AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud pricing, compared
On this page
- Pricing models: same shape, different knobs
- Compute: within ~15% at list price
- Storage: near-parity on object, watch the operations fees
- Egress: the fee that’s similar everywhere and shocking everywhere
- Free tiers: enough to prototype, not to run
- So which is cheapest for you?
- FAQ
- Which cloud provider is cheapest overall?
- How do committed-use discounts compare across AWS, Azure, and GCP?
- Which cloud has the best free tier?
- Do egress fees differ enough to matter between providers?
If you’re hoping one provider is simply cheaper, the honest answer is: not by enough to decide anything. Here’s where the prices actually differ, and where they don’t.
Pricing models: same shape, different knobs
All three bill the same way at the core, pay-as-you-go for compute by the second, storage by the GB-month, and data transfer out by the GB, with discounts layered on top:
| AWS | Azure | Google Cloud | |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-demand compute | Per-second (Linux) | Per-second | Per-second |
| 1-yr commitment | Savings Plans / Reserved Instances, ~30-45% off | Reservations, ~30-40% off | Committed-use discounts, ~30-37% off |
| 3-yr commitment | Up to ~66-72% off | Up to ~60-65% off | Up to ~55-70% off |
| Automatic discount | , | , | Sustained-use: up to ~30% off, no commitment |
| Spot / preemptible | Spot: 60-90% off, reclaimable | Spot VMs: similar | Spot VMs: 60-91% off |
| License leverage | , | Hybrid Benefit: reuse Windows/SQL licenses, up to ~40-80% off those workloads | Some BYOL support |
Two standouts worth internalizing: GCP discounts you automatically the longer an instance runs in a month, which forgives teams that never get around to buying commitments. Azure’s Hybrid Benefit is the reason Windows-heavy shops so often land on Azure, reusing existing Windows Server and SQL Server licenses changes those line items more than any cross-provider difference.
Compute: within ~15% at list price
For a general-purpose 4 vCPU / 16 GB Linux instance (US regions, on-demand, 2026 list, treat as indicative, prices shift):
| Provider | Example instance | ~$/month (on-demand, 730 hrs) |
|---|---|---|
| AWS | m6i.xlarge | ~$140 |
| Azure | D4s v5 | ~$140 |
| Google Cloud | e2-standard-4 | ~$98 (n2-standard-4 ~$142) |
GCP’s E2 family is the visible bargain for tolerant general-purpose workloads; compare like-for-like (N2 vs. m6i vs. D-series) and the gap mostly closes. AWS offers by far the largest instance catalog, 750+ types, which is either fine-grained optimization or decision fatigue, depending on your team.
Storage: near-parity on object, watch the operations fees
Standard-tier object storage, per GB-month: AWS S3 ~$0.023, Azure Blob (hot) ~$0.018-0.021, GCS ~$0.020-0.026 depending on region and redundancy. Infrequent-access tiers run ~$0.01-0.0125 and archive tiers $0.001-0.004 everywhere. Block SSD storage is ~$0.08-0.10/GB-month on all three.
The differentiator isn’t the per-GB rate, it’s request/operation charges and retrieval fees on cold tiers, which punish “cheap” archive tiers used as active storage. If your workload does millions of small reads, model operations, not just capacity.
Egress: the fee that’s similar everywhere and shocking everywhere
Data out to the internet after small free allowances (typically 100 GB/month):
| Provider | First paid tier |
|---|---|
| AWS | ~$0.09/GB |
| Azure | ~$0.087/GB |
| Google Cloud | ~$0.085-0.12/GB (network tier dependent) |
At 5 TB/month out, that’s ~$430-470/month on any of them, egress will not pick your provider, but it can dominate a media-heavy bill on all three. (All three now waive egress when you migrate off the platform entirely, after regulatory pressure, useful for exit planning, irrelevant month-to-month.) More on containing it in avoiding bill shock.
Free tiers: enough to prototype, not to run
- AWS, 12-month free tier (e.g., 750 hrs/month of a t-class micro instance) plus a modest always-free layer.
