Cloud Providers

Overview of the four major cloud providers compared on CloudCost: AWS, Azure, GCP, and Alibaba Cloud.

Total: 4

Cloud Providers

CloudCost compares pricing across the four cloud providers most commonly used by global engineering teams. Each provider has a distinct pricing model, free tier, and discount program, and understanding these differences is the first step to lowering your cloud bill.

The Four Providers

  • AWS (Amazon Web Services) — the largest cloud provider by market share, with the broadest catalog of services and the most granular pricing options.
  • Microsoft Azure — the enterprise-focused cloud, tightly integrated with Windows Server, Active Directory, and the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP) — known for sustained-use discounts, per-second billing, and strong data and machine-learning services.
  • Alibaba Cloud — the leading cloud in China and a strong choice for workloads that need presence in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

Pricing Model Differences at a Glance

DimensionAWSAzureGCPAlibaba Cloud
Default billingper-secondper-minute (rounded)per-secondper-hour
Commitment discountReserved Instances / Savings PlansReserved InstancesCommitted Use DiscountsReserved Instances
Spot/preemptibleSpot InstancesSpot VMsSpot / Preemptible VMsPreemptible Instances
Free tier12-month + always-free12-month + always-free$300 / 90-day credit12-month free trial

How to Choose

The right provider depends on your workload, region, and team expertise. Use the comparisons in the next section to see how equivalent services stack up on price, then use the cost calculator to model your specific workload. For long-running steady-state workloads, pay close attention to reserved instance pricing; for bursty or fault-tolerant workloads, spot instances can cut costs by up to 90 percent.