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Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB vs Redis comparison

Microsoft and RedisLabs are both solutions in the NoSQL Databases category. Microsoft is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.2, while RedisLabs is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.7. Microsoft holds a 4.6% mindshare in ND, compared to RedisLabs’s 8.4% mindshare. Additionally, 94% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of RedisLabs users who would recommend it.
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB
Read 100 Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB reviews
  • 5,308 Views
  • 743 Comparison Views
94% willing to recommend
Redis
Read 23 Redis reviews
  • 4,810 Views
  • 529 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 13, 2025

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB and Redis compete in the realm of scalable data solutions. Cosmos DB appears to have the upper hand due to its comprehensive suite of features and integration capabilities, particularly suited for large enterprises, despite its cost challenges. Redis is favored for being fast and cost-effective in performance-critical environments.

Features: Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB provides multimodal support, scalability, and seamless integration with Microsoft products, allowing global distribution and low-latency access. Its auto-scaling and multi-master capabilities ensure high availability. Redis excels with its in-memory storage, providing fast read/write operations, simple management, and support for various data structures like strings and hashes, which make it ideal for real-time applications and caching.

Room for Improvement: Cosmos DB needs better query complexity support and enhanced integration with non-Microsoft ecosystems, while also improving its pricing transparency. Documentation deficiencies hinder seamless integration with Microsoft's ecosystem. Redis should enhance scalability guidelines, improve support for dynamic data, and expand documentation for clustering and management tools.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Azure Cosmos DB leverages robust cloud services with a vast network of documentation and community forums, offering support that aligns with corporate requirements, though support quality can vary. Redis offers straightforward deployment across cloud environments, relying mainly on community support with relatively less structured documentation for beginners.

Pricing and ROI: Cosmos DB's complex pricing model is based on request units, which can be expensive but justifiable for large organizations due to scalability benefits and managed NoSQL advantages. Auto-scaling reduces overhead costs. Redis, being open-source, is cost-effective for on-premises setups, though infrastructure costs may rise when scaled, offering high value for performance-intensive operations.

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Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB vs. Redis
July 2025
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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
6.4
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB delivers favorable ROI with cost savings on auto-scaling and reduced DBA needs, despite complexity challenges.
Sentiment score
6.5
Redis enhances speed, reduces costs by 40%, boosts efficiency, and offers scalability, stability, and high availability, increasing customer trust.
Getting an MVP of that project would have taken six to eight months, but because we had an active choice of using Azure Cosmos DB and other related cloud-native services of Azure, we were able to get to an MVP stage in a matter of weeks, which is six weeks.
You can react quickly and trim down the specs, memory, RAM, storage size, etc. It can save about 20% of the costs.
When I have done comparisons or cost calculations, I have sometimes personally seen as much as 25% to 30% savings.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the Redis report
MichaelJohn - PeerSpot reviewer
BP
AH
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.8
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB's support is rated highly by some, but others experience variable response times and effectiveness.
Sentiment score
1.0
Most users lack direct Redis support experience; reviews vary from knowledgeable and fast to low-rated service.
Premier Support has deteriorated compared to what it used to be, especially for small to medium-sized customers like ours.
The response was quick.
I would rate customer service and support a nine out of ten.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the Redis report
reviewer2595951 - PeerSpot reviewerJoel Hulen - PeerSpot reviewerMichaelJohn - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB offers scalable, reliable resource management with auto-scaling that efficiently handles extensive data volumes for enterprises.
Sentiment score
7.7
Redis is highly scalable, supporting clustering and cloud integration, making it ideal for enterprise and growing data needs.
The system scales up capacity when needed and scales down when not in use, preventing unnecessary expenses.
We like that it can auto-scale to demand, ensuring we only pay for what we use.
We have had no issues with its ability to search through large amounts of data.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report
Data migration and changes to application-side configurations are challenging due to the lack of automatic migration tools in a non-clustered legacy system.
For more quotes and insights, download the Redis report
Hashir Ali Shuja - PeerSpot reviewerTiago Duarte - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2678751 - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2005650 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Azure Cosmos DB is praised for high availability and reliability, though occasional regional outages and configuration issues are noted.
Sentiment score
7.7
Redis is highly reliable, handling heavy loads with strong uptime, requiring minimal maintenance, and proving dependable across infrastructures.
We have multiple availability zones, so nothing goes down.
Azure Cosmos DB would be a good choice if you have to deploy your application in a limited time frame and you want to auto-scale the database across different applications.
I would rate it a ten out of ten in terms of availability and latency.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report
Redis is fairly stable.
For more quotes and insights, download the Redis report
reviewer2596239 - PeerSpot reviewerHarshitGaur - PeerSpot reviewerAroosh Kumar - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2005650 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Room For Improvement

