kitio.aiAzure Vision vs Custom Vision
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Azure Vision starts at See pricing page and Custom Vision starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Image captioning and tagging
- Object and people detection
- Read OCR for print and handwriting
- REST API and SDKs
- Part of Microsoft Foundry
- Image classification training
- Object detection models
- Assisted image tagging
- Model evaluation in the portal
- REST prediction API
| Feature | Azure Vision | Custom Vision |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Microsoft cloud APIs for image analysis and text extraction (OCR) | Microsoft service for training custom image recognition models |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Azure Vision starts at See pricing page and Custom Vision starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
Prices in USD, checked Oct 29, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Azure Vision
- Mature service with broad language support for OCR
- Fits into other Azure and Foundry services
- Enterprise compliance and regional hosting
- Requires an Azure account and setup
- Per-transaction pricing is hard to estimate
- Frequent renaming makes docs confusing
Custom Vision
- Needs only a few labeled images
- No machine learning expertise required
- Backed by Azure infrastructure
- Requires an Azure account
- Portal looks dated
- Limited to image tasks
Which one should you choose?
Choose Azure Vision if you want:
- Mature service with broad language support for OCR
- Fits into other Azure and Foundry services
- Enterprise compliance and regional hosting
Watch out: requires an azure account and setup.
Choose Custom Vision if you want:
- Needs only a few labeled images
- No machine learning expertise required
- Backed by Azure infrastructure
Watch out: requires an azure account.
Azure Vision vs Custom Vision FAQ
What is the difference between Azure Vision and Custom Vision?
Azure Vision: Microsoft cloud APIs for image analysis and text extraction (OCR). Custom Vision: Microsoft service for training custom image recognition models. Both are models & apis tools.
Is Azure Vision or Custom Vision cheaper?
Azure Vision starts at See pricing page and Custom Vision starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Azure Vision and Custom Vision have free plans?
Azure Vision: Yes. Custom Vision: Yes.
Who makes Azure Vision?
Azure Vision is made by Microsoft, based in United States.
Who makes Custom Vision?
Custom Vision is made by Microsoft, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Azure Vision or Custom Vision?
Choose Azure Vision if you value mature service with broad language support for ocr and fits into other azure and foundry services. Choose Custom Vision if you value needs only a few labeled images and no machine learning expertise required.