Let’s get right into it. Here’s a table of difference between Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Services.
Azure Devops vs Azure Devops services
| Feature | Azure DevOps | Azure DevOps Services |
| Pricing | On-premises | Pay-as-you-go |
| Deployment | Self-hosted | Hosted by Microsoft |
| Features | Same basic features, but some differences in reporting and customization | Same basic features, with the latest and greatest features always available |
| Scalability | Can be scaled to meet the needs of any organization | Scalable to meet the needs of any organization |
| Security | Data is stored in Azure and is protected by Microsoft’s security measures | Data is stored in Azure and is protected by Microsoft’s security measures |
| Support | Microsoft provides support for both Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Services | Microsoft provides support for both Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Services |
| Reporting | Azure DevOps Services does not support integration with SQL Server Analysis Services to support reporting. However, Azure DevOps Services does offer a number of other reporting options, including Azure Monitor and Power BI. | Azure DevOps Server supports integration with SQL Server Analysis Services to support reporting. Azure DevOps Server also offers a number of other reporting options, including Azure Monitor and Power BI. |
| Customization | Azure DevOps Server allows for more customization than Azure DevOps Services. This includes the ability to change the look and feel of the user interface, as well as the ability to add custom features. Azure DevOps Services does offer some customization options, but they are more limited than those available in Azure DevOps Server. | Azure DevOps Services does not offer as much customization as Azure DevOps Server. However, Azure DevOps Services does offer a number of pre-built customizations that can be used to meet the needs of many organizations. |
| Compliance | Azure DevOps Server is compliant with a number of industry standards, including ISO 27001, HIPAA, and FedRAMP. Azure DevOps Services is also compliant with a number of industry standards. | Azure DevOps Services is compliant with a wider range of industry standards than Azure DevOps Server. This makes Azure DevOps Services a good choice for organizations that need to comply with strict regulations. |
| Integrations | Azure DevOps Server integrates with a number of third-party tools, including Jira, Slack, and Trello. Azure DevOps Services also integrates with a number of third-party tools. | Azure DevOps Services integrates with a wider range of third-party tools than Azure DevOps Server. This makes Azure DevOps Services a good choice for organizations that need to integrate with a variety of tools. |
| Community | Azure DevOps Server has a large and active community of users and contributors. Azure DevOps Services also has a large and active community of users and contributors. | Azure DevOps Server has a larger and more active community than Azure DevOps Services. This makes Azure DevOps Server a good choice for organizations that need support from a large and active community. |
- Azure DevOps: Azure DevOps pricing is based on the number of users and features used. For example, the Basic plan costs $5 per user per month and includes access to basic features such as source control, build, and release management. The Premium plan costs $15 per user per month and includes access to advanced features such as test management, security, and DevOps Accelerators.
- Azure DevOps Server: The cost of Azure DevOps Server varies depending on the number of users and features used, as well as the cost of the hardware and software required to run Azure DevOps Server. For example, the Standard Edition costs $1,200 per user per year and includes access to basic features such as source control, build, and release management. The Enterprise Edition costs $3,600 per user per year and includes access to advanced features such as test management, security, and DevOps Accelerators.
Here’s a feature-wise comparison:
| Feature | Azure DevOps | Azure DevOps Server |
| Source control | Supports Git, Mercurial, and Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC) | Supports Git and TFVC |
| Build | Supports continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) | Supports CI and CD |
| Release management | Supports planning, scheduling, and deploying releases | Supports planning, scheduling, and deploying releases |
| Test management | Supports unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing | Supports unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing |
| Security | Supports role-based access control (RBAC), data encryption, and audit logging | Supports RBAC, data encryption, and audit logging |
| DevOps Accelerators | Provides a set of pre-configured tools and templates to help teams adopt DevOps practices | Not available |
| Reporting | Provides a variety of reports to track the progress of your projects | Provides a variety of reports to track the progress of your projects |
| Integrations | Integrates with a wide range of third-party tools | Integrates with a wide range of third-party tools |
| Community | Has a large and active community of users and contributors | Has a large and active community of users and contributors |
Ultimately, the best choice for you will depend on your specific needs and requirements. If you need a hosted solution with the latest and greatest features, then Azure DevOps may be a good option for you. If you need the flexibility of an on-premises solution and the ability to customize your environment, then Azure DevOps Server may be a better choice.
Here is a more detailed comparison of some of the key features:
- Source control: Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Server both support Git, Mercurial, and TFVC. However, Azure DevOps Server also supports the previous version of TFVC, which may be important for organizations that have been using TFVC for many years.
- Build: Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Server both support CI and CD. However, Azure DevOps Server offers more flexibility in terms of how builds are configured and executed.
- Release management: Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Server both support planning, scheduling, and deploying releases. However, Azure DevOps Server offers more flexibility in terms of how releases are managed.
- Test management: Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Server both support unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing. However, Azure DevOps Server offers more flexibility in terms of how tests are configured and executed.
- Security: Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Server both offer a high level of security. However, Azure DevOps Server offers more flexibility in terms of how security is configured.
- DevOps Accelerators: Azure DevOps Accelerators are a set of pre-configured tools and templates that can help teams adopt DevOps practices. Azure DevOps Accelerators are not available in Azure DevOps Server.
- Reporting: Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Server both provide a variety of reports to track the progress of your projects. However, Azure DevOps offers more flexibility in terms of how reports are configured and generated.
- Integrations: Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Server both integrate with a wide range of third-party tools. However, Azure DevOps offers more integrations than Azure DevOps Server.
- Community: Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Server both have a large and active community of users and contributors. However, Azure DevOps Server has a larger and more active community than Azure DevOps.
| Feature | Azure DevOps | Azure DevOps Server |
| Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | On-premises |
| Cost | Varies depending on the number of users and features used | Varies depending on the number of users and features used, as well as the cost of the hardware and software required to run Azure DevOps Server |
| Discounts | Available for eligible organizations | Available for eligible organizations |
| Free tier | Available for up to 5 users | Not available |
Ultimately, the cost of Azure DevOps or Azure DevOps Server will depend on your specific needs and requirements. If you have a small team and only need basic features, then Azure DevOps may be a good option for you. If you have a large team and need more advanced features, then Azure DevOps Server may be a better choice.
In addition to the base pricing, both Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Server offer a number of discounts for eligible organizations. For example, Microsoft offers a discount for non-profit organizations and educational institutions.
Finally, both Azure DevOps and Azure DevOps Server offer a free tier for up to 5 users. The free tier includes access to basic features such as source control, build, and release management.
