Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics Reviews

Name: Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics
Brand: Microsoft
Rating: 4.0 (92 reviews)

4.0 out of 5

92 reviews
94% willing to recommend

1,430 followers

What is Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics?

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics is an end-to-end analytics solution that successfully combines analytical services to merge big data analytics and enterprise data warehouses into a single unified platform. The solution can run intelligent distributed queries among nodes, and provides the ability to query both relational and non-relational data.

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Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics is the #2 ranked solution in top Cloud Data Warehouse solutions. PeerSpot users give Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics is most commonly compared to Azure Data Factory: Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics vs Azure Data Factory. Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics is popular among the midsize enterprise segment, accounting for 56% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 51% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics

April 2025

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Featured Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics reviews

Renee Hoon

Data Platform Specialist at Sasol

We run our finance and supply chain jobs using SQL BW, and we visualize our data loads on Power BI. We are using SQL Data Warehouse for data warehousing In terms of cost savings, we don't need specialization in skills as advanced as Teradata. We used to pay extensive licensing fees for Teradata,…

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Sunil Gidwani

Cloud Solution Development Manager at Stryker Corporation

I rate Azure Synapse Analytics eight out of 10. No competitors provide the entire solution to one place like Synapse. For example, a database just focuses moving and manipulating data, etc. But Synapse is like an all-inclusive workspace. I advise other people to go with Databricks Notebook if you need a computation engine. It has a solid SQL storage procedure. Suppose you are dealing with complex transformation logic and manipulation of run-time data flows. In that case, it's better to use Databricks than any Microsoft ADF. DataBricks looks more promising in terms of computing in memory, so we integrated Databricks in Synapse.

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ShubhamSharma2

Project Trainee at Neal Analytics

Our company uses the solution to mine generous amounts of data for customers. We are partners with Microsoft and are totally dependent on the solution. Synapses are very good and can deal with petabytes of data. The solution has far better synapse analytics than Redshift. The solution handles…

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Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics mindshare

As of May 2025, the mindshare of Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics in the Cloud Data Warehouse category stands at 6.4%, down from 9.6% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Data Warehouse

PeerResearch reports based on Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Cloud Data Warehouse	May 1, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	May 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics vs Snowflake	May 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics vs Azure Data Factory	May 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics vs BigQuery	May 1, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Azure Data Factory	4.0	8.1%	92%	90 interviews Add to research
Teradata	4.1	8.7%	87%	76 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics is valued for its easy setup, user-friendly interface, scalability, and integration with Power BI. Users appreciate its ability to handle large data volumes, Massively Parallel Processing architecture, and serverless flexibility. The architecture supports fast deployment, data processing, and real-time analytics. Features like SQL Server familiarity, data integration options, and cost control through dynamic scaling are also highlighted. Security and technical support contribute positively to user experiences.

"Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics offers significant visibility, which helps us understand our usage more clearly."
"The product provides a seamless and adaptable approach to data processing and analytics."
"The biggest benefits are scalability and ease of use when looking at performance tuning and optimization."

Room for Improvement

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics should improve pricing, integration with Active Directory, ease of configuration, and the interface's user-friendliness. Initial setup complexity and performance need attention. Users request enhancements in monitoring, Data Factory integration, version control, and support. Compatibility with traditional tools and the need for comprehensive documentation are highlighted. Performance lags, especially in data loading, query processing, and auto-scaling. Support for Spark, better governance, scalability, and improved analytics tools are desired. Users also ask for enhanced security and migration features.

"Customer service and support for Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics need improvement. They are slow to respond and not very knowledgeable."
"If Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics could run on a laptop as a Docker image, it would allow for work without needing an online connection."
"Managing workloads and data transformation using Databricks should be a focus."

ROI

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics provides users with substantial ROI by reducing hardware and licensing costs and offering a subscription-based model. Many users experience financial benefits from this OpEx shift. Savings are enhanced by the serverless database option, improving data efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Some anticipate a 50% to 70% ROI over a few years. Users appreciate the cost-to-flexibility ratio and report improvements in data utilization while seeing operational cost reductions of 10% to 15%.

Pricing

Enterprise users find Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics pricing complex, with costs varying based on usage. While a pay-as-you-go model offers flexibility, it can be unpredictable and expensive, particularly when mistakes occur. Some users consider it competitive compared to AWS, though it remains expensive for others. A cost-effective strategy is upfront reservation for a year or more. Various licensing options, such as serverless and bundled Azure services, affect overall costs, making careful management crucial.

"Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics is a moderately priced solution."
"We have a licensing cost to pay."
"I would rate the ROI a nine out of ten, where one is zero value and ten is 100% value."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily use Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics for data warehousing, reporting analytics, and data integration. They utilize it for processing large datasets, building data pipelines, and connecting to Power BI for reporting. The platform is favored for cloud migration, supporting ERP systems with compatibility, enabling business intelligence, and offering real-time analytics. It also plays a role in transforming legacy systems, handling complex data engineering tasks, and providing insights into customer behavior and market trends.

Service and Support

Feedback on support is mixed. Some find technical assistance responsive, quick, and knowledgeable, often developing improvements based on suggestions. There are reports of slow response times and lack of understanding. Larger clients tend to receive superior service, while smaller entities face difficulties. Many users rely on extensive documentation and community resources to resolve issues independently. Satisfaction varies, with ratings from three to ten, highlighting inconsistency in service levels and expertise.

Deployment

Many find Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics's initial setup straightforward, quick, and user-friendly with minimal complexity. The process often takes days or weeks, depending on the environment and team expertise. While experienced users find it easy, less experienced users may need extra time. Configuration may involve assistance from cloud engineers or additional resources, particularly when integrating with other tools, but most agree it becomes manageable with appropriate documentation and learning resources.

Scalability

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics is praised for its scalability, which is highly rated. Many organizations note its ease of scaling, with options for both horizontal and vertical expansion as needs grow. Its cloud-based nature allows for seamless adjustments, with scalability often described as excellent. Although some mention high costs with increased scalability, many are satisfied with the performance and ability to handle different workloads, making it a strong choice for enterprises seeking adaptable data solutions.

Stability

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics is generally regarded as stable, with many users noting its reliability and performance. A few have experienced outages and minor glitches, yet most indicate improvements over time. Stability ratings frequently range from seven to ten, showing high satisfaction levels. It is often favored for handling heavy workloads and large datasets. Some report the need for enhancements, but Synapse is typically considered reliable.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

51%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Healthcare Company

Retailer

Energy/Utilities Company

Insurance Company

Comms Service Provider

University

Construction Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Legal Firm

Non Profit

Transportation Company

Hospitality Company

Media Company

Logistics Company

Performing Arts

Wholesaler/Distributor

Pharma/Biotech Company

Compare Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics with alternative products

Learn more about Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics is built with these 4 components:

Synapse SQL
Spark
Synapse Pipeline
Studio

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics Features

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics has many valuable key features, including:

Cloud Data Service: WIth Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics you can operate services (data analytics, machine learning, data warehousing, dashboarding, etc.) in a single workspace via the cloud.
Structured and unstructured data: Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics supports both structured and unstructured data and allows you to manage relational and non-relational data - unlike data warehouses and lakes that tend to store them respectively.
Effective data storage: Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics offers next-level data storage with high availability and different tiers.
Responsive data engine: Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics uses Massive Parallel Processing (MPP) and is designed to handle large volumes of data and analytical workloads efficiently without any problems.
Several scripting languages: The solution provides language compatibility and supports different programming languages, such as Python, Java, Spark SQL, and Scala.
Query optimization: Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics works well to facilitate limitless concurrency and performance optimization. It also simplifies workload management.

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics Benefits

Some of the benefits of using Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics include:

Database templates: Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics offers industry-specific database templates that make it easy to combine and shape data.
Better business insights: With Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics you can expand discovery of insights from all your data and apply machine learning models to all your intelligent apps.
Reduce project development time: Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics makes it possible to have a unified experience for developing end-to-end analytics, which reduces project development time significantly.
Eliminate data barriers: By using Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics, you can perform analytics on operational and business apps data without data movement.
Advanced security: Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics provides both advanced security and privacy features to ensure data protection.
Machine Learning: Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics integrates Azure Machine Learning, Azure Cognitive Services, and Power BI.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics users who are currently using the solution.

PeerSpot user Jael S., who is an Information Architect at Systems Analysis & Design Engineering, comments on her experience using the product, saying that it is “Scalable, intuitive, facilitates compliance and keeps your data secure”. She also says "We also like governance. It looks at what the requirements are for the company to identify the best way to ensure compliance is met when you move to the cloud."

Michel T., CHTO at Timp-iT, mentions that "the features most valuable are the simplicity, how easy it is to create a dashboard from different information systems."

A Senior Teradata Consultant at a tech services company says, "Microsoft provides both the platform and the data center, so you don't have to look for a cloud vendor. It saves you from having to deal with two vendors for the same task."

Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics was previously known as Azure Synapse Analytics, Microsoft Azure SQL Data Warehouse, Microsoft Azure SQL DW, Azure SQL Data Warehouse, MS Azure Synapse Analytics.