AWS Vs Azure Vs GCP – The Cloud Platform of Your Choice?
Picking the right cloud platform can be a pivotal decision that shapes the future of your organization’s digital journey. In the dynamic world of cloud computing, three giants reign supreme: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Each offers a treasure trove of features, services, and capabilities, making the decision akin to selecting the perfect tool for a master craftsman.
Cloud computing has caused a fundamental change in the operational landscape of organizations, propelling us into a new technological era. Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) dominate the global cloud market.
Currently, a significant number of enterprises are gravitating towards cloud adoption, including the deployment of multi-cloud environments, to leverage the manifold advantages bestowed by cloud computing, such as:
- Capital Expenditure Reduction: By migrating to the cloud, businesses can curtail their capital expenditures significantly, as they no longer need to invest in and maintain on-premises hardware and infrastructure.
- Diminished Infrastructure Maintenance: Cloud services alleviate the burden of infrastructure upkeep, as cloud providers assume responsibility for the underlying hardware, ensuring that it remains operational and up-to-date.
- Enhanced Availability: Cloud environments offer high levels of availability through redundancy and failover mechanisms, minimizing the risk of downtime and service interruptions.
- Scalability: Cloud platforms provide dynamic scalability, enabling organizations to effortlessly expand or contract their computing resources in response to fluctuating workloads, thus optimizing cost efficiency.
Although the significant triumvirate of cloud providers, AWS vs Microsoft Azure vs Google Cloud boast considerable experience and expertise, enterprises must engage in meticulous due diligence. This involves a comprehensive compare AWS GCP and Azure to gain an in-depth understanding of their respective capabilities and differentiating factors before committing.
Join us on a journey through the clouds as we explore the strengths and nuances of Azure AWS GCP comparison, helping you navigate the skies to find the cloud platform that suits your unique requirements and aspirations.
However, the other two are also progressing at a faster rate to prove their market dominance.
AWS Vs Azure Vs GCP: Feature-wise Comparison
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| Details | AWS | Azure | GCP |
| Compute Services | 1) AWS Beanstalk 2) Amazon EC2 3) Amazon EC2 Auto-Scaling 4) Amazon Elastic Container Registry 5) Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service 6) Amazon Lightsail 7) AWS Serverless Application Repository 8) VMware Cloud for AWS 9) AWS Batch 10) AWS Fargate 11) AWS Lambda 12) AWS Outposts 13) Elastic Load Balancing |
1) Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) 2) Function-as-a-service (FaaS) 3) Service Fabric 4) Azure Batch 5) Cloud Services 6) Container Instances Batch 7) Azure Container Service (AKS) 8) Virtual Machines Compute Engine 9) Virtual Machine Scale Sets |
1) App Engine 2) Docker Container Registry 3) Instant Groups 4) Compute Engine 5) Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) 6) Knative 7) Kubernetes 8) Functions |
| Storage Services | 1) Simple Storage Service (S3) 2) Elastic Block Storage (EBS) 3) Elastic File System (EFS) 4) Storage Gateway 5) Snowball 6) Snowball Edge 7) Snowmobile |
1) Blob Storage 2) Queue Storage 3) File Storage 4) Disk Storage 5) Data Lake Store |
1) Cloud Storage 2) Persistent Disk 3) Transfer Appliance 4) Transfer Service |
| AI/ML | 1) SageMaker 2) Comprehend 3) Lex 4) Polly 5) Rekognition 6) Machine Learning 7) Translate 8) Transcribe 9) DeepLens 10) Deep Learning AMIs 11) Apache MXNet on AWS 12) TensorFlow on AWS |
1) Machine Learning 2) Azure Bot Service 3) Cognitive Services |
