2026 Comparison
Avanade vs 2nd Watch
Independent head-to-head comparison based on our methodology — certifications, outcomes, pricing, reviews, and specialization.
Key Insights
Avanade and 2nd Watch are separated by just 0.2 points in our rankings — effectively a statistical tie. Your choice should hinge on specific project requirements rather than overall scores.
This comparison spans two tiers: Premier Partner (Avanade) versus AWS Premier Partner (2nd Watch). Tier differences often reflect scale and breadth — Premier Partner firms typically offer more resources while AWS Premier Partner partners may provide more attention and specialized expertise.
Both firms work with Azure, but their platform portfolios differ. Avanade covers Azure while 2nd Watch operates across AWS and Azure and GCP. Consider your multi-cloud strategy when choosing.
Both firms have demonstrated experience in Financial Services and Retail — if you're in these sectors, request case studies from each to compare their approaches directly.
Avanade
Premier Partner
$250K-$1.5M+ · 60,000+ Microsoft professionals
2nd Watch
AWS Premier Partner
$200K+ typical · 500-1000 employees
Score Breakdown
| Dimension | Avanade | 2nd Watch | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certifications | 10/10 | 9/10 | Avanade |
| Outcomes | 9/10 | 9/10 | Tied |
| Pricing | 7/10 | 8/10 | 2nd Watch |
| Reviews | 9/10 | 8/10 | Avanade |
| Specialization | 10/10 | 9/10 | Avanade |
| Overall | 8.9/10 | 8.7/10 | Avanade |
Best for your project
Platform comparison: Azure
Both firms work with Azure. Here's how they compare specifically for Azure projects:
Avanade
Azure Migration
2nd Watch
Migration
Tier comparison: Premier Partner vs AWS Premier Partner
Premier Partner firms like Avanade
More focused expertise, often with deeper specialization in specific areas. Can provide more senior attention and flexible engagement models. May lack the scale for massive simultaneous rollouts.
AWS Premier Partner firms like 2nd Watch
More focused expertise, often with deeper specialization in specific areas. Can provide more senior attention and flexible engagement models. May lack the scale for massive simultaneous rollouts.
Avanade — Key Strengths
- ✓ Unmatched Azure and Microsoft ecosystem expertise
- ✓ Direct relationships with Microsoft product teams
- ✓ Strong in Power Platform and Dynamics integration
- ✓ Global delivery with consistent quality
- ✓ Excellent for Microsoft-centric organizations
Industries
Competencies
2nd Watch — Key Strengths
- ✓ Long track record (founded 2010) in public cloud
- ✓ Strong governance and compliance capabilities
- ✓ Multi-cloud management expertise
Industries
Competencies
Avanade — Considerations
- • Premium pricing (Microsoft + Accenture DNA)
- • Microsoft-only perspective (no multi-cloud)
- • Can push Microsoft solutions even when alternatives exist
- • Large teams may include less experienced staff
2nd Watch — Considerations
- • More process-heavy than smaller boutiques
- • Focus is heavily on infrastructure and operations vs. app dev