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Azure DNS vs IBM NS1 Connect comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 4, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
3.7
Azure DNS offers cost savings, reliability, and efficiency with pay-as-you-go pricing and free queries, enhancing business operations.
Sentiment score
5.4
IBM NS1 Connect boosts ROI through enhanced DNS management, improved uptime, automation, and efficiency without extra infrastructure costs.
The ROI is always high because Azure DNS setup is essential and does not incur high charges.
Works at Northwestern Indiana Telephone Co.
I have seen a return on investment with IBM NS1 Connect, as application uptime has improved by 40% to 45%.
Software Engineer at Abbott
I have definitely seen a return on investment with IBM NS1 Connect as it has given our organization more control and flexibility in managing DNS at a global scale, which almost was impossible before.
Senior Software Engineer at PwC
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
4.4
Azure DNS support is generally well-rated for efficiency and responsiveness, though some experience delays and communication issues.
Sentiment score
8.3
IBM NS1 Connect offers 24/7 proactive support, with highly professional teams ensuring client satisfaction, despite occasional slow responses.
Technical support is minimally required for DNS-related tasks if you have previous experience.
Works at Northwestern Indiana Telephone Co.
They are very proactive and supportive, available 24/7.
Software Engineer at Abbott
You raise a PR, and then it takes several weeks for them to respond.
Assosiate Director at TIAA
The customer support for IBM NS1 Connect is very proactive and responsive twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Senior Software Engineer at PwC
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
Azure DNS is highly rated for its scalability, reliability, and ease of use, ideal for growing enterprises.
Sentiment score
6.5
IBM NS1 Connect excels at scalability, managing high query volumes and traffic shifts, ensuring reliability and responsiveness globally.
When the number of users increases, it can distribute traffic automatically across multiple servers, clouds, or regions.
Especialista De Produtos at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
It has managed to handle all my organization's growth.
Software Engineer at Abbott
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Azure DNS is highly stable and dependable, praised for reliability, though scalability and installation challenges are occasionally noted.
Sentiment score
8.3
IBM NS1 Connect offers reliable performance and stability, effectively managing traffic and maintaining uptime even during DDoS attacks.
IBM NS1 Connect is very stable as I have not experienced any lagging or downtime.
Senior Software Engineer at PwC
IBM NS1 Connect is very stable.
Software Engineer at Abbott
 

Room For Improvement

Users seek improved Azure DNS troubleshooting, security, analytics, integration, setup ease, pricing clarity, support, and user-friendly interfaces.
IBM NS1 Connect users seek a more intuitive interface, improved features, better resources, pricing transparency, and clearer DNS management.
Pricing can be more transparent, especially when dealing with tight budgets.
Senior Software Engineer at PwC
I think the support for upcoming technical updates in IBM NS1 Connect could be improved as they are not up to the mark, and their development or new enhancements are very slow.
Data Protection Specialist at CompuCom
DNS timeout issues should be resolved.
Software Engineer at Abbott
 

Setup Cost

Azure DNS is cost-effective and affordable, offering flexible pricing with pay-as-you-go and subscription plans for enterprises.
IBM NS1 Connect offers good value with competitive pricing, though some users note transparency and cost challenges in competitive situations.
Azure DNS charges based on the number of zones enabled, offering some free queries monthly, which keeps costs low.
Works at Northwestern Indiana Telephone Co.
Other competitors have offered a very low price compared to IBM, and that aspect is very tough for us to convince clients.
Data Protection Specialist at CompuCom
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing of IBM NS1 Connect has been that it is one of the most cost-effective tools and very affordable.
Software Engineer at Abbott
My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing has been that I found it a bit expensive and had some difficulty with the language issue, having to use a translator for licensing.
Especialista De Produtos at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Valuable Features

