--- title: Compare Azure DevOps Services with Azure DevOps Server titleSuffix: Azure DevOps ms.custom: engagement-fy23 description: Understand the differences between Azure DevOps Services and Azure DevOps Server. ms.subservice: azure-devops-new-user ms.assetid: 458FAFD1-98B0-4B74-B8E7-F2C73D4EED6B ms.author: chcomley author: chcomley ms.topic: concept-article ai-usage: ai-assisted monikerRange: '<= azure-devops' ms.date: 04/23/2025 #customer intent: As a developer, I want to understand the differences between Azure DevOps Services and Azure DevOps Server so I can choose the best option for my development needs. --- # Compare Azure DevOps Services with Azure DevOps Server [!INCLUDE [version-lt-eq-azure-devops](../includes/version-lt-eq-azure-devops.md)] The **cloud offering**, Azure DevOps Services, provides a scalable, reliable, and globally available hosted service. The 24/7 operations team monitors the cloud offering, which is backed by a 99.9% service level agreement (SLA) and available in local data centers around the world. The **on-premises offering**, Azure DevOps Server, is built on a SQL Server backend. Customers usually choose the on-premises version when they need their data to stay within their network. This offering is also ideal when you need access to SQL Server reporting services that integrate with Azure DevOps Server data and tools. Both offerings provide the same [essential features and services](services.md), but Azure DevOps Services offers more benefits: - Simplifies server management - Provides immediate access to the latest features - Enhances connectivity with remote sites - Transitions from capital expenditures (servers and hardware) to operational expenditures (subscriptions) ## Key differences Azure DevOps Services and Azure DevOps Server offer similar core functionalities, but they have key differences in specific feature areas. To decide whether the cloud or on-premises offering best meets your needs, consider the following key differences. |Feature area |Azure DevOps Services |Azure DevOps Server | |-------------|----------------------|--------------------| | **Deployment** | Cloud-based, hosted, and managed by Microsoft | On-premises solution, managed by your organization | | [**Scalability**](#scalability) | Highly scalable, accessible from anywhere with an internet connection | Scalability limited to your organizational infrastructure and server capacity | | [**Authentication**](#authentication) | Uses Microsoft accounts or Microsoft Entra ID | Uses Windows Authentication and Windows Server Active Directory domain credentials | | [**Data control**](#data-control) | Data stored in secure Azure data centers | Organizations have complete control over their data and infrastructure | | [**User management**](#user-management) | Supports adding Microsoft Entra groups to Azure DevOps Services groups | Access granted by adding Windows Server Active Directory (Windows AD) groups to various Azure DevOps groups | | [**Process customization**](#process-customization) | Inheritance process model with web UI and REST endpoint customization options | Offers both Inheritance and On-premises XML process models for customization | | [**Analytics and reporting**](#analytics-and-reporting) | Provides dashboards, Analytics service, Power BI integration, and OData support | Offers dashboards, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) reports, and configurable lightweight charts | | **Integration with SQL Server** | Doesn't support integration with SQL Server Analysis Services for reporting | Supports integration with SQL Server Analysis Services | These differences can help you decide which platform best suits your organization's needs. If you use Azure DevOps Server and you're considering a move to Azure DevOps Services, see the [Migration overview](../migrate/migration-overview.md). ## Scalability As your business grows, you might need to scale up your Azure DevOps instance. This scaling can involve adding more users, increasing storage capacity, or enhancing performance to handle larger workloads. You might also need to integrate other tools and services to support more complex workflows and ensure seamless collaboration across larger teams. Azure DevOps provides various options and configurations to help you scale efficiently, whether you're using Azure DevOps Services in the cloud or Azure DevOps Server on-premises. ### Azure DevOps Services Azure DevOps Services offers two options for scoping and scaling data: organizations and projects. Organizations in Azure DevOps Services get their own URLs (for example, `https://dev.azure.com/fabrikamfiber`), and they always have exactly one project collection. Organizations can have many projects within a collection. Create organizations in Azure DevOps Services wherever you might create collections in Azure DevOps Server. Consider the following scenarios: - **Purchase users per organization**. Paid users can access only the organization where the payment is made. For users needing access to multiple organizations, Visual Studio subscriptions are an attractive option. Visual Studio subscribers can be added to any number of