At a glance
| Source connectors | Azure stores, databases (SQL Server, Oracle, SAP, Snowflake, PostgreSQL and more), files, NoSQL and SaaS apps, plus generic ODBC, REST and OData |
| Destination connectors | Azure stores, Fabric Lakehouse and Warehouse, Snowflake, SQL Server, Oracle and others; many database connectors are source only |
| Batch or streaming | Batch and event-triggered pipelines |
| Change data capture | ADF change data capture resources; Fabric replaces these with copy jobs |
| Transformations | Mapping data flows (Spark) or external compute such as Databricks and stored procedures |
| Orchestration | Pipelines with control flow, parameters, triggers and dependencies |
| Deployment | Azure PaaS; self-hosted integration runtime on Windows or as a container |
| Licensing | Pay as you go per activity run, data movement hour, vCore-hour and operation |
Azure Data Factory suits Azure-based teams that need visual pipelines, a large connector set and on-premises reach through the self-hosted integration runtime, and it remains the place to run SSIS packages in Azure. For new projects Microsoft points to Data Factory in Microsoft Fabric, so choose ADF when you need features Fabric does not yet have, such as Azure-SSIS or managed virtual networks, or when you do not use Fabric.
Overview
Azure Data Factory (ADF) is a managed Azure service for hybrid ETL, ELT and data integration. You build pipelines of activities (copy, data flow, control flow and external compute such as Azure Databricks or HDInsight), connect to stores through linked services and datasets, and run them on integration runtimes: the Azure runtime in the cloud, a self-hosted runtime for private and on-premises sources, or an Azure-SSIS runtime for SQL Server Integration Services packages. Mapping data flows run visual transformations on Spark clusters that ADF starts and stops for you.
Microsoft's documentation calls Data Factory in Microsoft Fabric the next generation of ADF. Fabric Data Factory is a SaaS service billed through Fabric capacity, with pipelines, copy jobs, mirroring and Dataflow Gen2, and Microsoft says about 90% of ADF activities are already available there. Its comparison page lists Azure-SSIS integration runtimes and managed virtual networks with private endpoints as "to be determined" in Fabric, and Microsoft provides an upgrade path for eligible ADF pipelines.
Key features
- Visual pipeline designer with copy, data flow, control flow and external compute activities
- Self-hosted integration runtime for on-premises and private network sources
- Azure-SSIS integration runtime for running existing SSIS packages in Azure
- Mapping data flows: low-code transformations executed on managed Spark
- Schedule, tumbling window and event-based triggers
- CI/CD with Azure DevOps or GitHub and ARM templates
- Monitoring through ADF Studio, Azure Monitor, PowerShell and the API
Pros and cons
Pros
- Mature, widely used Azure service with a visual designer
- Reaches on-premises systems through the self-hosted integration runtime
- Runs existing SSIS packages, which Fabric does not yet support
- Published per-unit prices with no upfront commitment
Cons
- Microsoft directs new users to Fabric Data Factory, so most new features land there
- Pricing has many meters (runs, DIU-hours, vCore-hours, operations), which makes bills hard to forecast
- Strongest inside Azure; less natural for AWS or Google Cloud estates
- The managed Airflow option (Workflow Orchestration Manager) is closed to new instances
Pricing
Azure Data Factory is billed pay as you go per activity run, per hour of data movement and pipeline activity, per vCore-hour of data flow compute, and per entity operation. Retail prices for East US in USD, from Microsoft's Azure Retail Prices API on 7 November 2026: orchestration USD 1.00 per 1,000 activity runs on the Azure integration runtime (USD 1.50 on a self-hosted runtime); data movement USD 0.25 per DIU-hour (USD 0.10 per hour self-hosted); pipeline activity USD 0.005 per hour and external activity USD 0.00025 per hour; mapping data flows USD 0.27325 per vCore-hour general purpose and USD 0.34275 memory optimised; read and write operations USD 0.50 per 50,000 entities and monitoring USD 0.25 per 50,000 run records. Managed virtual network activities cost more (for example USD 1.00 per hour for pipeline activity). Azure-SSIS integration runtime VMs are billed separately. Prices vary by region.
Pricing checked on the vendor's official page on 7 November 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.
Who it is best for
Azure-centred organisations with existing ADF pipelines or SSIS packages, or that need managed virtual networks, private endpoints or hybrid on-premises connectivity outside Fabric.
Who should look elsewhere
- New Microsoft analytics projects already on Fabric, where Microsoft recommends Fabric Data Factory.
- Teams that want managed SaaS-to-warehouse ingestion without designing pipelines: see Fivetran alternatives.
Verdict
Azure Data Factory is still a sound, supported choice for Azure data integration, especially for SSIS lift-and-shift, private networking and hybrid on-premises work. Its strategic future is Fabric Data Factory, so for new Microsoft analytics projects compare Fabric first, and use ADF where its remaining unique features matter.
Frequently asked questions
Is Azure Data Factory being retired?
No retirement has been announced. Microsoft still sells and documents ADF, but describes Data Factory in Microsoft Fabric as its next generation and recommends that new users start there. Only ADF's Workflow Orchestration Manager (managed Airflow) stopped accepting new instances, from 1 January 2026.
What is the difference between Azure Data Factory and Fabric Data Factory?
ADF is a pay-as-you-go Azure PaaS service with integration runtimes, datasets and linked services. Fabric Data Factory is a SaaS service billed through Fabric capacity, using connections instead of datasets and the on-premises data gateway instead of the self-hosted runtime. Azure-SSIS and managed virtual networks are not yet in Fabric.
How much does Azure Data Factory cost?
It is pay as you go. In East US on 7 November 2026, orchestration was USD 1.00 per 1,000 activity runs, data movement USD 0.25 per DIU-hour and general-purpose data flows USD 0.27325 per vCore-hour, plus operation charges. Use the Azure pricing calculator for your region.
Sources
- Introduction to Azure Data Factory (Microsoft Learn)
- Differences between Data Factory in Fabric and Azure
- Azure Data Factory connector overview
- Azure Data Factory pipeline pricing
- Azure Retail Prices API: Azure Data Factory v2, East US
- Workflow Orchestration Manager notice (Microsoft Learn)
Checked November 2026.
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