- Azure, $200 credit for 30 days, plus 12-month free allowances and some always-free services.
- GCP, $300 credit over 90 days, plus the most useful always-free layer (one e2-micro VM, 5 GB of storage, modest egress).
All three are enough to run a proof-of-concept migration of one small workload, which is exactly what they’re for.
So which is cheapest for you?
Honest heuristics, not a verdict:
- Windows Server / SQL Server estate → Azure, almost always, via the Hybrid Benefit. The license math outweighs everything else on those workloads.
- Plain Linux compute, small team, minimal FinOps effort → GCP’s sustained-use discounts and simpler catalog tend to produce the least-regret bill.
- Broadest service needs, existing AWS skills, willingness to manage discounts actively → AWS optimizes furthest, but rewards attention and punishes neglect.
- Any of them beats the wrong one chosen for a 5% list-price difference: migration switching costs dwarf list-price gaps, so weigh workload fit and your team’s skills first.
Whichever you pick, run the numbers through the provider’s own calculator with your real inventory, our cost estimation walkthrough shows the method, and remember that at even moderate spend (~$5k+/month), negotiated enterprise agreements and startup credits move the price more than the public list does. Ask; all three discount for commitment and competition.
FAQ
Which cloud provider is cheapest overall?
None, reliably, comparable list prices sit within 10-20%, and discounts move the bill more than provider choice. GCP often edges plain Linux compute, Azure wins Windows/SQL workloads via the Hybrid Benefit, and AWS optimizes furthest in skilled hands.
How do committed-use discounts compare across AWS, Azure, and GCP?
All three: ~30-45% off for 1-year, up to ~60-70% for 3-year. AWS Savings Plans are the most flexible instrument, Azure reservations allow limited exchanges and stack with the Hybrid Benefit, and GCP adds automatic sustained-use discounts (up to ~30%) with no commitment.
Which cloud has the best free tier?
GCP: a $300/90-day credit plus the most useful always-free layer. AWS offers 12-month allowances plus a small always-free tier; Azure gives $200/30 days plus 12-month free services. All three cover a prototype; none run production free.
Do egress fees differ enough to matter between providers?
Rates cluster around $0.085-0.12/GB, so egress rarely decides the provider, but it can dominate a media-heavy bill on any of them, and CDN pricing and free allowances differ enough that high-traffic products should model their own pattern.
Choosing between providers for a real migration? Talk to a Webisoft cloud migration engineer, we’re vendor-neutral, and we’ll price your actual workload on all three so the decision is arithmetic, not brand loyalty.
Frequently asked questions
Which cloud provider is cheapest overall?
None of them, reliably. Comparable list prices sit within 10-20% of each other, and discounts move costs more than provider choice does. GCP often edges out on plain Linux compute, Azure wins for Windows Server and SQL Server workloads via the hybrid benefit, and AWS's breadth lets well-run teams optimize furthest. Fit and discounts decide it, not list price.
How do committed-use discounts compare across AWS, Azure, and GCP?
All three offer roughly 30-45% off for 1-year commitments and up to 60-70% for 3-year. AWS has the most flexible instrument (Compute Savings Plans apply across instance families and regions), Azure reservations can be exchanged or refunded within limits and stack with the hybrid benefit, and GCP adds automatic sustained-use discounts of up to ~30% that require no commitment at all.
Which cloud has the best free tier?
GCP's is the most generous ongoing free tier ($300/90-day trial credit plus always-free resources like one e2-micro VM). AWS offers 12 months of free-tier allowances plus a smaller always-free layer. Azure gives a $200/30-day credit plus 12-month free services. For evaluating a real migration, all three are enough to prototype; none will run production for free.
Do egress fees differ enough to matter between providers?
Rates are similar (roughly $0.085-0.12/GB to the internet after small free allowances), so egress rarely decides the provider. What matters more: all three have committed to free egress when you leave the platform entirely, and CDN pricing and free allowances differ, high-traffic products should model their specific traffic pattern on each provider's calculator.