubhajit Saha

System Admin at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys VMDR report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.0

AKS support ranges from excellent to inadequate, with mixed reviews on response times and issue resolution efficiency.

Sentiment score

6.7

Qualys VMDR customer service is praised for effectiveness and support, but response time and request handling speed need improvement.

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) report

We usually get on calls with tech support, and they are very helpful.

reviewer2588394

Works at a comms service provider with 1-10 employees

When reaching out via email, they reply quickly.

Ankesh Raj

Information Security Analyst at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

The response time takes a while.

reviewer2592618

Security Engineer at Accenture

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys VMDR report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

8.1

Azure Kubernetes Service offers high scalability and ease of expansion but can be costly for extensive scaling needs.

Sentiment score

7.9

Qualys VMDR is scalable and flexible in handling large networks, supporting numerous assets, with highly rated adaptability.

AKS offers excellent scalability due to its adaptation from Kubernetes.

Nam Phan

Senior Software Developer at Simpson Strong-Tie

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) report

Scalability depends on the license and the number of assets being monitored.

Shubhajit Saha

System Admin at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

Qualys VMDR can handle scalability, although increasing the inventory can raise the licensing costs.

Ankesh Raj

Information Security Analyst at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

Qualys VMDR's scalability is good, and the customer support is good.

reviewer2753559

Cyber Security Solution Engineer at a computer software company with 201-500 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys VMDR report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

7.2

Azure Kubernetes Service is stable, self-healing, with occasional sync issues, and concerns typically arise from external factors.

Sentiment score

8.0

Qualys VMDR offers impressive stability with minimal issues, praised for its reliable performance despite occasional reporting and dataset handling challenges.

From my usage, I would rate its stability as eight to nine out of ten.

Nam Phan

Senior Software Developer at Simpson Strong-Tie

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) report

Qualys VMDR is stable.

reviewer2753559

Cyber Security Solution Engineer at a computer software company with 201-500 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys VMDR report

Room For Improvement

AKS requires faster alerts, better support, improved cost-efficiency, enhanced UI, streamlined integration, security, monitoring, and simplified deployment.

Qualys VMDR needs better cloud integration, cost management, interface simplicity, reporting, support, documentation, and third-party tool compatibility.

When purchasing support directly from RHEL, the price is significantly high.

Shaijith KB

Senior System Specialist at General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA)

The costs are rising rapidly, and we have not seen any cost reductions by moving to Azure.

Raymond De Rooij

Product Owner at ABN AMRO Bank N.V.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) report

One area where Qualys VMDR can be improved is the missing feature for deploying agents for over 1,000 assets, as we need to do it manually.

reviewer2753559

Cyber Security Solution Engineer at a computer software company with 201-500 employees

It does not automate patching unless the patch management module is purchased separately.

Shubhajit Saha

System Admin at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

If AI features were integrated, it could enhance the capabilities significantly.

Ankesh Raj

Information Security Analyst at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys VMDR report

Setup Cost

Azure Kubernetes Service is costly, with potential $10,000 monthly fees, but offers flexible pricing and valued platform flexibility.

Qualys VMDR's pricing, high compared to competitors, is justified by comprehensive features and negotiable, suitable for large enterprises.

Transitioning to Azure did not bring cost reductions; in fact, costs are rising rapidly.

Raymond De Rooij

Product Owner at ABN AMRO Bank N.V.

The pricing for Azure Kubernetes Service seems to be around the average, which I would rate as a five out of ten.

Nam Phan

Senior Software Developer at Simpson Strong-Tie

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) report

I have a notion that Qualys might be more expensive than Rapid7.

Ankesh Raj

Information Security Analyst at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

Qualys offers better pricing and is feature-packed compared to other tools.

reviewer2588394

Works at a comms service provider with 1-10 employees

I would rate the pricing between seven to eight out of ten.

Shubhajit Saha

System Admin at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys VMDR report

Valuable Features

Azure Kubernetes Service excels in integration, scalability, ease of use, security, cost management, and operational efficiency.

Qualys VMDR offers comprehensive, scalable vulnerability management with continuous monitoring, automated scanning, and intuitive reporting for enhanced security.

The most valuable features of Azure Kubernetes Service are its integration with Kubernetes, offering similar features for a seamless experience.

Nam Phan

Senior Software Developer at Simpson Strong-Tie

Since pricing is not a major concern, we chose the best fit for our application, which was specifically designed for this particular platform.

Shaijith KB

Senior System Specialist at General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA)

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) report

It impacts my workflow overall, with the patch management features as it has the missing patches listed in detail, making it easier to get a comprehensive report and providing some dashboards that offer visual representation.

Nabanita Roy

JMS, RPSG Ventures Limited at RP Sanjiv Goenka Group

The prioritization of vulnerabilities has improved our remediation efforts by around thirty to thirty-five percent.

reviewer2588394

Works at a comms service provider with 1-10 employees

We use it daily to fix vulnerabilities by connecting with infrastructure to remediate.

