Microsoft Azure vs SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud comparison

Microsoft and SAP are both solutions in the Infrastructure as a Service Clouds (IaaS) category. Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.3, while SAP is ranked #12 with an average rating of 9.1. Microsoft holds a 10.8% mindshare in ISI, compared to SAP’s 1.4% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 89% of SAP users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Azure

Read 323 Microsoft Azure reviews

18,565 Views
9,839 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

Read 25 SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud reviews

1,305 Views
1,227 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Microsoft Azure

SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 16, 2024

Microsoft Azure and SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud are both leading solutions in the cloud computing market. Azure's strength lies in its versatility and extensive global infrastructure, making it a compelling choice for businesses seeking a flexible cloud environment. Conversely, SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud stands out for its deep integration capabilities specifically tailored for SAP applications, providing an edge for enterprises dependent on the SAP ecosystem.

Features: Microsoft Azure provides comprehensive integration with various programming languages and frameworks, extensive global data centers enhancing customer proximity, and a robust PaaS platform. It also includes reliable distributed caching and scalability, addressing the needs of large organizations and developers. SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud excels in offering a secure, managed environment for SAP workloads with seamless SAP application integration, which is vital for organizations with significant SAP investments.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Azure could enhance its pricing transparency, improve debugging tools and integration capabilities for non-Microsoft platforms. Additionally, security in multitenant settings and complex cost estimates need attention. SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud requires improvement in customization flexibility, cost management, and data center localization. Enhancing update and configuration flexibility would also benefit users.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Azure is praised for its deployment ease due to extensive documentation and public cloud reach. However, its customer service quality can vary, although business-tier support is often reliable. SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud focuses on strong SAP-specific deployment support, which is generally effective but potentially expensive, offering integrated deployment dedicated to SAP suite challenges. This suggests a balance between Azure's broader support and SAP's dedicated enterprise support.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Azure offers competitive pricing with flexible pay-as-you-go options, yet costs may rise with increased use and complex pricing models can lead to unexpected expenses. Its ROI is strengthened by eliminating physical infrastructure needs and enabling scalable cost-efficient solutions. SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud provides substantial SAP-integrated value, albeit at higher costs with annual contract structures and additional integration fees, making it favorable for large enterprises.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Azure vs. SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure vs. SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

December 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 880,481 peers since 2012

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

Microsoft Azure

Ranking in Infrastructure as a Service Clouds (IaaS)

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

323

Ranking in other categories

PaaS Clouds (1st)

SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

Ranking in Infrastructure as a Service Clouds (IaaS)

12th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Infrastructure as a Service Clouds (IaaS) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Azure is 10.8%, down from 19.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud is 1.4%, down from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Infrastructure as a Service Clouds (IaaS) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Azure	10.8%
SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud	1.4%
Other	87.8%

Infrastructure as a Service Clouds (IaaS)

Featured Reviews

Syed Abid

Snr. Infrastructure Architect (Data Centre) at LogicEra

Versatile integrations and reliable customer satisfaction elevate cloud service experience

For Microsoft Azure improvement, they need to enhance their support system. The first level of support should be improved in terms of quality and response time. They need more technical support at the first level, as there are currently only one or two technical people among five to ten staff members at this level. They should ensure that the first level support is more technical because we normally provide services to technical users ourselves. When an issue arises, it usually escalates to the second or third level. When facing first level support, they may have limited knowledge and only collect screenshots to forward to their seniors. They should ensure that the first level support is aligned with L2 and L3 to better assist us, especially since we mention in the ticket that our issues are related to specific problems and require that sort of support.

Read full review

Salman Mukhtar Baig

SAP Technical Manager at VS Furniture Middle East

Cloud access has improved reporting and sales operations across global locations

I cannot say anything about what areas of SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud could be improved or enhanced because so far, we are happy with this implementation. We are not facing any problem, or I cannot say that this can be improved. Although SAP keeps improving themselves day by day, we cannot say that SAP needs to improve anything. One thing which we face, not as a problem, is the pricing. SAP pricing is a bit higher day by day. Before, it was not too much higher, but I don't know why they are increasing their price. They should see this thing, so other customers, such as SMBs customers or small and mid-sized customers, can also avail this thing. Otherwise, we don't have any problem. First, there is the limitation. If you are a SAP user, you don't feel any problem with the limitation because if you know how to use the product, you can easily implement this thing. Otherwise, if you don't know the business process or how to integrate and implement, it could be a problem. We have a limitation, but we developed some add-ons for this. So we fulfilled these requirements.

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

"One advantage of using Azure is that clients can start with a low-cost entry in terms of hardware and scale as their business and user base grows. They don't need to allocate a large budget for infrastructure upfront."

"It is stable and collaborative."

"I appreciate that everything is basically shift forward from a security standpoint."

"In general, the entire suite of PaaS is valuable. It enables a true breakdown of IT siloes and allows an organization to embrace DevOps."