1) Cloud Machine Learning Engine 2) Dialogflow Enterprise Edition 5) Cloud Natural Language 6) Cloud Speech API 7) Cloud Translation API 8) Cloud Video Intelligence 9) Cloud Job Discovery (Private Beta) |
| Database Services | 1) Aurora 2) RDS 3) DynamoDB 4) ElastiCache 5) Redshift 6) Neptune 7) Database Migration Service |
1) SQL Database 2) Database for MySQL 3) Database for PostgreSQL 4) Data Warehouse 5) Server Stretch Database 6) Cosmos DB 7) Table Storage 8) Redis Cache 9) Data Factory |
1) Cloud SQL 2) Cloud Bigtable 3) Cloud Spanner 4) Cloud Datastore |
| Backup Services | Glacier | 1) Archive Storage 2) Backup 3) Site Recovery |
1) Nearline (frequently accessed data) 2) Coldline (infrequently accessed data) |
| Serverless Computing | 1) Lambda 2) Serverless Application Repository |
Functions | Google Cloud Functions |
| Strengths | 1) Dominant market position 2) Extensive, mature offerings 3) Support for large organizations 4) Global reach 5) Flexibility and a wider range of services |
1) Second largest provider 2) Integration with Microsoft tools and software 3) Broad feature set 4) Hybrid cloud 5) Support for open source 6) Ideal for startups and developers |
1) Designed for cloud-native businesses 2) Commitment to open source and portability 3) Flexible contracts 4) DevOps expertise 5) Complete container-based model 6) Most cost-efficient |
| Caching | Elastic Cache | Redis Cache | Cloud CDN |
| File Storage | EFS | Azure Files | ZFS and Avere |
| Networking | Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) | Azure Virtual Network (VNET) | Cloud Virtual Network |
| Security | AWS Security Hub | Azure Security Center | Cloud Security Command Center |
| Location | 102 availability zones within 32 geographic regions | Presence in 60+ regions across the world | Presence in 38 regions and 115 zones. Available in 200+ countries and territories |
| Documentation | Best in class | High quality | High quality |
| DNS Services | Amazon Route 53 | Azure Traffic Manager | Cloud DNS |
| Notifications | Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS) | Azure Notification Hub | None |
| Load Balancing | Elastic Load Balancing | Load Balancing for Azure | Cloud Load Balancing |
| Automation | AWS Opsworks | Azure Automation | Compute Engine Management |
| Compliance | AWS CloudHSM | Azure Trust Center | Google Cloud Platform Security |
| Pricing/ Discount Options | One-year free trial along with a discount of up to 72% for a 1-3 year commitment | Up to 90% discount for a commitment ranging from one to three years | GCP offers a 30 % discount on the monthly expense of utilizing a single GPU |
Useful Link: AWS vs Azure vs GCP: Cloud Cost Comparison
AWS Vs Azure Vs Google Cloud Services Comparison: Pricing
When choosing a public cloud service provider, the AWS Azure Google price comparison aspect is the prime impetus that influences the decision-making of IT firms. The following comparison of AWS vs Azure vs Google cloud services comparison in terms of price and machine type will assist you in your decision-making:
| Machine Type | AWS | Azure | GCP |
| Smallest Instance | An instance with 2 virtual CPUs and 8 GB RAM will cost you around USD69/month. | An instance with 2 virtual CPUs and 8 GB RAM will cost you around USD70/month. | An instance with 2 virtual CPUs and 8 GB RAM will cost you around USD52/month. |
| Largest Instance | The largest instance that includes 3.84 TB RAM and 128 vCPUs will cost you around USD 3.97/hour. | The largest instance that includes 3.89 TB RAM and 128 vCPUs will cost you around USD 6.79/hour. | The largest instance which includes 3.75 TB RAM and 160 vCPUs will cost you around USD 5.32/hour. |
Apart from the aforementioned pricing models, there is another model that is worth mentioning!! AWS and Azure offer their cloud services with pay-per-minute billing options, whereas GCP is ahead of them by providing a pay-per-second billing option. Moreover, GCP offers various discounts and flexible contracts to gain maximum demand influx.