Ankesh Raj

Information Security Analyst at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys VMDR report

Categories and Ranking

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Ranking in Container Security

19th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Qualys VMDR

Ranking in Container Security

9th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

IT Asset Management (6th), Vulnerability Management (2nd), Configuration Management Databases (2nd), Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (1st)

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Container Security category, the mindshare of Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is 0.8%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Qualys VMDR is 2.4%, down from 2.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Container Security Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Qualys VMDR	2.4%
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)	0.8%
Other	96.8%

Container Security

Featured Reviews

Shaijith KB

Senior System Specialist at General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA)

Professional services boost confidence but pricing and user-friendliness need attention

We have multiple solutions such as SimpliVity, Nutanix, and DXRail, which are all part of our Ansible-based system. It gives us more confidence and we can control our groups effectively. The solution is not particularly user-friendly for novice administrators, making it challenging to understand certain aspects. Templates are not readily available, requiring users to build their own worksheets and everything from scratch. This is a main decentralization we observe compared to VMware. We have tested various solutions including Rancher, RHEL, Canonical from SUSE, and the bare metal version from RHEL direct. Since pricing is not a major concern, we chose the best fit for our application, which was specifically designed for this particular platform.

Read full review

Ankesh Raj

Information Security Analyst at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

Real-time responses and reporting streamline vulnerability management

Qualys VMDR provides a real-time response and reporting feature, which is excellent. It allows us to see real-time graphs and reports for every asset, server, and more, which is very user-friendly. Our clients have given good feedback, and they are satisfied with the tool. We use it daily to fix vulnerabilities by connecting with infrastructure to remediate. The feedback from the client side is very good.

Read full review

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

25%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

16%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	22

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	12
Large Enterprise	69

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)?

The platform's high scalability is one of its biggest advantages.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)?

Could you please tell what areas of Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) you think could be improved or enhanced? It doesn't necessarily have to be something advanced. Perhaps there are some minor things...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)?

Could you please describe your customers' usual use cases for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)?

See all answers

What do you like most about Qualys VMDR?

I like that we have many scanners and channels that don't overload. It helps us scan and track easily. Also, the tagging system is good for tagging. We can still use QualysAgent task ID tools even ...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys VMDR?

Qualys offers better pricing and is feature-packed compared to other tools.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Qualys VMDR?

There were some issues later with Qualys VMDR regarding security, specifically with numerous false positive reports.

See all answers

Comparisons

Red Hat OpenShift vs Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Compared 66% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security vs Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Compared 8% of the time

SUSE Rancher vs Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Compared 7% of the time

Tenable.io Container Security vs Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Compared 5% of the time

More Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) Competitors

Tenable Nessus vs Qualys VMDR

Compared 10% of the time

Rapid7 InsightVM vs Qualys VMDR

Compared 9% of the time

Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management vs Qualys VMDR

Compared 8% of the time

Tenable Security Center vs Qualys VMDR

Compared 6% of the time

Wiz vs Qualys VMDR

Compared 5% of the time

More Qualys VMDR Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

September 2025

Download Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) product report

Buyer's Guide

Qualys VMDR

August 2025

Download Qualys VMDR product report

Also Known As

No data available

Qualys VM, QualysGuard VM, Qualys Asset Inventory, Qualys Container Security

Overview

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is a fully managed container orchestration service provided by Microsoft Azure. It simplifies the deployment, management, and scaling of containerized applications using Kubernetes. With AKS, developers can focus on building applications while Azure takes care of the underlying infrastructure. It offers features like automatic scaling, monitoring, and security, ensuring high availability and reliability. AKS integrates seamlessly with other Azure services, enabling easy integration with existing workflows. It also provides a flexible and open-source environment, allowing developers to use their preferred tools and frameworks. With AKS, organizations can accelerate their application development and deployment processes, while reducing operational overheads.

Microsoft

Vulnerability Management, Detection, and Response (VMDR) is a cornerstone product of the Qualys TruRisk Platform and a global leader in the enterprise-grade vulnerability management (VM) vendor space. With VMDR, enterprises are empowered with visibility and insight into cyber risk exposure - making it easy to prioritize vulnerabilities, assets, or groups of assets based on business risk. Security teams can take action to mitigate risk, helping the business measure their actual risk exposure over time.

Qualys VMDR offers an all-inclusive risk-based vulnerability management solution to prioritize vulnerabilities and assets based on risk and business criticality. VMDR seamlessly integrates with configuration management databases (CMDB), Qualys Patch Management, Custom Assessment and Remediation (CAR), Qualys TotalCloud and other Qualys and non-Qualys solutions to facilitate vulnerability detection and remediation across the entire enterprise.

With VMDR, users are empowered with actionable risk insights that translate vulnerabilities and exploits into optimized remediation actions based on business impact. Qualys customers can now aggregate and orchestrate data from the Qualys Threat Library, 25+ threat intelligence feeds, and third-party security and IT solutions, empowering organizations to measure, communicate, and eliminate risk across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud environments.

Qualys

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Agrokor Group, American Specialty Health, American State Bank, Arval, Life:), Axway, Bank of the West, Blueport Commerce, BSkyB, Brinks, CaixaBank, Cartagena, Catholic Health System, CEC Bank, Cegedim, CIGNA, Clickability, Colby-Sawyer College, Commercial Bank of Dubai, University of Utah, eBay Inc., ING Singapore, National Theatre, OTP Bank, Sodexo, WebEx

Buyer's Guide

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) vs. Qualys VMDR

July 2025

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