Microsoft .NET Framework vs Zend PHP Engine comparison

Microsoft and Zend are both solutions in the Application Infrastructure category. Microsoft is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.4, while Zend is ranked #15 with an average rating of 8.0. Microsoft holds a 6.1% mindshare in AIS, compared to Zend’s 1.7% mindshare. Additionally, 93% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Zend users who would recommend it.

Microsoft .NET Framework

Read 53 Microsoft .NET Framework reviews

1,565 Views
483 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

Zend PHP Engine

Read 11 Zend PHP Engine reviews

493 Views
147 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft .NET Framework

Zend PHP Engine

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 2025

Zend PHP Engine and Microsoft .NET Framework compete in web and application development. Microsoft .NET Framework is often perceived as superior due to its comprehensive development environment and versatile language support, despite Zend PHP Engine having strong open-source PHP support and community backing.

Features: Zend PHP Engine has excellent PHP support, efficient memory usage, and a comprehensive library system. It supports rapid web application development primarily with PHP. Microsoft .NET Framework provides an extensive range of programming languages, seamless integration with Windows, and a robust development framework offering diverse tools for various applications.

Room for Improvement: Zend PHP Engine could enhance integration capabilities across diverse IT environments and provide better documentation. Expanding support for frameworks beyond PHP could also be beneficial. Microsoft .NET Framework may increase cross-platform compatibility further, improve Linux integration, and reduce complexity in its vast toolset for easier adaptability by newcomers.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Zend PHP Engine is straightforward to deploy in PHP-friendly environments but might require additional support for advanced integrations. Microsoft .NET Framework benefits from integrated deployment with Windows systems and extensive documentation, providing adaptability for various enterprise scenarios with strong customer support.

Pricing and ROI: Zend PHP Engine is cost-effective due to its open-source nature, minimizing initial setup costs. Microsoft .NET Framework incurs higher upfront expenses but potentially offers higher ROI through its comprehensive toolset and enterprise-grade integration capabilities, making it a worthwhile investment for businesses seeking holistic solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft .NET Framework vs. Zend PHP Engine Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft .NET Framework vs. Zend PHP Engine

June 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 856,873 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 .NET Framework

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Zend PHP Engine

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

15th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of Microsoft .NET Framework is 6.1%, down from 6.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zend PHP Engine is 1.7%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Infrastructure

Featured Reviews

Alberto Carioni

Head Of Product Owner at Fresenius Medical Care

Integration with advanced tools improves development speed and efficiency

I use Azure DevOps because we have everything implemented in .NET by Microsoft, and we are integrated with the collection of the requirements, the .NET pipeline, and directing Azure DevOps for Azure Plus. I am more of a developer, so from an infrastructure point of view, I do not have feedback or…

Read full review

SatyendraGupta

External Consultant (Digital Tool Developer and Intervention Specialist) at IQVIA

The fact that it is available open-source is the best feature

The fact that it is available open-source is the best feature. A general scripting language should be further developed and should be embedded into it. I have been Zend PHP Engine for nine years. Multiple people are using the solution. Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.…

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 most valuable features for us are web frameworks like MVC, Web API, and WCS."

"The solution has assisted our organization in the full-stack development process. The tool can be deployed on all types of devices, including mobiles and desktops. The MAUI capabilities of the solution have been the most beneficial feature for our organization's development needs."

"If we take low code, no code platform such as RPA platforms, you might end up writing 100 lines of code and you might do it in a single line of code using. NET."

"Basically, .NET is simply is the easiest programming language to use, based on my experience."

"The Windows Communication Foundation is the biggest advantage we get from the .NET Framework."

"User-friendly and straightforward."

"The most valuable feature is the financial accounting."

"Firstly, I appreciate the decision to use Microsoft .NET Framework. I find it to be an excellent language, with a history rooted in providing an alternative to Java, albeit with initial challenges. It is gaining popularity and may be voted the most desirable programming language. What I particularly like about .NET is its language efficiency. While C# is the primary language, the platform also supports others, catering to those inclined towards functional programming. Although I started with Shell, I'm still grasping the concept of functional programming. Despite initial reservations about object-oriented programming, I acknowledge its advantages. .NET is a safer option, and despite criticisms, it has evolved over the years. One notable aspect is .NET's transition to an open platform in recent years, distancing itself from being exclusive to Microsoft engineers. I appreciate the versatility of .NET, enabling code production for a wide range of platforms, presenting a strong competition to Java. It allows targeting practically any physical platform, showcasing its flexibility. These qualities contribute to my positive view of .NET, totaling thirteen aspects that I find appealing."

More Microsoft .NET Framework pros

"Scaling up is an important factor for large projects, and with PHP 7 and its performance improvements, this becomes even easier."

