AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud: Comparing the Top Cloud Service Providers

Cloud computing has revolutionized the way organizations work, propelling us into a new era of technology. Among the top cloud service providers dominating the worldwide market are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). 

As more enterprises embrace the cloud and even multi-cloud environments, it’s crucial to compare these platforms to fully understand their capabilities and differences. So, let’s get into the AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud battle right away!

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

As the current market leader in cloud computing platforms, Amazon Web Services offers a wide range of services to cater to every demand. 

AWS started as an internal cloud offering and evolved into a publicly available platform in 2006. Today, it offers over 200 fully-featured services and serves millions of users. 

Prominent AWS customers include Expedia, Netflix, Coinbase, Formula 1, Coca Cola, Intuit, Airbnb, Lyft, Coursera, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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Microsoft Azure

Microsoft Azure, the second-largest cloud platform, provides infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions. 

It offers a wide array of services tailored for Microsoft-centric enterprises, making the transition to the cloud or a hybrid-cloud environment seamless. 

Azure is used by more than 95% of Fortune 500 companies and supports open-source languages, technologies, and platforms. Notable Azure customers include DAIMLER AG, McKesson Group, ASOS, Center for Disease Control (CDC), National Health Service (NHS), HSBC, Starbucks, Walgreens, 3M, HP, Mitsubishi Electric, and Renault.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Google Cloud Platform, part of the overarching Google Cloud, offers over 100 services spanning computing, networking, big data, and more. 

While GCP is the smallest of the Big 3 cloud providers, it provides a robust set of cloud services to power and support any type of application. 

Notable GCP customers include Toyota, Unilever, Nintendo, Spotify, The Home Depot, Target, Twitter, PayPal, and UPS.

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AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud

Key Considerations in Choosing a Cloud Service Provider:

When choosing a cloud service provider, there are several factors to consider. Let’s explore some of the most important angles:

Regions and Availability

The supported regions and availability of a cloud provider directly impact the performance of your cloud, especially when dealing with data and compliance requirements. As of September 2021, here’s where the Big 3 stand:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): 25 geographic regions with 81 availability zones, 218+ edge locations, and 12 Regional Edge Caches.
  
• Microsoft Azure: 60+ regions with a minimum of three availability zones in each region, and over 116 edge locations (Points of Presence).
  
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP): 27 cloud regions with 82 zones and 146 edge locations.
  

All three platforms also provide specialized cloud solutions for the government, and both AWS and Azure offer specialized services for the Chinese market with data centers located in China. 

Azure has the broadest geographic coverage, while all platforms cover most of the globe and continuously expand their coverage to meet growing computing demand.

Common Services

AWS and Azure have the largest service catalogs, offering over 200 services each, while GCP currently offers around 100 services. Let’s take a look at some common service offerings of each cloud platform:

Each cloud provider offers comparable services to cover common computing needs. However, there are differences in how each service is implemented and the individual features available.

Specialized Services

When it comes to specialized services, AWS and Azure offer a wider range of options compared to GCP. Let’s take a look at some of the specialized services available with each platform:

AWS

• DevOps: CodePipeline, CodeBuild, CodeDeploy, CodeStar
  
• AI & ML: Amazon SageMaker, Amazon Comprehend, Amazon Lex, Amazon Polly
  
• IoT: FreeRTOS, IoT Core, Greengrass, IoT Analytics, SiteWise
  
• AR & VR: Amazon Sumerian
  
• Game Development: Amazon GameLift
  
• Business Analytics: Amazon Quicksight
  
• End-User Computing: Amazon Workspaces
  
• Robotics: AWS RoboMaker

Azure

• DevOps: Azure Boards, Pipelines, Repos, Test Plans, Artifacts
  
• AI & ML: Azure Machine Learning, Azure Databricks, Azure Cognitive Search, Azure Bot Service, Cognitive Services
  
• IoT: Azure IoT Hub/Central, IoT Edge, Azure Sphere, Azure RTOS
  
• AR & VR: Azure Mixed Reality (Spatial Anchors/Remote Rendering), ARCore
  
• Game Development: Azure PlayFab
  
• Business Analytics: Azure Power BI
  
• End-User Computing: Azure Virtual Desktop
  
• Robotics: N/A

GCP

• DevOps: CloudBuild, Artifact Registry
  
• AI & ML: Vertex AI, AutoML, Dataflow CX, Cloud Vision, Virtual Agents
  
• IoT: Google Cloud IoT Core
  
• AR & VR: N/A
  
• Game Development: N/A
  
• Business Analytics: Looker
  
• End-User Computing: N/A
  
• Robotics: N/A

Each cloud provider offers a unique set of specialized services to cater to different industry needs and use cases.

Pricing

The pricing of cloud platforms depends on various factors, including customer requirements, usage, and the services used. All three platforms offer competitive pricing plans with additional cost management options like reserved instances, budgets, and resource optimization. 

While there is no definitive answer to which platform is the cheapest, Microsoft Azure is often considered to have the lowest on-demand pricing, especially for enterprise customers already using Microsoft services like Windows and Microsoft SQL.

Pros and Cons of AWS, Azure, and GCP

Each cloud platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of each platform:

AWS

Also Read: Does AWS Require Coding?

Azure

GCP

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Concluding Thoughts

In the rapidly evolving cloud computing landscape, AWS, Azure, and GCP are the leading players. While AWS currently holds the market leader position, Microsoft Azure and Google 

Cloud Platforms are rapidly growing and evolving to compete with AWS. Microsoft Azure is particularly strong in the enterprise space, while Google Cloud Platform offers excellent integrations with open-source projects and third-party services.

By understanding the capabilities and differences of AWS, Azure, and GCP, you can make an informed decision and harness the power of cloud computing to drive your organization’s success.

FAQs

Which is better for career Azure or AWS?

Both Azure and AWS offer excellent career opportunities, but statistically, the amount of jobs requiring Azure skills have increased by a lot considerably when compared with AWS.

Which cloud is cheaper Azure or AWS?

The cost of running Azure can be significantly less when compared with AWS mainly because you might have to purchase Windows licenses separately with AWS.

Which is in high demand Azure or AWS?

Both Azure and AWS skills are in high demand, with regional variations, read the article above to learn more.

Which is growing faster Azure or AWS?

AWS has historically grown faster, but Azure is also expanding rapidly.

Does AWS need coding?

AWS doesn’t require coding, but coding skills can be beneficial for certain tasks.