Key Differences Between AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Cloud

Cloud computing has become a core driver of digital transformation, enabling organisations to scale infrastructure on demand, improve operational efficiency, and accelerate innovation.

The comparison between AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud often anchors cloud strategy discussions, as these three platforms dominate the global market and offer extensive service portfolios. Understanding how they differ helps organisations choose the right environment for their applications, data workloads, and enterprise architecture goals.

What is Amazon Web Services (AWS)?

Amazon Web Services launched in 2006 and became the first major provider to offer cloud infrastructure as an on-demand utility in a pay-as-you-go model. It provides a large portfolio of services for computing, storage, networking, security, and application deployment, all designed to scale as business needs grow. Organisations use it to build and run applications without owning physical hardware, which reduces maintenance overhead and supports faster experimentation.

AWS cloud computing is known for its extensive documentation, strong ecosystem of solution partners, and reliable global network of data centers. This makes it suitable for enterprises that prioritize availability, regional redundancy, and the flexibility to expand into new markets or product lines with minimal operational disruption.

What is Microsoft Azure?

Microsoft Azure launched in 2010 and is tightly integrated with Microsoft’s core enterprise software environment. It offers services across compute, storage, identity, data platforms, analytics, and security, providing a foundation for both traditional and cloud-native applications.

Organizations that already use Microsoft technologies often find Azure appealing because it can extend existing authentication systems, governance frameworks, and development workflows into the cloud without major restructuring.

Azure also supports hybrid deployments, allowing businesses to gradually modernize applications while keeping certain workloads on-premise when required. This approach helps companies maintain stability during transitions and adopt cloud capabilities at their own pace. Azure’s strong management and monitoring tools support centralized oversight across distributed environments.

What is Google Cloud Platform (GCP)?

Google Cloud Platform was built on the same global infrastructure that powers Google’s search, communication, and content services. It provides cloud capabilities in computing, storage, networking, application development, and high-performance data processing.

GCP has a reputation for strong analytics performance and efficient handling of distributed workloads, making it a compelling choice for organizations working with large datasets or advanced data modelling. It also offers a developer-friendly environment that encourages containerized and microservices-based application design.

Teams that value open-source tooling and modern architecture patterns often gravitate toward GCP because of its support for agile development practices and streamlined operational workflows. This enables faster iteration cycles and scalable deployment models for data-driven platforms.

Differences Between AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud

The difference between Azure, AWS and Google Cloud becomes clearer when comparing core service categories across computing, storage, analytics, and hybrid solutions.

Compute and Virtual Machines

  • AWS: Broad instance types designed for specialized performance tuning.
  • Azure: Strong integration with on-premise and Active Directory-based hybrid environments.
  • GCP: Flexible machine customization and sustained-use pricing benefits.

Storage

  • AWS: S3 object storage is widely adopted for durability and lifecycle control.
  • Azure: Blob Storage suits organizations that require compliance alignment.
  • GCP: Multi-regional performance for large datasets and streaming workloads.

Data Analytics and Machine Learning

  • AWS: When evaluating AWS vs Azure machine learning, AWS SageMaker enables end-to-end model development workflows
  • Azure: Azure ML Studio integrates with enterprise development pipelines
  • GCP: GCP Vertex AI aligns with advanced data analysis and model experimentation.

Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Options

  • AWS: Outposts extends cloud resources into customer data centers.
  • Azure: Azure Stack and Azure Arc provide structured hybrid management.
  • GCP: Anthos supports multi-cloud Kubernetes orchestration across platforms.

 

AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Cloud Price Comparison

Cloud pricing depends on factors such as workload type, region, and commitment level. While rates fluctuate, general patterns provide useful guidance.

Google Cloud

Pricing Tendency – Often lowest for standard compute workloads
Key Notes – Automatic sustained-use discounts support continuous operations

Azure

Pricing Tendency – Competitive for mid-range storage and Microsoft-based environments
Key Notes – Can lower licensing costs for organizations already using Microsoft products

AWS

Pricing Tendency – On-demand rates can be higher for some instance types, but competitive with reservations
Key Notes – Savings Plans and reserved instances significantly reduce long-running compute costs

To ensure accurate evaluation, pricing calculators should be used along with data transfer, redundancy, and support considerations.

Benefits and Considerations


AWS

Advantages – Extensive global presence and service depth. Strong support ecosystem. Suitable for diverse enterprise workloads.
Considerations – Requires structured cost monitoring and governance planning to avoid unnecessary spend.

Azure

Advantages – Strong identity management integration. Suitable for organisations using Microsoft tools. Effective hybrid cloud alignment.
Considerations – Some services may require additional setup effort for non-Microsoft workloads. Requires careful role and policy design.

GCP

Advantages – High-performance data analytics and container orchestration. Cost benefits for continuous workloads. Developer-friendly environment.
Considerations – Smaller enterprise market share in some regions may mean fewer local partner options. May require onboarding for teams unfamiliar with Google’s development approach.

Which Cloud Platform Should You Choose?

The best platform choice depends on workload patterns, existing technology ecosystems, regional availability requirements, and governance policies. Some organisations benefit from a hybrid or multi-cloud architecture to maintain flexibility and resilience.

TIQRI supports organisations at every stage of their cloud journey, from assessment and migration to optimisation and long-term managed services. Our cloud-based solutions ensure that infrastructure decisions align with real business priorities.

Learn how TIQRI can guide your cloud strategy today.

Interested in exploring new technologies with us? Reach out to Alex on mobile +47 477 59 563 or email [email protected]

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