"Azure is a good networking solution from a WAN perspective."

"I get all the features under one roof."

"It was easy to deploy our applications on it."

"We are satisfied with the technical support."

More Microsoft Azure pros

"The interface is easy to manage."

"The BTP module is important for digital transformations."

"The solution's initial setup process is straightforward."

"Companies have gained more productivity because users take less time to finalize tasks as the data is correct, eliminating the need to double-check information constantly."

"My company has not had any problems with the product's initial setup phase."

"Fiori is the most valuable feature, as well as the the integration between S/4 and another solution as an extension."

"The real-time data processing and the ability to track all leasing processes and contracts are particularly valuable."

"There's a minimum amount of downtime when using the solution. This platform is very effective."

More SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud pros

Cons

"Could be more user friendly; initial setup is difficult to understand."

"I think Azure Active Directory and also the backup solutions provided in Azure need to be improved by Microsoft. The backup solution is not a very enterprise solution, and it is very simple. I think in comparison with other backup solutions like Nakivo and Veeam Backup, it can be improved to have a lot of options."

"The scalability could improve."

"The quality of some components of Microsoft Azure is not that great. For example, Microsoft has not fixed issues in Microsoft Teams for many years. There are well-known issues that are submitted by customers two years ago and they still are not fixed."

"Microsoft Azure could improve by being more user-friendly and the interface could be better."

"We use Microsoft Server 2019 and 2016. And I didn't like the 2019 client, so we had to downgrade back to 2016. The main issue there was its monitoring system. Our client needed an alternative, and if they were using more Windows products, they also needed to make that downgrade."

"The third-party data-sharing features must be improved."

"Predictability and quality. Make sure things work predictable, as expected, and documented."

More Microsoft Azure cons

"The price of SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud is quite expensive compared to solutions such as Data Fabric in Azure and Redshift on Amazon, which are quite cheap in comparison."

"One thing which we face, not as a problem, is the pricing. SAP pricing is a bit higher day by day."

"The customer has a lot of dependencies on SAP which means they don't have much flexibility to go and update the system when or if they need to. They will need to wait for the quarterly updates. It's possible to maybe raise a special request with SAP if it is absolutely necessary."

"It needs improvement in terms of stability and performance."

"The product must provide more details of the errors."

"Customization is an area of concern in SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud, where improvements are required."

"The cost could be improved. I think it's higher than the competition."

"Customers need to be better educated about using the solution's cloud for digital transformation."

More SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Be careful with Azure Cool storage accounts; if you are dealing with high object counts, then it can be more economical to use Hot storage because of the high storage access costs associated with Cool."

"With adequate knowledge, I think you can come up with a good model where the pricing won't be a constraint."

"Licensing fees are paid monthly."

"Its price can be cheaper. Price is always an issue. We pay around $10,000 per month for all resources."

"Price could always be cheaper. Its licensing and usage aren't always cheap. We pay monthly."

"The cost is something that could be improved."

"Microsoft Azure is more expensive than other solutions, such as GCP. We have found that GCP offers more utilities at a very reasonable price."

"Pricing is very difficult to guesstimate. With so many a la carte options and individual pricing it can be a hassle to understand."

More Microsoft Azure pricing and cost advice

"If you choose the minimum, it will probably cost around $1,000 USD per month if you take a contract for a year or two."

"The price is high compared to other databases, which is why HANA is still not widely used. Some enterprises prefer Sybase, Oracle, or other traditional databases because HANA is a little pricey. Cost is one factor SAP needs to work on to make it more competitive with other databases. Otherwise, they'll never be able to develop a mass customer base."

"The licensing of the solution is on a yearly basis. The normal price of the solution is quite high, but I received a special discount by making a purchase near the end of the year."

"I rate the product's price a five out of ten."

"The price is expensive compared to the competition."

"Our pricing is based on a yearly contract."

"The solution's cost is reasonable."

"SAP may not be the most cost-effective option, but it does offer a comprehensive set of tools and features. When you have the right information, structure, and dashboard in place, it can provide excellent value. Additionally, competition with Oracle might be a factor to consider."

More SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Infrastructure as a Service Clouds (IaaS) solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

880,481 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Comparison Review

it_user8586

Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees

Aug 14, 2013

Amazon vs Rackspace vs Microsoft vs Google: Cloud Hosting Services Comparison

Amazon Web Services, Rackspace OpenStack, Microsoft Windows Azure and Google are the major cloud hosting and storage service providers. Athough Amazon is top of them and is oldest in cloud market, Rackspace, Microsoft and Google are giving tough competition to each other and to Amazon also for…

Read full review

Answers from the Community

Harraj Saraon

Financial Guidelines Specialist at Nestle

Sep 21, 2021

SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud (HEC): how to migrate to Microsoft Azure?

Hi, It could be easy as Azure is one of the partners of SAP HEC. Please contact your SAP HEC technical account manager who can guide you on this.

