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Head-to-head · Storage Migration Software

NetApp Data Migrator vs AWS DataSync

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score NetApp Data Migrator #1 in Storage Migration Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit NetApp
AWS DataSync #4 in Storage Migration Software 8.8/10 Paid ✓ 3 of 4 features Visit AWS DataSync

NetApp Data Migrator leads on 1 check, AWS DataSync on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreNetApp Data Migrator · 9.4/10
  • Free planonly NetApp Data Migrator
  • Most featuresNetApp Data Migrator · 4 of 4

NetApp Data Migrator scores higher on our rubric for storage migration software: 9.4 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #4.

NetApp Data Migrator offers free plan; AWS DataSync doesn't. On migration mode, NetApp Data Migrator gives you Both where AWS DataSync offers Batch.

NetApp Data Migrator is the better fit for free enterprise NAS migrations. AWS DataSync is the better fit for cloud and hybrid file transfers.

  • NetApp Data Migrator fits best

    Free enterprise NAS migrations

  • AWS DataSync fits best

    Cloud and hybrid file transfers

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature NetApp Data Migrator 9.4/10 Visit ↗ AWS DataSync 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.8
Ranking #1 in Storage Migration Software #4 in Storage Migration Software
Best for Free enterprise NAS migrations Cloud and hybrid file transfers
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free plan $0.01/GB usage-based
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web, Windows, Linux Web
Support Email, Docs Docs
Built for Enterprise, Mid-market Mid-market, Enterprise
Features NetApp Data Migrator 4/4 · AWS DataSync 3/4
Metadata preservation ✓ ✓
Access preservation ✓ ✓
Cutover orchestration ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Migration reporting ✓ ✓
Specs
Workload scope File File
Migration mode Both Batch
Supported platforms Any NAS server, including Dell Isilon, ONTAP, Vanilla Linux, Windows, and Cloud Volumes ONTAP; destinations include Azure NetApp Files, Google Cloud NetApp Volumes, Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP, and Cloud Volumes ONTAP; protocols include NFS 4.1/3.0 and SMB 3.1/3.0/2.0 NFS, SMB, HDFS, self-managed object storage, S3-compatible object storage, Azure Files, Azure Blob Storage, Amazon S3, Amazon EFS, Amazon FSx for Windows File Server, Amazon FSx for Lustre, Amazon FSx for OpenZFS, Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP
Our review
Pros
  • Supports NFS and SMB migrations with incremental synchronization
  • Preserves permissions, ACLs, identities, and file timestamps
  • Provides cutover workflows and checksum-validated custody reports
  • Connects on-premises, cloud, edge, and AWS storage locations
  • Preserves metadata, ownership, permissions, ACLs, timestamps, and object tags
  • Adds scheduling, incremental transfers, validation, monitoring, and reports
Cons
  • Runs on user-managed virtual machines and worker nodes
  • Destinations focus on NetApp cloud storage services
  • Professional services are priced separately
  • No free plan is available
  • Usage-based pricing starts at $0.0125 per GB
  • Enhanced mode costs $0.015 per GB
Our verdict

NetApp Data Migrator is software for moving unstructured file data from on-premises or third-party NAS storage to NetApp cloud storage services. It supports NFS and SMB workloads, including sources such as Dell Isilon, ONTAP, Vanilla…

Read the review →

AWS DataSync is a managed online service for migrating, replicating, archiving, and transferring files and objects. It is suited to organizations moving data between on-premises storage, edge locations, other cloud providers, and AWS…

Read the review →
  1. NetApp Data MigratorStorage Migration Software 9.4Free plan
  2. AWS DataSyncStorage Migration Software 8.8Paid

Strengths and trade-offs

  • NetApp Data Migrator — where it wins

    • Supports NFS and SMB migrations with incremental synchronization
    • Preserves permissions, ACLs, identities, and file timestamps
    • Provides cutover workflows and checksum-validated custody reports

    Where it doesn't

    • Runs on user-managed virtual machines and worker nodes
    • Destinations focus on NetApp cloud storage services
    • Professional services are priced separately

  • AWS DataSync — where it wins

    • Connects on-premises, cloud, edge, and AWS storage locations
    • Preserves metadata, ownership, permissions, ACLs, timestamps, and object tags
    • Adds scheduling, incremental transfers, validation, monitoring, and reports

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan is available
    • Usage-based pricing starts at $0.0125 per GB
    • Enhanced mode costs $0.015 per GB

More comparisons

All storage migration software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update