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Cloud · head to head

Microsoft Azure vs Temenos Transact

Microsoft Azure logo

Microsoft Azure

Cloud

Open and flexible cloud services

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Temenos Transact logo

Temenos Transact

APIs

Established core banking system used by banks in over a hundred countries

From
On request
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: 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; Temenos Transact the codebase originates in the 1990s, so banks on older releases face major upgrade programmes to reach current versions, and many defer them for years.
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Azure covers Virtual Machines, Temenos Transact covers Country model banks.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Azure and Temenos Transact actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Azure and Temenos Transact differ
AttributeMicrosoft AzureTemenos Transact
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Api, Desktop, MobileWeb, Linux, Windows, REST API
CategoryCloudAPIs
Founded2010Unknown

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 Microsoft Azure

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

Only in Temenos Transact

  • Country model banks
  • Multi-product core
  • Payments processing
  • API layer
  • Accounting engine

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Azure

  • Cloud infrastructure and computingnot Temenos Transact
  • Database and storage servicesnot Temenos Transact
  • AI and machine learning servicesnot Temenos Transact
  • Enterprise application hostingnot Temenos Transact

Temenos Transact

  • A bank in an emerging market needing local regulatory compliance without building it from scratchnot Microsoft Azure
  • An institution running Islamic banking products alongside conventional ones on one corenot Microsoft Azure
  • A bank that needs a large pool of experienced implementation consultants to de-risk a migrationnot Microsoft Azure
  • A group standardising subsidiaries in several countries onto one core banking systemnot Microsoft Azure

Where each one falls short

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

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

Temenos Transact

  • The codebase originates in the 1990s, so banks on older releases face major upgrade programmes to reach current versions, and many defer them for years.
  • Total cost is dominated by implementation partner fees rather than licence, and those programmes routinely overrun their original estimates.
  • Product changes that cloud-native cores treat as configuration can require development work and a release cycle, which slows time to market for new products.
  • Heavy customisation is common and it makes every subsequent upgrade harder, creating a compounding cost that banks feel a decade after go-live.
  • Temenos has repeatedly restructured its product line and naming, so buyers must check carefully which components a proposal actually includes and which are separately licensed.

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Azure

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

Temenos Transact

On request
  • Temenos Transact$undefined/year
    • Perpetual or subscription licence scaled by assets, accounts or users
    • Annual maintenance typically a percentage of licence value
    • Implementation delivered by partners and charged separately

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Temenos Transact if

  • You need country model banks.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Windows, REST API.
  • You also want multi-product core.
Temenos Transact review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Azure or Temenos Transact better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Azure starts at Free and Temenos Transact at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Azure or Temenos Transact?
Microsoft Azure has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Azure and On request for Temenos Transact.
Does Microsoft Azure or Temenos Transact run on more platforms?
Microsoft Azure runs on Web, Api, Desktop, Mobile. Temenos Transact runs on Web, Linux, Windows, REST API.
Can I use Microsoft Azure for free?
Yes. Microsoft Azure has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Temenos Transact starts at On request.
What is Microsoft Azure best used for?
Microsoft Azure is most often used for cloud infrastructure and computing, database and storage services, ai and machine learning services, enterprise application hosting. Of those, cloud infrastructure and computing and database and storage services are not what Temenos Transact is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Azure do that Temenos Transact cannot?
Microsoft Azure covers Virtual Machines, App Service, SQL Database, Blob Storage. Temenos Transact covers Country model banks, Multi-product core, Payments processing, API layer. Both handle Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Temenos Transact: Is Transact the same as T24?

Yes. T24 was renamed Temenos Transact; older installations and much of the consultant population still use the T24 name.

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
Temenos Transact: Can it run in the cloud?

Yes, it is offered on public cloud, though many existing installations remain on-premises and moving them is a project.

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
Temenos Transact: What drives the cost?

Licence scaled by size, annual maintenance as a percentage of licence, and implementation partner fees that usually exceed the software cost.

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