Useful Link: AWS Vs Azure Vs GCP: Cloud Market Share Q1 2021
AWS vs Azure vs GCP Comparison – Cloud Storage Pricing
In the realm of storage pricing, these prominent cloud web services comparison providers exhibit distinct differentiations. To illuminate this contrast, let’s compare AWS GCP and Azure rates within equivalent regions: AWS US East (Northern Virginia), Azure East US, and Google Cloud Platform’s Northern Virginia (US-east4).
| Cloud Provider Comparison | Storage Pricing (GB/Month) |
| Amazon S3 | USD 0.023 |
| Azure | USD 0.021 |
| Google Cloud Platform | USD 0.023 |
This tableau underscores the nuanced variations in storage cost structures among these leading cloud provider comparisons, where slight variations in AWS vs GCP vs Azure pricing can impact enterprises’ budgetary considerations and strategic decision-making.
AWS vs Azure vs GCP Comparison – On-Demand Pricing
Examining the On-Demand pricing models of these prominent cloud services—AWS Azure GCP service comparison Cloud Platform—reveals the following rates for general-purpose instances, expressed on an hourly basis:
General Purpose
| Cloud Provider | Instance Type | Hourly Price |
| AWS | t4g.xlarge | USD 0.1344 |
| Azure | B4ms | USD 0.166 |
| GCP | e2-standard-4 | USD 0.150924 |
Compute Optimized
| Cloud Provider | Instance Type | Price |
| AWS | C6a.xlarge | USD 0.153 |
| Azure | F4s v2 | USD 0.1690 |
| GCP | c2-standard-4 | USD 0.2351 |
This detailed breakdown showcases the hourly cost structure for general-purpose compute instances across this three-leading comparison of cloud providers, aiding in precise financial planning and strategic decision-making for businesses.
Comparison of 1-Year Upfront Commitment Discounted Pricing: AWS vs Microsoft Azure vs Google Cloud
When evaluating the cost efficiency of AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud within a one-year commitment period involving an upfront payment, it’s essential to consider their respective discounted AWS vs GCP vs Azure pricing structures. AWS employs Reserved Instances, Azure implements Reserved Savings, and Google Cloud leverages Committed Use Discounts to offer reduced rates.
The subsequent tables present a comparative analysis of discounted pricing for general-purpose instances across Azure AWS GCP comparison, with a one-year commitment and full upfront payment:
| Cloud Provider | Instance Type | Price | Discount |
| AWS | t4g.xlarge | USD 0.084 | 41% |
| Azure | B4ms | USD 0.1118 | 32% |
| GCP | e2-standard-4 | USD 0.095092 | 37% |
These figures shed light on the intricacies of cost savings achieved by committing to a one-year upfront payment with each primary comparison of cloud providers, assisting organizations in making financially informed decisions.
Prominent AWS, Azure, GCP Customers
AWS is the biggest cloud services provider and has amassed an impressive clientele. As per the exhaustive report compiled by Yahoo Finance, German firm SAP has been an AWS client since 2008. SAP is deemed to be the third-biggest software giant in the world. This was an AWS first as it was the first cloud technology to shoulder SAP’s workflows. Other clients are Novartis, the American pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer, and the electronics colossus Sony.
Azure is not far behind in a lot of favor for its compatibility with its pre-existing Microsoft infrastructure. Beverage maker Coca-Cola, machinery manufacturer Bosch, and computers manufacturer Lenovo have harnessed the power of Azure.
Google Cloud is not backing down as it bagged Twitter, Deutsche Bank, and the global mailing platform UPS are using the tech to keep their operations running. Azure vs AWS vs Google Cloud has many more desirable clients.
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
A pioneer of cloud computing, Amazon was the first entrant into the cloud services market over a decade ago and leads in terms of the number of products and customers, with AWS considered the benchmark of cloud service quality.
AWS offers a range of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offerings that can be classified into computing, database, content delivery and storage, and networking.
