Azure Private Endpoint vs Private Link

Last Updated on August 7, 2025 by Arnav Sharma

In today’s data-driven world, securing sensitive information is of utmost importance. With the rise of cloud computing, organizations are increasingly moving their data and applications to the cloud. However, this shift comes with its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to maintaining the security and privacy of data.

This is where Azure Private Endpoint and Private Link come into play. These two powerful features offered by Microsoft Azure provide organizations with secure and private connectivity to their resources hosted in the Azure cloud.

Azure Private Endpoint allows users to securely access Azure services using a private IP address from within their virtual network. This means that data traffic stays within the virtual network, eliminating exposure to the public internet. On the other hand, Azure Private Link enables users to securely access Azure PaaS services like Azure Storage and Azure SQL Database over a private endpoint.

What is a Private Endpoint?

A private endpoint is essentially a network interface with a private IP address from your virtual network. This interface allows you to connect privately and securely to a service powered by Azure Private Link. By enabling a private endpoint, you essentially bring the service into your virtual network.

Key Features of Private Endpoint:

Connects to Azure services like Azure Storage, Azure Cosmos DB, Azure SQL Database, or even your own service using Private Link.
Has specific properties like name, subnet, private-link resource, target subresource, connection approval method, request message, and connection status.
Enables connectivity from the same virtual network, regionally peered virtual networks, globally peered virtual networks, on-premises environments using VPN or Express Route, and services powered by Private Link.
Connections can only be initiated by clients connecting to the private endpoint. Service providers cannot create connections into service customers.

What is a Private Link Resource?

A private-link resource is the destination target of a specified private endpoint. Azure offers a wide range of resources that support a private endpoint, from Application Gateway, Azure AI services, Azure App Service, Azure Cosmos DB, to Azure SQL Database, and many more.

Key Features of Private Link Resource:

Ensures traffic is secured to a private-link resource.
Supports network policies like Network Security Groups (NSG), User Defined Routes (UDR), and Application Security Groups (ASG).
Provides a privately accessible IP address for the Azure service but doesn’t necessarily restrict public network access to it.

Differences between Private Endpoint and Private Link in Azure:

Feature/Aspect	Private Endpoint	Private Link
Definition	A network interface with a private IP address from your virtual network.	The platform that allows you to access Azure PaaS Services over a private endpoint in your virtual network.
Functionality	Connects you privately and securely to a service.	Provides the destination target of a specified private endpoint.
Usage	Used to bring Azure services into your virtual network.	Represents the services or applications you want to connect to using the private endpoint.
Configuration Properties	Has properties like name, subnet, private-link resource, target subresource, connection approval method, request message, and connection status.	More about the type of service you want to connect to, like Azure Storage or Azure SQL Database.
Security	Connections can only be initiated by clients connecting to the private endpoint. Service providers cannot create connections.	Ensures traffic is secured to a private-link resource. Supports network policies like NSG, UDR, and ASG.
Scope	More about the interface and the connection.	More about the service and its accessibility.
Benefits	Enables connectivity from the same virtual network, regionally peered virtual networks, on-premises environments, etc.	Provides privacy, protection against data leakage, global reach, and the ability to extend to your services behind an Azure Load Balancer.

Benefits of both Private Endpoint and Private Link in Azure:

Benefits	Private Endpoint	Private Link
Connectivity	Enables connectivity from the same virtual network, regionally peered virtual networks, on-premises environments, etc.	Provides privacy and allows you to connect your virtual network using private endpoints to all Azure services.
Security	Connections can only be initiated by clients connecting to the private endpoint. Service providers cannot create connections.	Ensures traffic is secured to a private-link resource. Supports network policies like NSG, UDR, and ASG.
Scope & Accessibility	More about the interface and the connection.	More about the service and its accessibility. Provides global reach, allowing you to connect privately to services in other regions.
Data Protection	A private endpoint is mapped to a specific PaaS resource, ensuring that consumers can only connect to that specific resource.	Protection against data leakage risks. Access to any other resource in the service is blocked.
Extensibility	–	Enable the same experience and functionality to render your service privately to consumers in Azure. Manage connection requests using an approval call flow.