"We have not encountered issues with scalability as long as we effectively use caching to optimize performance of our web applications as well as a proper use of database connectivity."

"Zend Engine gives the flexibility to use external modules to easily expand the functionalities you need for your web project."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the speed at which it compiles and sends the dynamic cache."

"Zend PHP Engine is more secure than any other framework, and I usually prefer Zend PHP Engine for big applications."

"Faster web app implementation, when PHP dev is required by customers."

"The Zend Framework provides an easy, open source way to produce coding based on the needs of our customers."

"The fact that it is available open-source is the best feature."

More Zend PHP Engine pros

Cons

"You need to have the technical expertise to use this product."

"The solution has difficulty integrating with other products. There are no such difficulties if you have the same platform, hardware, and operating system."

"If Microsoft would provide a monthly subscription at a cost that a developer can afford then it would be really helpful."

"It is of great concern to us that the solution is not very powerful on cross platform, at it impedes the ability to build and scale with it."

"The product's price is an area of concern, making it an area where improvements are required."

"I would like to see more pre-built features in the MVC framework because as it is now, it's very open and you have to develop your own controls in order to use it."

"In the realm of Microsoft .NET Framework, particularly in the C# language, there have been significant developments that I find highly commendable. I am genuinely fascinated by the continuous evolution of the language, and staying abreast of the latest features in Azure is both challenging and enjoyable. Working with C# in Azure is particularly fantastic. I appreciate in .NET, as compared to Java, is the enforcement of types, providing a better experience in terms of technicalities. Additionally, the introduction of Roslyn in the past few years has brought about the concept of late .NET, which I find interesting and powerful. This allows for the transformation of symbolic code just before execution, eliminating the runtime decision-making process and enhancing efficiency. However, late .NET does come with a drawback – a delay in the last-minute computation when starting an executable. While some may find this less appealing in terms of instant responsiveness, especially in serverless cloud environments, the efficiency gained from executing strictly binary code is valuable. Despite potential drawbacks like the time required for activation, I view .NET favorably for its technical advancements and efficiency, especially in scenarios such as serverless cloud computing. It's essential to recognize the intricacies of how .NET processes code and the efficiency it brings, which some may overlook."

"Improvements are needed in .NET development, particularly in a backend scenario."

More Microsoft .NET Framework cons

"A general scripting language should be further developed and should be embedded into it."

"Integration of MVC with ORM tools for PHP is okay, but lacking a short list of decent ORM tools for PHP to choose from; there is ample room for improvement in both areas."

"Although it offers a complete environment to develop and deploy PHP applications, it has some limitations. For example, when the volume of data increased exponentially, I had problems scaling the system."

"The main area that Zend needs to improve is to support asynchronous programming tasks, which is facilitated in PHP 7, but not at the same degree as HHVM."

"The process of installing and configuring the product is a bit complex and could be improved."

"The solution can be quicker."

"SQL queries have always been an issue with PHP, especially if you use large tables, which require caution from the side of the developer."

"Zend PHP Engine needs to improve the loading time of its libraries and make it faster."

More Zend PHP Engine cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's an expensive solution"

"Do your homework. Consider the partnership program."

"The product and support for this solution are free for everyone."

"We have an annual license, and we pay extra for extended support."

"I rate the solution's pricing a two out of ten because .NET is an open-source framework. You don't have to pay for a license."

"If you want to develop an enterprise-level application, you have to purchase the enterprise-level development license."

"Considering the bigger picture, opting for the Microsoft ecosystem can be beneficial and it is priced well. When relying on entirely open-source solutions, you may encounter challenges associated with dealing with multiple vendors and potentially compromised security measures. However, it is important to note that Microsoft could enhance its performance when it comes to addressing critical security concerns."

"The solution is free but you need to pay for a license for the hosting service."

More Microsoft .NET Framework pricing and cost advice

"Its pricing depends on the number of users."

"The solution is open source and you just pay for the server cost."

"The Zend PHP engine is open source technology, so there's no need for us to worry about licensing or other costs."

"Zend PHP Engine is not an expensive solution."

"No problem with pricing and licensing, as tools are open source. You have to consider training cost, mindset setup cost, as part of the TCO."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Application Infrastructure solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Real Estate/Law Firm

12%

Construction Company

11%

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Construction Company

11%

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft .NET Framework?

Microsoft .NET Framework continually innovates, particularly in Visual Studio, which focuses on improving languages, debugging, and .NET functionality.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft .NET Framework?

The company is not paying anything for the license. I am not familiar with this area. For us, it's free.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft .NET Framework?