Azure Cosmos DB needs better query capabilities, pricing clarity, API compatibility, integration, documentation, and user interface refinements.
Redis struggles with cluster development, cloud integration, documentation, user experience, and requires enhancements in security and enterprise features.
We must ensure data security remains the top priority.
You have to monitor the Request Units.
The dashboard could include more detailed RU descriptions, IOPS, and compute metrics.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report
Data persistence and recovery face issues with compatibility across major versions, making upgrades possible but downgrades not active.
For more quotes and insights, download the Redis report
Mohamed Ait Salah - PeerSpot reviewer
BP
FG
reviewer2005650 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Setup Cost

Azure Cosmos DB's pricing is complex but scalable, offering various tiers and requiring careful management for cost optimization.
Redis offers cost-effective options but may incur additional fees for RAM and managed services, requiring careful cost evaluation.
Initially, it seemed like an expensive way to manage a NoSQL data store, but so many improvements that have been made to the platform have made it cost-effective.
Cosmos DB is expensive, and the RU-based pricing model is confusing.
Cosmos DB is great compared to other databases because we can reduce the cost while doing the same things.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report
Since we use an open-source version of Redis, we do not experience any setup costs or licensing expenses.
For more quotes and insights, download the Redis report
Joel Hulen - PeerSpot reviewerChristian Gomez Rua - PeerSpot reviewer
RC
reviewer2005650 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Valuable Features

Azure Cosmos DB offers scalable, low-latency data processing with flexible models, auto-scaling, and integration enhancing AI and IoT applications.
Redis offers high-speed in-memory storage, efficient caching, multiple data structures, scalability, and durability for reliable, scalable applications.
The most valuable feature of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is its real-time analytics capabilities, which allow for turnaround times in milliseconds.
Performance and security are valuable features, particularly when using Cosmos DB for MongoDB emulation and NoSQL.
The performance and scaling capabilities of Cosmos DB are excellent, allowing it to handle large workloads compared to other services such as Azure AI Search.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB report
It functions similarly to a foundational building block in a larger system, enabling native integration and high functionality in core data processes.
For more quotes and insights, download the Redis report
reviewer2227599 - PeerSpot reviewerChristian Gomez Rua - PeerSpot reviewerTiago Duarte - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2005650 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB
Ranking in NoSQL Databases
5th
Ranking in Vector Databases
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
100
Ranking in other categories
Database as a Service (DBaaS) (6th), Managed NoSQL Databases (1st)
Redis
Ranking in NoSQL Databases
7th
Ranking in Vector Databases
4th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
5.7
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
In-Memory Data Store Services (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the NoSQL Databases category, the mindshare of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is 4.6%. The mindshare of Redis is 8.4%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
NoSQL Databases
 