2 out of 3 answers

Evgeny Belenky

Director of Community at PeerSpot (formerly IT Central Station)

Aug 3, 2021

Hi @Abdul-Rasool, @RamakrishnanRamanathaiah and @Ramakrishna Potluri. It seems you should be able to provide some assistance to @Harraj Saraon with this question.

Read full answer

Michael-Bell

Vice President of Sales at Coforge

Aug 5, 2021

@Harraj Saraon, did you get your answer?

Read full answer

See all 3 answers

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Computer Software Company

University

Manufacturing Company

16%

Healthcare Company

University

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	140
Midsize Enterprise	53
Large Enterprise	150

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	16

Questions from the Community

Which is preferable - IBM Public Cloud or Microsoft Azure?

IBM Public Cloud is IBM’s Platform-as-a-Service. It aims to provide organizations with a secure cloud environment to manage data and applications. One of the features we like is the cloud activity ...

See all answers

Which is better - SAP Cloud Platform or Microsoft Azure?

One of the best features of SAP Cloud Platform is that it is web-based and you can log in from anywhere in the world. SAP Cloud Platform is suitable for companies of any size; it works well with bo...

See all answers

How does Microsoft Azure compare to Google Firebase?

I would recommend Google Firebase instead of Microsoft Azure, simply for the array of features that it has to offer. In particular, the Firebase library grants you access to a shared data structure...

See all answers

What do you like most about SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud?

It has significantly streamlined our operations.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud?

SAP HANA Cloud can be quite costly compared to other solutions. The high licensing costs make it an expensive option, particularly for smaller customers. However, they offer solutions for mid-sized...

See all answers

What needs improvement with SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud?

See all answers

Comparisons

Alibaba Cloud vs Microsoft Azure

Compared 11% of the time

Amazon AWS vs Microsoft Azure

Compared 10% of the time

Pivotal Cloud Foundry vs Microsoft Azure

Compared 9% of the time

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) vs Microsoft Azure

Compared 8% of the time

Red Hat OpenShift vs Microsoft Azure

Compared 7% of the time

More Microsoft Azure Competitors

Amazon AWS vs SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

Compared 22% of the time

SAP S4HANA on AWS vs SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

Compared 16% of the time

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) vs SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

Compared 10% of the time

Media Temple IaaS Cloud vs SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

Compared 8% of the time

Google Cloud vs SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

Compared 5% of the time

More SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure

December 2025

Download Microsoft Azure product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

December 2025

Download SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud product report

Also Known As

Windows Azure, Azure, MS Azure

No data available

Overview

Microsoft Azure integrates services and offers flexibility, ensuring compatibility with diverse environments. Its scalability, security, and cost-efficient features enhance deployment and management, making it ideal for infrastructure services and application hosting.

Azure provides a comprehensive suite of tools for application deployment, virtual machine management, and data analytics. It allows seamless integration with Power BI and offers a user-friendly interface supported by detailed documentation and technical support. Though users appreciate its capabilities, they sometimes face challenges with costs, setup, and interface complexity, alongside integration and performance issues. Frequent updates and a learning curve are also noted, though Azure's cloud-based security and scalability remain critical for disaster recovery and business continuity.

What are Azure's key features?

Integrated Services: Ensures compatibility with Microsoft and non-Microsoft environments.
Scalability: Supports growing business demands with flexible computing power.
Security: Offers robust cloud-based security features for data protection.
Cost Efficiency: Provides options that optimize costs for diverse requirements.
Application Deployment: Facilitates quick rollout of apps and services.

What benefits should users expect from Azure?

Operational Optimization: Allows companies to streamline processes effectively.
Innovative Efficiency: Empowers businesses to innovate with powerful tools.
Reliable Support: Backed by strong technical support and comprehensive documentation.
Flexible Cloud Solutions: Offers a range of options for cloud migrations and infrastructure management.

Microsoft Azure is widely implemented in industries like financial services, healthcare, and logistics for hosting enterprise applications and vital services. Companies utilize its capabilities for IoT applications, DevOps, and Kubernetes clusters, benefiting from its cloud migrations, data analytics, and active directory support.

Microsoft

SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud is a fully scalable and secure private managed cloud solution. It empowers organizations to unlock the full value of SAP HANA in the cloud - accelerating growth and innovation, driving IT and business transformation, quickly delivering business outcomes, and reducing risk.

SAP

Sample Customers

BMW, Toyota, easyJet, NBC Sports, HarperCollins, Aviva, TalkTalk Business, Avanade, and Telenor.

FC Bayern Munich, Reuters News Agency, MEMEBOX

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure vs. SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

December 2025

Free Report: Microsoft Azure vs. SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Azure vs. SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

880,481 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Microsoft Azure vs. SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud report.

See our list of best Infrastructure as a Service Clouds (IaaS) vendors.

We monitor all Infrastructure as a Service Clouds (IaaS) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.