Softwr

Backup · head to head

Arcserve UDP vs Microsoft Azure

Arcserve UDP logo

Arcserve UDP

Backup

Unified data protection for all workloads

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Azure logo

Microsoft Azure

Cloud

Open and flexible cloud services

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Azure has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Arcserve UDP multiple security vulnerabilities documented in 2025-2026 including authentication bypass and buffer overflow issues; Microsoft Azure the 12 months of free services is available only to new customers who have not previously had an Azure account or received 12 months of free services
  • They diverge on capability: Arcserve UDP covers Assured recovery testing, Microsoft Azure covers Virtual Machines.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arcserve UDP and Microsoft Azure actually diverge.

Attributes where Arcserve UDP and Microsoft Azure differ
AttributeArcserve UDPMicrosoft Azure
Starting price$25/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, LinuxWeb, Api, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryBackupCloud
Founded19832010

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Arcserve UDP

  • Assured recovery testing
  • Instant VM recovery
  • Deep application support
  • Ransomware protection
  • Tape backup
  • Hardware snapshots
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Only in Microsoft Azure

  • Virtual Machines
  • App Service
  • SQL Database
  • Blob Storage
  • Azure Cosmos DB
  • Functions
  • Service Fabric
  • API Management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Arcserve UDP

  • Data protectionnot Microsoft Azure
  • Disaster recoverynot Microsoft Azure
  • Business continuitynot Microsoft Azure
  • Ransomware protectionnot Microsoft Azure
  • Compliancenot Microsoft Azure

Microsoft Azure

  • Cloud infrastructure and computingnot Arcserve UDP
  • Database and storage servicesnot Arcserve UDP
  • AI and machine learning servicesnot Arcserve UDP
  • Enterprise application hostingnot Arcserve UDP

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Arcserve UDP

  • Multiple security vulnerabilities documented in 2025-2026 including authentication bypass and buffer overflow issues
  • Slow restore speeds for large backup tasks and recovery operations
  • Requires full backup when changing drive sizes, causing extended backup windows

Microsoft Azure

  • The 12 months of free services is available only to new customers who have not previously had an Azure account or received 12 months of free services
  • The 12 months free offer is not available to customers who sign up directly for pay as you go in China and India
  • Customers who try Azure free must move to pay as you go within 30 days to keep receiving the 12 months of free services
  • Free services are capped at specified monthly amounts, and only some of them are always free

Pricing, plan by plan

Arcserve UDP

$25/month
  • UDP Premium$25/month
    • Assured recovery
    • Instant VM
    • Tape support

Microsoft Azure

Free
  • Free AccountFree
    • $200 credit for 30 days
    • Popular services 12 months free
    • 40+ services always free

Which should you pick?

Choose Arcserve UDP if

  • You need assured recovery testing.
  • You work on Windows, Linux.
  • You also want instant vm recovery.
Arcserve UDP review

Choose Microsoft Azure if

  • You need virtual machines.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want app service.
Microsoft Azure review

Questions people ask

Is Arcserve UDP or Microsoft Azure better?
Neither clearly leads. Arcserve UDP starts at $25/month and Microsoft Azure at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arcserve UDP or Microsoft Azure?
Microsoft Azure has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $25/month for Arcserve UDP and Free for Microsoft Azure.
Does Arcserve UDP or Microsoft Azure run on more platforms?
Arcserve UDP runs on Windows, Linux. Microsoft Azure runs on Web, Api, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Microsoft Azure for free?
Yes. Microsoft Azure has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arcserve UDP starts at $25/month.
What is Arcserve UDP best used for?
Arcserve UDP is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Microsoft Azure is typically brought in for.
What can Arcserve UDP do that Microsoft Azure cannot?
Arcserve UDP covers Assured recovery testing, Instant VM recovery, Deep application support, Ransomware protection. Microsoft Azure covers Virtual Machines, App Service, SQL Database, Blob Storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Arcserve UDP: What licensing model does Arcserve UDP use?

Arcserve UDP uses a capacity-based subscription model (Managed Capacity Program) where you license based on total front-end terabytes of protected data rather than per-device. Available in Standard, Advanced, and Premium editions.

Source
Microsoft Azure: How much does Microsoft Azure cost?

Azure uses consumption-based pricing where you pay only for resources used and scale as you grow, with no fixed monthly fee. Prices are listed in USD globally, and pricing varies by service, region, and usage patterns.

Source
Arcserve UDP: Does Arcserve UDP support cloud backup?

Yes. Arcserve UDP integrates with multiple cloud providers including AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Wasabi for offsite backup and disaster recovery storage.

Source
Microsoft Azure: How can I save money on Azure services?

Azure offers savings up to 65% on select compute services through Azure Savings Plans with one- or three-year commitments. Using Azure Hybrid Benefit with existing Windows Server and SQL Server licenses plus reservations can save up to 85% compared to standard rates.

Source
Arcserve UDP: What hypervisors does Arcserve UDP support?

Arcserve UDP supports multiple hypervisors including VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM, and others, allowing granular recovery at the VM level with instant boot capabilities.

Source
Microsoft Azure: Does Azure offer a free tier?

Azure provides free tier services for new users and perpetually free options, including free Spot Virtual Machines, dev/test pricing for development workloads, and access to the Azure Pricing Calculator to estimate monthly costs before deployment.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Arcserve UDP

More on Microsoft Azure

Keep looking

Other head to heads