AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud: The Best Cloud Platform

AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud Platform comparison table will help you select the best cloud platform for your business in 2023.

AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform are the leading cloud service providers dominating the cloud world.

To stay ahead in the fierce race, they keep adding features, trying different strategies, and making their cloud services more cost-effective to win that “cloud throne.”

Organizations, too, are migrating their data to the cloud rapidly due to its cost-effective, innovative, and agile nature. 

However, it becomes hard to decide which is objectively better than the other two. Is Azure the best choice for your enterprise? Or is the AWS console more feature-filled?

No sweat; it’s time to strap your seat belts as we will walk you through the detailed comparison between AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud Platform

Let’s dive in!

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Amazon Web Services (AWS), the top cloud computing platform offered by Amazon, is the top choice for companies looking to migrate data to the cloud. The products and services include databases, computing, analytics, networking, mobile, developer tools, IoT, and storage.

  • Low-cost, scalable, and reliable infrastructure platform 
  • Secure and flexible cloud computing environment 
  • 200+ fully-featured services 
  • 80+ availability zones in 24 regions
  • Holds the largest share in the cloud market 

Companies that use AWS services include:

  • Coursera
  • Intuit
  • Netflix
  • Expedia
  • Coinbase
  • Coca-Cola

Microsoft Azure

Companies looking to enhance or replace their on-premise servers can choose the public cloud platform — Microsoft Azure. You can build, test, deploy, and manage applications in the cloud with the Azure cloud console.

  • 200+ product and cloud services 
  • Used by 95% of Fortune 500 companies 
  • 90+ compliance offerings 
  • 60+ global regions have data centers 
  • Flexible payment models

Companies that use Microsoft Azure cloud consoles include:

  • Bosch
  • ASOS
  • Audi
  • Starbucks
  • Walgreens

Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Google cloud platform, initially called App Engine, is the cloud service provider offered by Google in 2008. However, GCP has fewer features as compared to AWS and Azure. Hence, it is used by a few organizations that, mainly include startups.

  • Highly specialized services in machine learning, big data, and analytics 
  • Suitable for organizations who are direct competitors of Amazon and cannot use the AWS console 
  • Open-source- and DevOps-centric platform 
  • Auto-scaling option available
  • 100+ products available

Companies that use Google cloud services include:

  • Toyota
  • Equifax
  • Spotify
  • Twitter
  • Target

Verdict: AWS and Azure are strong contenders between AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform in this battle and are preferred. 

Check out the updated infographics showing the comparison between AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud Platform:

Comparison Table: AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud Platform

Still, trying to figure out who is the best? Here’s a big-picture look at AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud Platform

Parameters

AWS

Microsoft Azure

Google Cloud Platform

VMEC2 (Elastic Compute) AzureAzure Virtual MachineGoogle Compute Engine
PaaSAWS Elastic BeanstalkApp ServiceGoogle App Engine
ContainerKubernetes Service/AWS Elastic ContainerAzure Kubernetes Service (AKS)Google Kubernetes Engine
Serverless FunctionsAWS LambdaAzure FunctionGoogle Cloud Functions
NoSQLAmazon DynamoDBTable StorageGoogle CloudDatastoreGoogle

Cloud Bigtable

File StorageEFSAzure FilesZFS and Avere
Object StorageAmazon S3Blob StoragesGoogle’s Cloud Storage
Archive StorageAvailable AvailableAvailable 
Data WarehouseRedshift SQL WarehouseBig Query
Virtual NetworkAmazon VPCVNetsVirtual Private Cloud
Firewall Available AvailableLimited 
DNSAmazon Route 53Azure DNSGoogle Cloud DNS
CDNAmazon CloudFrontMicrosoft Azure CDNGoogle Cloud CDN
AI&MLDeep Learning AMIs, SageMaker, Apache MXNet on AWS, TensorFlow on AWS, Comprehend, Lex, Polly, Rekognition, Machine Learning, Translate, Transcribe, DeepLens, etc.Machine Learning Azure Bot Service Cognitive ServicesCloud Machine Learning Engine, Dialog Flow Enterprise Edition, Cloud Natural Language, etc.
IoTIoT Core, FreeRTOS, Greengrass, etc.IoT Hub, IoT Edge, Stream Analytics, and Time Series InsightsCloud IoT Core (Beta)
Game DevelopmentAvailableAvailableAvailable
Augmented Reality Amazon SumerianAzure Kinect DKGoogle Cloud

AWS vs. Azure vs. GCP: Pros & Cons

Even though AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud Platform has some overlapping features, each of them has certain advantages and disadvantages. Let’s read them here!

Pros & Cons of AWS

Pros of AWS

  • Most trusted in the industry 
  • Highly scalable for extra data storage 
  • Fast and agile solution 
  • Pay-as-you-go pricing model
  • Easy to use as compared to Azure or GCP

Cons of AWS

  • Temporary cloud computing glitches can occur 
  • Few services are not available outside of the USA
  • Require expert assistance 
  • Server downtime (though it can be rectified) 
  • Complex infrastructure 

Pros & Cons of Azure

Pros of Azure

  • Azure cost is less compared to GCP or AWS 
  • Simple integration and migration are available 
  • Like AWS, Azure is highly scalable 
  • Multi-level data protection 
  • Quick support for hybrid cloud strategies

Cons of Azure

  • Fewer service choices as compared to AWS
  • Require expert management and maintenance 
  • Follows single vendor strategy 
  • Low speed (only if the region is not close) 
  • Less suitable for startups

Pros & Cons of GCP

Pros of GCP

  • Robust data analytics and high storage 
  • Easy collaboration 
  • Specially designed for cloud-native platforms 
  • Open source integration 
  • Excellent integration with other Google services and products

Cons of GCP

  • Limited programming language choice 
  • Few services and features compared to AWS and Azure 
  • Extremely complex transition from GCP to other platforms
  • Few global data centers
  • Not suitable for enterprise use cases 

AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud Platform: Choose the Best Cloud Service

AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform are the top cloud service providers that deserve appreciation and hold 62% of the total cloud market share in 2022.

However, the choice between AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud Platform depends on the business size and its operations.

While the AWS console wins the upper hand at providing extra features, high scalability, and more availability zones that suit enterprises, Azure holds the ground for its easy integration with MS tools.

However, Google cloud services lack certain features, have fewer global data centers than AWS and Azure, and suit only startups.

With all this in mind, it is clear that AWS has become the leading cloud platform in the market.

If you still need help determining which is the best among AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, feel free to get in touch with the team of Inferenz.

FAQ: 

Which is better: AWS or Google Cloud?

AWS is the clear winner that suits startups, SMEs, and large enterprises, as the services available on AWS are comprehensive.

Which is cheaper: Google Cloud or AWS, or Azure?

Google cloud costs less; however, it lacks multiple necessary features, making it a less functional enterprise-grade solution. On the other hand, AWS offers a pay-as-you-go model for enterprises, ensuring that you only pay for the required services.

Which cloud has the highest demand?

Around 365,000 companies adopt Microsoft Azure cloud services every year, making it one of the highest demanding cloud service providers.

Should I go for AWS or Azure?

Azure is enterprise-focused and straightforward, whereas AWS is a more customer-oriented cloud service platform. Enterprises looking for an all-in-one cloud platform should choose AWS services.

Why do people prefer AWS over Azure?

AWS has the edge over Azure because of its massive global footprint, better scalability, and less cost.