organizations at no charge. - **Administer organizations individually**. Currently, you must administer organizations one at a time, which can be cumbersome if you have many organizations. For more information, see [Plan your organizational structure in Azure DevOps](plan-your-azure-devops-org-structure.md). ### Azure DevOps Server Azure DevOps Server provides three options for scoping and scaling data: deployments, project collections, and projects. - **Deployments**: In the simplest case, deployments are servers. They can be more complex, such as two-server deployments where SQL is on a separate machine or high-availability farms with multiple servers. - **Project collections**: Serve as containers for security, administration, and physical database boundaries. They're also used to group related projects. - **Projects**: Encapsulate the assets of individual software projects, including source code, work items, and more. For more information, see [Plan your organizational structure in Azure DevOps](plan-your-azure-devops-org-structure.md). ## Authentication When you compare Azure DevOps Services and Azure DevOps Server, it's important to understand the differences in how authentication is handled for each platform. ### Azure DevOps Services With Azure DevOps Services, you connect over the public internet (for example, `https://contoso.visualstudio.com`). You can authenticate by using either [Microsoft account](https://www.microsoft.com/account) credentials or [Microsoft Entra ID](/entra/fundamentals/whatis) credentials, depending on your organization setup. Microsoft Entra ID also allows you to enable features such as multifactor authentication, IP address restrictions, and more. The recommended approach is to configure your organizations to use Microsoft Entra rather than Microsoft accounts. This method provides a better experience in many scenarios and offers more options for enhanced security. For more information, see [About accessing Azure DevOps Services with Microsoft Entra ID](../organizations/accounts/access-with-azure-ad.md). ### Azure DevOps Server With Azure DevOps Server, you connect to an intranet server (for example, `https://tfs.corp.contoso.com:8080/tfs`). Authenticate by using Windows Authentication and your Windows AD domain credentials. This process is seamless, and you never encounter a sign-in experience. ## Data control Many entities seek information about data protection when considering a move to the cloud. Microsoft is committed to keeping Azure DevOps Services projects safe and secure. Technical features and business processes are established to uphold this commitment. You can also take steps to secure your data. For more information, see the [Data protection overview](../organizations/security/data-protection.md). ## User management When you manage users and groups in Azure DevOps Services and Azure DevOps Server, there are distinct methods and tools available for each platform to ensure proper access and organization. ### Azure DevOps Services In Azure DevOps Services, you can [provide access to groups of users](../organizations/accounts/manage-azure-active-directory-groups.md) by adding Microsoft Entra groups to Azure DevOps Services groups. If you use Microsoft Accounts instead of Microsoft Entra ID, you must [add users](../organizations/accounts/add-organization-users.md) individually. You must also [assign an access level](../organizations/accounts/add-organization-users.md) to each user in your organization. Azure DevOps Services validates Visual Studio subscribers as they sign in. You can assign Basic access for free to up to five users without Visual Studio subscriptions. To give at least Basic access to more users, [set up billing](../organizations/billing/set-up-billing-for-your-organization-vs.md#set-up-billing) and [pay for more users](../organizations/billing/buy-basic-access-add-users.md). Otherwise, all other users receive Stakeholder access. Microsoft Entra groups provide access to groups of users, with access levels automatically assigned at first sign-in. For organizations that use Microsoft accounts for signing in, you must explicitly assign access levels to each user. ### Azure DevOps Server In Azure DevOps Server, you grant users access to deployments by adding Windows AD groups to various Azure DevOps groups, such as the Contributors group for an individual project. Windows AD group memberships stay in sync. As users are added or removed in Windows AD, they automatically gain or lose access to Azure DevOps Server. All use is on the honor system. To set access levels for users based on their licenses, specify their [access levels](../organizations/security/change-access-levels.md) on the administration page. For example, assign unlicensed users Stakeholder access only. Users with an Azure DevOps Server Client Access License (CAL) can have Basic access. Visual Studio subscribers can have either Basic or Advanced access, depending on their subscription. Azure DevOps Server doesn't verify these licenses or enforce compliance. In both Azure DevOps Services and Azure DevOps Server, you manage access to features by assigning users to an [access