AWS enables a smooth and flexible data collection flow using serverless services such as Amazon Kinesis Streams, Amazon SQS Queues, and AWS Lambda Functions. It allows organizations to choose the web application platform, operating system, database, and programming languages, among others, as required.
Cloud infrastructure resource usage can be monitored using AWS management tools such as AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch for tracking user activity and AWS Config for managing the resource inventory and changes.
AWS contributes to significant enhancement in the productivity and business growth of organizations. A few drawbacks of AWS include the complex infrastructure and default service limits set by average user needs.
Amazon data centers are the largest among the three cloud providers in 84 regions worldwide.
Useful Link: Best Practices for AWS Cloud Migration and Benefits
Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure platform has been designed for building, deploying, and managing various services and applications through the massive network of Microsoft-managed data centers. Azure’s offerings include computing, networking, data management databases, and performance.
Azure Site Recovery enables organizations of all sizes to orchestrate site-to-site replication and data recovery to VMs hosted on Azure. Azure offers Zone Redundant Storage (ZRS) or data storage redundancy across multiple data center regions.
Azure ExpressRoute facilitates connectivity of the data center to Azure through a private link without using the Internet, thereby providing higher security, excellent reliability, and lower latency.
Azure also has extensive networking capabilities, including support for multiple site-to-site connections to virtual networks and the ability to connect virtual networks across different regions to each other.
Azure has the lowest on-demand and discounted instance pricing. Specialist developers can write, test and deploy algorithms using the Azure Machine Learning Studio.
Useful Link: Steps to a Successful Microsoft Azure Cloud Migration
Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
With an intuitive interface, lower costs, preemptible instances, and flexible compute options, GCP is an attractive alternative to both AWS and Azure. Google uses full-scale encryption of all data and communication channels including the traffic between data centers.
Some of the areas where Google Cloud strongly competes with AWS include instance and payment configurability, privacy and traffic security, cost-efficiency, and Machine Learning.
While all three cloud providers offer discounts of up to 75 percent for a commitment of one to three years, Google additionally offers a sustained use discount of up to 30 percent on each instance type running for more than 25 percent each month.
AWS’ 1-year-free trial has been matched by GCP’s credit of USD 300 for 12 months along with a free tier that isn’t time-limited. GCP’s credits model is more suited for organizations newly venturing into cloud services.
Google offers several off-the-shelf APIs pertaining to computer vision, natural language processing, and translation. Machine learning engineers can build models based on Google’s Cloud Machine Learning Engine’s open-source TensorFlow deep learning library.
Useful Link: Migrate to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) – Best Practices, Tools and Benefits
A Three-way Battle
The differences between the three major cloud services can be seen by evaluating them using different parameters such as computing, storage, databases, locations, and documentation.
- Compute: AWS offers the Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) that handles all compute services by managing virtual machines that have preconfigured settings and can also be configured by the users as required. On the other hand, Azure offers Virtual Machines and Virtual Machine scale sets while GCP provides the Google Compute Engine (GCE) which performs the same functions.
- Storage: Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) is the best option for storage with extensive documentation, tried and tested technology with proper community support. Microsoft Azure Storage and Google Cloud Storage also offer reliable storage services.
- Multi-Cloud Support: AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud have upped their respective games when it comes to multi-cloud infrastructure. AWS was one of the first cloud players to enter multi-cloud games with Elastic Container Service (ECS) and Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) which allows its AWS users to manage their containers and K8s applications on Azure and Google Cloud. Azure went the extra mile by bringing out Arc which allows its users to run the Microsoft cloud’s services on both AWS and Google Cloud. This is an edge Azure possesses over AWS as the latter has limited itself to containers and K8s. Despite its late entry, Google has also forayed into this arena with Anthos which allows Kubernetes clusters and other such loads to be run on AWS and Azure.
