Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

Azure DevOps vs Zipkin

Azure DevOps logo

Azure DevOps

Developer Tools

Plan smarter, collaborate better, and ship faster

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Zipkin logo

Zipkin

Cloud

Distributed tracing system for microservice latency

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Azure DevOps first 5 users free applies to Basic plan only; Test Plans users are not included in free tier; Zipkin less active development and smaller community momentum than Jaeger
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Azure DevOps and Zipkin actually diverge.

Attributes where Azure DevOps and Zipkin differ
AttributeAzure DevOpsZipkin
Pricing modelmixedOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Azure DevOps

Nothing recorded that Zipkin does not also cover.

Only in Zipkin

  • Trace collection and search
  • Dependency diagram
  • Simple deployment
  • Pluggable storage

What people use each for

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

Azure DevOps

  • CI/CD pipelines and build automation for software development teamsnot Zipkin
  • Source code repository management and version controlnot Zipkin
  • Test planning and tracking for QA teamsnot Zipkin
  • Artifact storage for packages and binariesnot Zipkin

Zipkin

  • Adding distributed tracing quickly without standing up heavy infrastructurenot Azure DevOps
  • Java and Spring Boot estates, where instrumentation support is long-establishednot Azure DevOps
  • Small deployments where Jaeger is more than the problem requiresnot Azure DevOps

Where each one falls short

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

Azure DevOps

  • First 5 users free applies to Basic plan only; Test Plans users are not included in free tier
  • Storage pricing increases per-GiB cost as volumes grow, with no volume discount threshold below $0.25

Zipkin

  • Less active development and smaller community momentum than Jaeger
  • Fewer features: sampling, storage options and UI are all more limited
  • The interface is dated and slower to work with on large trace volumes
  • Tracing alone still leaves metrics and logs in separate tools during an incident

Pricing, plan by plan

Azure DevOps

Free
  • Basic$6/month per user
    • First 5 users free
    • Additional users $6/user/month
    • Pipelines (free tier)
  • Basic + Test Plans$52/month per user
    • All Basic features
    • Test planning, tracking, and execution
  • Azure Pipelines CI/CD - Microsoft-hosted$40/month per additional parallel job
    • 1 free parallel job with 1,800 minutes per month
    • Additional jobs at $40/month each
  • Azure Artifacts Storage$2/month per GiB
    • First 2 GiB free
    • 2-10 GiB: $2/GiB
    • 10-100 GiB: $1/GiB

Zipkin

Free
  • ZipkinFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Azure DevOps if

  • You want to start without paying.
Azure DevOps review

Choose Zipkin if

  • You need trace collection and search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want dependency diagram.
Zipkin review

Questions people ask

Is Azure DevOps or Zipkin better?
Neither clearly leads. Azure DevOps starts at Free and Zipkin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Azure DevOps or Zipkin?
Azure DevOps starts at Free and Zipkin at Free.
Does Azure DevOps or Zipkin run on more platforms?
Azure DevOps runs on Web. Zipkin runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
Can I use Azure DevOps for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Azure DevOps best used for?
Azure DevOps is most often used for ci/cd pipelines and build automation for software development teams, source code repository management and version control, test planning and tracking for qa teams, artifact storage for packages and binaries. Of those, ci/cd pipelines and build automation for software development teams and source code repository management and version control are not what Zipkin is typically brought in for.
What can Azure DevOps do that Zipkin cannot?
Zipkin covers Trace collection and search, Dependency diagram, Simple deployment, Pluggable storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Azure DevOps: How much does Azure DevOps cost?

Azure DevOps Basic plan is $6 per user per month after the first 5 users are free. Basic + Test Plans tier costs $52 per user per month. Azure Pipelines add-on for extra parallel jobs costs $40 per job for Microsoft-hosted runners and $15 per job for self-hosted runners.

Source
Zipkin: Is Zipkin free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Azure DevOps: Is there a free tier for Azure DevOps?

Yes, Azure DevOps includes 5 free users on the Basic plan. Additional free allocations include 1,800 free minutes per month on Azure Pipelines with a free parallel job, 2 GiB free storage on Azure Artifacts, and free access for Visual Studio subscribers and Stakeholders with limited functionality.

Source
Zipkin: Zipkin or Jaeger?

Jaeger has more momentum, more features and CNCF backing. Zipkin is lighter and quicker to stand up, and remains well supported in the Java and Spring ecosystem.

Azure DevOps: What does the Basic + Test Plans tier add to Azure DevOps?

The Basic + Test Plans tier adds test planning and execution capabilities, browser-based testing, and centralized reporting features. This tier costs $52 per user per month compared to $6 per user for the Basic plan.

Source
Zipkin: Does Zipkin work with OpenTelemetry?

Yes. OpenTelemetry can export to Zipkin, which is now the usual way to instrument for it.

Azure DevOps: How is Azure Artifacts priced?

Azure Artifacts provides 2 GiB of free storage, then charges $2 per GiB for 2-10 GiB, $1 per GiB for 10-100 GiB, $0.50 per GiB for 100-1,000 GiB, and $0.25 per GiB for over 1,000 GiB.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Azure DevOps

More on Zipkin

Keep looking

Other head to heads