level](../organizations/security/access-levels.md). All users must be assigned to a single access level. In both the cloud and on-premises offerings, you can give free access to work item features to an unlimited number of Stakeholders. Also, an unlimited number of Visual Studio subscribers can have access to all Basic features at no extra charge. You pay only for other users who need access. ## Process customization You can customize the work-tracking experience in different ways depending on the supported process model. ### Azure DevOps Services Azure DevOps Services uses the **Inheritance** process model, which supports WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) customization. This model allows you to easily customize work item types, states, and fields directly through the user interface without needing to edit XML files. You can create and modify processes to fit your team's workflow, and ensure the tools align with your specific project requirements. This flexibility makes it easier to manage and adapt to changes in your development process. ### Azure DevOps Server With Azure DevOps Server, you can choose between the **Inheritance** process model and the **On-premises XML** process model. The **Inheritance process model** supports WYSIWYG customization, which allows you to easily customize work item types, states, and fields directly through the user interface. This approach simplifies the customization process and ensures that changes are immediately reflected in your projects. The **On-premises XML process model** supports customization through the import or export of XML definition files for work-tracking objects. It provides a powerful and flexible way to define and manage your processes. However, it can cause various issues, such as: - Processes for existing projects aren't automatically updated, requiring manual intervention to apply changes. - The complexity of managing XML files can lead to errors and inconsistencies. - It might be challenging to maintain and troubleshoot customizations, especially in large or complex environments. To help you avoid issues, custom process templates and the _witadmin.exe_ tool are always disabled. This approach ensures that all projects are automatically updated with each Azure DevOps Services upgrade. With the process customization capability, you can make changes directly within the web user interface (UI). If you prefer to customize your processes programmatically, you can use REST endpoints. Customizing projects this way ensures they're automatically updated when new versions of their base processes are released with Azure DevOps Services upgrades. For more information, see [Customize your work-tracking experience](../reference/customize-work.md). ## Analytics and reporting Azure DevOps Services and Azure DevOps Server offer various tools to provide insight into the progress and quality of your software projects. These tools include: - **Dashboards and lightweight charts**: These tools are available on both cloud and on-premises platforms, and are easy to set up and use. Dashboards provide a customizable overview of your project status, while charts offer visual representations of key metrics and trends. - [**The Analytics service**](../report/powerbi/what-is-analytics.md) and [Analytics widgets](../report/dashboards/analytics-widgets.md): The Analytics service is optimized for fast read-access and server-based aggregations to help you gain deeper insights into your project data. Analytics widgets can be added to your dashboards to display real-time data and trends. - [**Microsoft Power BI integration**](../report/powerbi/overview.md): This integration allows you to bring Analytics data into Power BI reports, combining simplicity and power. With Power BI, you can create interactive and visually appealing reports that provide a comprehensive view of your project performance. - [**OData support**](../report/extend-analytics/quick-ref.md): OData support enables you to directly query the Analytics service from a supported browser and use the returned JSON data as needed. You can generate queries that span multiple projects or your entire organization, providing flexibility in how you analyze and utilize your data. For more information about the Analytics service, see the [Reporting roadmap](../report/powerbi/reporting-roadmap.md). These tools offer robust capabilities for monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on the progress and quality of your software projects. They help you make informed decisions and drive continuous improvement. ## Pricing models The **cloud offering**, Azure DevOps Services, and the **on-premises offering**, Azure DevOps Server, are available in different pricing models. For more information, review the following articles: - [Pricing for Azure DevOps Services](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/details/devops/azure-devops-services/) - [Pricing for Azure DevOps Server](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/details/devops/server/) ## Related content - Explore [essential services](services.md) - Discover [client-server tools](tools.md) - Understand [software development roles](roles.md)