- Databases: Multiple tools and service options pertaining to databases are offered by all the major service providers. Amazon’s Relational Database Service (RDS) supports major databases such as Oracle and PostgreSQL and manages everything from updating to patching. Azure SQL Database offers SQL database handling features for Azure, while it is Cloud SQL for GCP.
- Location: AWS, Azure, and GCP offer great coverage across the world and ensure peak application performance by having the least possible route to the intended customer base. While Amazon has 77 availability zones, Azure has a presence in 60+ regions and Google in 33 countries, with newer regions being added regularly.
- Documentation: All three vendors offer high-quality documentation though AWS is slightly ahead of Azure and GCP.
Benefits of AWS, Azure, and GCP
AWS Benefits:
- Mature Ecosystem: AWS is the longest-standing cloud provider with a vast and mature ecosystem of services and solutions.
- Global Reach: AWS boasts a widespread global network of data centers, ensuring low-latency access in various regions.
- Robust Security: AWS offers a comprehensive suite of security tools and compliance certifications, making it a trusted choice for security-conscious organizations.
- Serverless Computing: AWS Lambda enables serverless computing, allowing users to focus on code without managing servers.
- AI and Machine Learning: AWS provides powerful AI and ML services like Amazon SageMaker for advanced data analytics.
Azure Benefits:
- Seamless Integration: Azure seamlessly integrates with Microsoft products like Windows Server and Active Directory, ideal for organizations heavily reliant on Microsoft technologies.
- Hybrid Cloud: Microsoft Azure is known for its hybrid solid cloud capabilities, making it suitable for businesses with on-premises infrastructure.
- Enterprise Focus: Azure offers extensive enterprise-grade services, including Azure Active Directory, Azure Site Recovery, and Azure DevOps.
- AI and ML Integration: Azure Machine Learning and Cognitive Services facilitate AI and ML integration into applications.
- Data Analytics: Azure provides Azure Data Lake Analytics and HDInsight for advanced data analytics and big data processing.
GCP Benefits:
- Data Analytics Prowess: GCP excels in data analytics with BigQuery, Dataflow, and Dataprep for efficient data processing and insights.
- Container Management: Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) is a leading container orchestration and management platform.
- Global Network: GCP boasts a high-speed, low-latency global network, perfect for real-time applications.
- Open Source Embrace: GCP is known for its open-source commitment, supporting popular tools and frameworks.
- Machine Learning Expertise: Google’s AI and ML capabilities are leveraged in GCP, making it a strong choice for machine learning projects.
Ultimately, the choice between Azure vs AWS vs Google Cloud depends on an organization’s specific needs, existing technology stack, and strategic goals. Each cloud provider provides a unique set of benefits that can cater to various business requirements.
How to choose a cloud service provider (Based on Reason and Availability)
Amazon Web Services has had a head start in the cloud race as it was the first to kickstart the race. AWS has a wide range of services, and its reach is a significant motivational factor for choosing the Amazon cloud. Whether with the containers or with their innovative tools, AWS has been the favorite for many users who develop and deploy products rapidly.
Azure is another preferred productivity partner as its parent company, Microsoft, is prevalent. Azure’s compatibility with Microsoft products such as Windows and Office suites is an excellent reason for choosing the cloud. Additionally, Microsoft is expending efforts to lay an undersea cable to ensure high-speed connectivity for its clients.
Finally, GCP is preferred by companies in their nascent stages, as Google is known to offer discounts on its pricing models. Additionally, Google is spearheading some open-source projects, such as Karpenter, which would push productivity to new heights. These productivity tools and affordable pricing models sweeten the deal for users in their emerging phases.
AWS Vs Azure Vs Google Cloud: Key Takeaways!
After going through the pros and cons of these three cloud providers, it is evident that each is unique and provides various options to the customers.
But looking closely at them, we can see AWS securing maximum footprint in this cloud battle of Azure vs AWS vs GCP. Even though AWS is ahead of the curve, it is still uncertain how long AWS will be enjoying its dominance.
