AWS vs Azure vs GCP
Simple Comparison of the Top 3 Cloud Platforms
Cloud computing is how most apps and websites work today. Instead of buying big servers, companies use cloud platforms to store data, run applications, and build digital tools.
The 3 biggest cloud providers are:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
If you’re wondering which one to learn or use, this guide will help. Let’s compare them in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
📊 1. Popularity and Market Share
| Cloud Platform | Owned By | Started In | Market Share (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS | Amazon | 2006 | ~31% |
| Azure | Microsoft | 2010 | ~25% |
| GCP | 2008 | ~11% |
🟢 AWS is the oldest and most used.
🔵 Azure is strong in companies already using Microsoft tools.
🟡 GCP is great for data and AI work.
🌍 2. Global Reach (Regions & Availability)
| Platform | Regions (2024) | Countries Covered |
|---|---|---|
| AWS | 33+ | 100+ |
| Azure | 60+ | 140+ |
| GCP | 40+ | 90+ |
➡️ All three have global data centers, so you can run apps from almost anywhere.
🧰 3. Core Services Comparison
| Feature | AWS | Azure | GCP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compute (Run apps) | EC2, Lambda | Virtual Machines, Functions | Compute Engine, Cloud Run |
| Storage (Save data) | S3, EBS | Blob Storage, Disk Storage | Cloud Storage, Persistent Disk |
| Databases | RDS, DynamoDB | SQL Database, Cosmos DB | Cloud SQL, Firestore |
| Networking | VPC, Route 53 | Virtual Network, Azure DNS | VPC, Cloud DNS |
| AI & ML Tools | SageMaker, Bedrock | Azure ML, OpenAI | Vertex AI, AutoML |
| DevOps Tools | CodePipeline, CloudFormation | Azure DevOps, ARM Templates | Cloud Build, Deployment Manager |
💰 4. Pricing and Free Tier
All three offer a free tier to get started:
- AWS: Free for 12 months (750 hrs EC2, 5 GB S3, etc.)
- Azure: $200 credit for 30 days + free services for 12 months
- GCP: $300 credit for 90 days + always-free tier
📌 Note: Pricing depends on what you use. AWS can be more expensive; GCP is often cheaper for machine learning and big data tasks.
🔒 5. Security and Compliance
All platforms are highly secure and follow global standards like:
- ISO 27001
- SOC 1,2,3
- GDPR
- HIPAA
They offer built-in identity access controls, encryption, firewalls, and security monitoring tools.
🛠️ 6. Integration and Ecosystem
| Platform | Best For Integration With |
|---|---|
| AWS | AWS services, open-source tools |
| Azure | Microsoft Office, Windows Server, Active Directory |
| GCP | Google Workspace, BigQuery, Kubernetes |
If you use Microsoft tools (like Excel, Teams, Windows), Azure is easier to connect.
If you use Google tools (like Gmail, Docs), GCP might be smoother.
👨💼 7. Who Uses What?
| Platform | Companies Using It |
|---|---|
| AWS | Netflix, Airbnb, Samsung, NASA |
| Azure | Adobe, LinkedIn, eBay, HP |
| GCP | Spotify, Twitter, PayPal, Snapchat |
🎯 8. When to Choose What?
| Choose If You Want… | Best Platform |
|---|---|
| Most services and global reach | AWS |
| Best integration with Microsoft tools | Azure |
| Best pricing for data & AI | GCP |
| Strong DevOps and automation | AWS / Azure |
| Best for startups & developers | GCP / AWS |
📚 9. Learning Path for Each
- AWS: Start with AWS Cloud Practitioner, then explore EC2, S3, IAM, Lambda.
- Azure: Start with AZ-900, then go for Virtual Machines, Azure AD, App Services.
- GCP: Start with Cloud Digital Leader, then try Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, BigQuery.
✅ Final Thoughts
All three platforms are powerful and trusted. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Your choice depends on:
- What you already use (Microsoft/Google)
- Your job or career goals
- The type of app or system you are building
🔁 Tip: Many companies use more than one cloud (multi-cloud). So, learning the basics of all three is a smart move.