There may be some topics regarding connectivity and management of certificates that require attention. We are currently facing some issues.

See all answers

What do you like most about Zend PHP Engine?

The fact that it is available open-source is the best feature.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zend PHP Engine?

PHP is an open-source solution.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Zend PHP Engine?

Integrating AI tools would make PHP more competitive, as other tools already have AI features.

See all answers

Comparisons

Apache Web Server vs Microsoft .NET Framework

Compared 19% of the time

IIS vs Microsoft .NET Framework

Compared 16% of the time

Magic xpa Application Platform vs Microsoft .NET Framework

Compared 15% of the time

JBoss Enterprise Application Platform vs Microsoft .NET Framework

Compared 13% of the time

Uniface vs Microsoft .NET Framework

Compared 9% of the time

More Microsoft .NET Framework Competitors

Apache Web Server vs Zend PHP Engine

Compared 100% of the time

More Zend PHP Engine Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft .NET Framework

May 2025

Download Microsoft .NET Framework product report

Buyer's Guide

Application Infrastructure

June 2025

Download Zend PHP Engine product report

Also Known As

MS .NET Framework

PHP Engine

Overview

Microsoft .NET Framework is a software development framework for building and running applications for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows servers, XML Web services, and Microsoft Azure. The software is made up of two major components: Common Language Runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework Class Library. The CLR is the execution engine that handles running apps and the Class Library is a library of tested, reusable code that developers can call from their own apps.

Microsoft .NET Framework Features

Microsoft .NET Framework has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

Memory management: With Microsoft .NET Framework apps, the CLR allocates and releases memory and handles object lifetimes in many programming languages, so programmers are not responsible to do it.

Multitargeting: Microsoft .NET Framework targets .NET Standard, allowing developers to create class libraries that work on multiple Microsoft .NET Framework platforms.

A common type system: When using Microsoft .NET Framework, basic types are defined by the .NET Framework type system and are common to all languages that target Microsoft .NET Framework as opposed to traditional programming languages where basic types are defined by the compiler.

Side-by-side execution: By allowing multiple versions of the common language runtime to exist on the same computer, Microsoft .NET Framework helps resolve version conflicts. In addition, an app can run on the version of Microsoft .NET Framework with which it was built and multiple versions of apps can coexist.

Development frameworks and technologies: Microsoft .NET Framework provides libraries for specific areas of app development, such as ASP.NET for web apps, ADO.NET for data access, Windows Communication Foundation for service-oriented apps, and Windows Presentation Foundation for Windows desktop apps.

Microsoft .NET Framework Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing Microsoft .NET Framework. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

Language interoperability: With this Microsoft .NET Framework feature, routines written in one language are accessible to other languages, enabling programmers to focus on creating apps in their preferred languages.

Version compatibility: Microsoft .NET Framework offers version compatibility for rare occasions when apps that are developed by using a particular version of Microsoft .NET Framework happen to run without modification on a later version.

Extensive class library: With Microsoft .NET Framework, programmers have the ability to use a readily accessible Microsoft .NET Framework class library instead of having to write vast amounts of code to handle common low-level programming operations.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by PeerSpot users currently using the Microsoft .NET Framework solution.

PeerSpot user, Syed A., Principal System Developer at a government, says the solution is a “Great all in one framework with extensive stack for web applications, windows applications and mobile applications.”

A QA Supervisor at a manufacturing company mentions, “It comes with many features that you can interact with and has all of the libraries readily available, which is not available in the RPA platforms. You can create your own SSIS package. You can integrate with all of the Windows objects, which is not available in Automation Anywhere, and you need to rely on their Object Cloning technologies to interact with them.”

Brennan G., IS Technical Architect at Avara Foods Holdings Limited, comments, “It is easy to use, and it runs on a Windows platform. The .NET Framework is a very good framework. It does what I need it to do.”

Microsoft

The Zend PHP Engine is designed to optimize PHP code and improve performance, making it a popular choice for web developers. It is easy to use, stable, does not require a lot of code, is open source, and only requires payment for server costs. The initial setup is straightforward, and there is no real need to set up the solution because it's built into the deployment.

Zend

Sample Customers

Curtin University, Rockwell Automation, Aruba Networks, Insurity Inc., City of Barcelona, Pennsylvania DCNR, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, A1 Telekom Austria AG, Eastman Chemical Company

Cisco

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft .NET Framework vs. Zend PHP Engine

June 2025

Free Report: Microsoft .NET Framework vs. Zend PHP Engine

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft .NET Framework vs. Zend PHP Engine and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Microsoft .NET Framework vs. Zend PHP Engine report.

See our list of best Application Infrastructure vendors.

We monitor all Application Infrastructure 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.