Azure and GCP are striving relentlessly to secure a maximum share in the global cloud market. Azure is leveraging the fact that ‘it is easy to integrate MS tools with Azure cloud’. So, Azure can easily embrace organizations using MS tools. On the other hand, GCP with the best pricing models can aid customers with cost concerns.
AWS, Azure and GCP: Market Shares and Growth Rate
Since the inception of Cloud computing, AWS has been dominating others in the global cloud market. AWS enjoys dominance by securing around 33 percent of the global market share. At the same time, Microsoft Azure is ensuing AWS with 23 percent of the global market share. And GCP is in third place with a global market share of 11 percent.
AWS vs Azure vs GCP Market Share
- AWS – 33%
- Microsoft Azure – 23%
- GCP – 11%
Source: Synergy Research Group
Useful Link: Which Cloud has Better Private Connectivity: AWS or Azure or GCP?
The Selection Dilemma
The war for cloud supremacy is between the Big Three. While several other players like IBM and Oracle have ventured into cloud services, they are still far from cornering a significant market share.
Each of the three cloud platforms Amazon Web Services vs Azure vs Google Cloud is unique and offers many options for organizations to select from based on their specific requirements. Whether AWS will retain its eminence or the others will catch up soon remains to be seen.
Conclusion
AWS is the top in cloud computing, with the broadest range of services, the largest community, and the most mature tooling. Azure is a strong competitor to AWS, with a broad range of services and good hybrid cloud support. GCP is the most affordable of the three major cloud providers and strongly focuses on machine learning and artificial intelligence.
The best cloud web services comparison platform for you will be based on your needs and requirements. AWS is a good choice if you are looking for the most mature and feature-rich platform. Azure is a good option if you are looking for a good hybrid cloud solution or a platform with solid machine learning support. GCP is a good choice if you are looking for the most affordable platform.
It is also important to note that all three major cloud providers offer free trials, so you can try them out before you commit to a paid plan. Still unsure about which cloud suits you best? We are here to solve your dilemma. Veritis, the Stevie and Globee Business Awards winner, has developed, deployed, and maintained countless cloud applications. From Fortune 500 companies to emerging enterprises, we have tendered customized solutions that stood the test of time.
Reach out to us, harness our cloud expertise, and walk away with a suit tailored just for you.
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AWS Vs Azure Vs GCP – FAQs
Cloud technology is quite vast and flexible. However, AWS, Azure, and GCP offer many tools that boost productivity.
However, not everyone can comprehend cloud technology’s potential, and this is where Veritis helps aspiring cloud users by understanding the clients' unique needs. Veritis suggests the cloud offering that is apt for you by acknowledging the unique requirements.
Azure keeps rolling out new tools once every fortnight, and what’s more, the cloud is entirely compatible with Windows OS and Microsoft tools, which are widely used across the globe.
This wicks away the compatibility issues and makes Azure future-proof compared to other cloud technologies.
Google Cloud is quite popular among startups as it offers various discounts for cloud users. Google Cloud is better for you if pricing is a significant aspect.
Azure offers immense flexibility, and AWS has the edge over the others with its massive global footprint.
All three clouds are immensely secure, and they hold immense potential. However, harnessing the potential is not everyone’s game.
This has motivated various Fortune 500 companies and emerging companies to reach out to Veritis as our experts customize solutions based on your requirements.
Additional Resources:
- How Businesses Can Establish Right KPIs to Measure Digital Success?
- The 6 Cloud Trends Which Shall Dominate 2022
- Future of DevOps: Top 6 DevOps Trends in 2022 and Beyond
- AWS vs Azure vs GCP: Breakdown of Cloud Migration Services (Infographic)
- AWS Leads Cloud Race in 2019; GCP, Azure Continue Growth
- AWS Vs Azure Cloud – A Glance at Comparison
- Leverage Full Advantage of Cloud Migration with GCP