Featured Reviews

MichaelJohn - PeerSpot reviewer
Very efficient for application-facing scenarios
There are several areas for improvement. Firstly, having a local development emulator or simulator for Azure Cosmos DB would be beneficial. It would be very handy to have a Docker container that developers can use locally. Although, I know there is a free tier and so on and so forth, having a local environment would be nice. For example, SQL Server is very portable. You can even install it on your machine. That is the number one thing that is missing in Azure Cosmos DB. The second improvement area is the IDE of choice. That means how you interact with Azure Cosmos DB. For example, with SQL Server, you have SQL Server Management Studio. I know there is a little bit of support for Azure Cosmos DB in Azure Data Studio, but it is not heavily advertised or it does not feel like first-class citizen support. Developer experience or developer tooling is missing in terms of interacting with the database. Better developer tools or an IDE for interacting with Azure Cosmos DB would enhance the developer experience. Lastly, there is some mixed messaging about what Azure Cosmos DB is, given its multiple APIs. There are so many Azure Cosmos DB APIs available. There is NoSQL. There are MongoDB, Gremlin, and others. There is still some mixed messaging for others who are new to Azure Cosmos DB about what Azure Cosmos DB is. Is this like MongoDB, but then there is also MongoDB in Azure Cosmos DB? I know it well, and I know that the default one is just NoSQL, but others I have interacted with over the last ten years or so get confused.
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Yaseer Arafat - PeerSpot reviewer
Unmatched Performance and Scalability for Modern Applications
Redis has room for improvement in a few areas. Enhanced tools for managing and monitoring clusters would be beneficial, as would built-in security mechanisms like advanced encryption and granular access controls. Simplifying setup and configuration could make Redis more accessible to new users. Introducing more enterprise-grade features, such as better multi-tenancy support and improved backup and restore capabilities, would also be advantageous. For the next release, it would be great to see enhanced cluster management tools, native multi-region supports for better data redundancy, integrated analytics for deeper insights, AI and ML integration features, and improved developer experience through enhanced SDKs and tools.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Legal Firm
13%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Financial Services Firm
24%
Computer Software Company
13%
Educational Organization
7%
Comms Service Provider
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB?
The initial setup is simple and straightforward. You can set up a Cosmos DB in a day, even configuring things like availability zones around the world.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB?
We are not consuming so much yet since we are at the beginning of using this solution. I would rate the pricing of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB a six out of ten.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB?
In Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB, I would suggest improvements in security. If anyone who has the endpoint and has access to infrastructure can potentially affect your DB. Instead of relying on a singl...
See all answers
What do you like most about Redis?
Redis is better tested and is used by large companies. I haven't found a direct alternative to what Redis offers. Plus, there are a lot of support and learning resources available, which help you u...
See all answers
What needs improvement with Redis?
There are a few areas where Redis could improve. The pub-sub capabilities could be optimized to handle network sessions better, as there are challenges with maintaining sessions between clients and...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Redis?
We use Redis ( /products/redis-reviews ) for several purposes, including ranking, counting, saving, sharing, caching, and setting time-to-live notifications. These functionalities are employed acro...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 11% of the time
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Compared 7% of the time
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Compared 5% of the time
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Compared 3% of the time
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Red Hat Data Grid vs Redis Logo
Red Hat Data Grid vs Redis
Compared 11% of the time
Oracle Coherence vs Redis Logo
Oracle Coherence vs Redis
Compared 11% of the time
Chroma vs Redis Logo
Chroma vs Redis
Compared 10% of the time
Amazon SQS vs Redis Logo
Amazon SQS vs Redis
Compared 6% of the time
Qdrant vs Redis Logo
Qdrant vs Redis
Compared 2% of the time
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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB
June 2025
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB reportDownload Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB product report
Buyer's Guide
Redis
June 2025
Redis reportDownload Redis product report
 

Also Known As

Microsoft Azure DocumentDB, MS Azure Cosmos DB
Redis Enterprise
 

Overview

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed, multi-model database service providing scalability, user-friendliness, and seamless integration, suitable for managing large volumes of structured and unstructured data across diverse applications.

Azure Cosmos DB is renowned for its scalability, stability, and ease of integration, offering robust support for multiple data models and APIs. Its capacity for handling unstructured data efficiently and providing real-time analytics makes it ideal for applications requiring high performance and global distribution. With features like automatic failover and integration with Microsoft products, users benefit from cost optimization and secure data handling. Enhancement opportunities include simplifying queries, improving documentation, and expanding backup and analytics functionalities.

What are the most important features of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB?
  • Scalability and Autoscaling: Efficiently handles growing data and user demands.
  • Multi-Model Support: Adapts to different data models seamlessly.
  • Global Distribution: Provides low-latency access across multiple regions.
  • Automatic Failover: Ensures high availability and reliability.
  • Integration with Microsoft Products: Offers seamless connectivity with Azure services.
What benefits should users look for in Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB reviews?
  • Performance and Speed: Exceptionally fast processing for real-time data analytics.
  • Cost Optimization: Tools for managing expenses effectively.
  • Secure Data Handling: Implements strong data security measures.
  • Flexible Data Ingestion: Supports diverse data ingestion methods.

Azure Cosmos DB is frequently used in sectors like web, mobile, IoT, and analytics. It supports applications as a key-value store, processes real-time data, and enables global scalability with low-latency access. Its big data management capabilities and integration with Azure services enhance its utility across industries.

Microsoft

Redis is a high-performance, scalable, and easy-to-use caching solution that improves application performance. It is also used for session management, real-time analytics, and as a message broker. 

Redis's valuable features include its ability to handle large amounts of data quickly, its simplicity and straightforward setup process, and its support for various data structures, providing flexibility for different use cases.

RedisLabs
 

Sample Customers

TomTom, KPMG Australia, Bosch, ASOS, Mercedes Benz, NBA, Zero Friction, Nederlandse Spoorwegen, Kinectify
1. Twitter 2. GitHub 3. StackOverflow 4. Pinterest 5. Snapchat 6. Craigslist 7. Digg 8. Weibo 9. Airbnb 10. Uber 11. Slack 12. Trello 13. Shopify 14. Coursera 15. Medium 16. Twitch 17. Foursquare 18. Meetup 19. Kickstarter 20. Docker 21. Heroku 22. Bitbucket 23. Groupon 24. Flipboard 25. SoundCloud 26. BuzzFeed 27. Disqus 28. The New York Times 29. Walmart 30. Nike 31. Sony 32. Philips
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB vs. Redis
July 2025
Free Report: Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB vs. Redis
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