Azure DNS provides secure, automated, and scalable DNS solutions with seamless Azure integration, high availability, and simplified management.
IBM NS1 Connect offers API-driven automation, real-time monitoring, and intelligent traffic routing for enhanced performance and user experiences.
Azure DNS provides end-to-end P2P connectivity and enhances security, making it more secure and reliable.
Works at Northwestern Indiana Telephone Co.
The intelligence criterion directs the user to the best server based on latency and availability with 100% SLA for DNS resolution, and the API makes automation easier and reduces manual errors, plus it detects failures and redirects users.
Especialista De Produtos at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
The best features that IBM NS1 Connect offers include routing based on user verification, endpoint switching based on latency, DNS response time, real-time monitoring, intelligent traffic routing capabilities, API-driven functionality, HTTPS redirects, secondary DNS, and API integrations.
Senior Software Engineer at PwC
I assess policy customization in IBM NS1 Connect as the greatest advantage that we observe in QRadar impacting our customer's network operations.
Data Protection Specialist at CompuCom
 

Categories and Ranking

Azure DNS
Ranking in Managed DNS
6th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
IBM NS1 Connect
Ranking in Managed DNS
9th
Average Rating
9.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Managed DNS category, the mindshare of Azure DNS is 12.6%, up from 6.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM NS1 Connect is 2.7%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Managed DNS Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Azure DNS12.6%
IBM NS1 Connect2.7%
Other84.7%
Managed DNS
 

Featured Reviews

Dieudonné-Nsabimana - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultancy Manager at cidns
Overall experience improves efficiency and lowers operational challenges
* Add native management routing (geo‑routing, failover, weighted records) directly within Azure DNS zones to reduce dependency on extra services. * Cost Efficiency: Offer bundle pricing tiers or discounts for high‑volume enterprise customers, or an option for cost‑optimized internal DNS zones. * Improved Error Diagnostics: Provide more descriptive error codes and guided troubleshooting steps in the portal or CLI.
DavidJackson1 - PeerSpot reviewer
Software Engineer at Abbott
Smart routing has improved uptime and performance and enables real-time automated traffic control
The best features IBM NS1 Connect offers, in my opinion, are real-time monitoring, intelligent traffic routing capabilities, and being API driven. The intelligent traffic routing and API-driven features of IBM NS1 Connect have helped my team by allowing routing based on user location, endpoint switching based on latency, and DNS response time. Additionally, IBM NS1 Connect has API integration. IBM NS1 Connect positively impacts my organization by making our website load faster and enhancing the user interface to be more intuitive and user-friendly. It's very economical and cost-effective. I also love it because it saves time through automation, saving around 30% to 35% of our time and also saving man-source. Our application uptime has improved by 40% to 45%. Although there have been a few outages, the service uptime has significantly improved our trust with clients. It is very cost-effective and affordable, hence providing a great return on investment.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Healthcare Company
6%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business10
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise19
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business1
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise13
 

Questions from the Community

Azure DNS or Amazon Route 53?
Azure DNS is a hosting service of DNS domains. It has excellent operating time and performance, resulting in fast resolution. We like the ability to view everything in the Azure portal - this makes...
What needs improvement with Azure DNS?
Azure DNS could be improved with more advanced DNS analytics, richer auditing reporting, and better visibility into DNS query patterns and troubleshooting data. There is also a desire for deeper se...
What is your primary use case for Azure DNS?
Azure DNS is used primarily for hosting and managing public and private DNS zones for customer applications and cloud infrastructure. From a cybersecurity perspective, it provides centralized DNS m...
What needs improvement with NS1 Managed DNS?
The aspect that needs improvement about IBM NS1 Connect is that the integration with AI is not seamless at this moment. That particular portion needs to be re-evaluated. We were able to increase th...
What is your primary use case for NS1 Managed DNS?
I have worked on both deployment models of IBM NS1 Connect in the company's environment and in the clouds. I utilize IBM NS1 Connect's Intelligent Traffic Steering feature.
What advice do you have for others considering NS1 Managed DNS?
I purchased IBM NS1 Connect through AWS Marketplace. We do use analytical tools built into the product. I rate this product 9 out of 10.
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

No data available
NS1 Managed DNS, NS1
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

M-Files
Avast Software, Bloomberg L.P., BBC, Carfax, CNBC LLC, Deloitte Consulting LLP, Disney Streaming, Dropbox, EBAY Inc, Gannett Media Corp, Salesforce, Wayfair, Workday
Find out what your peers are saying about Azure DNS vs. IBM NS1 Connect and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
906,960 professionals have used our research since 2012.