AWS vs Microsoft Azure
Compare AWS and Azure through application architecture, identity, licence assumptions, free access and a workload-level cost estimate.
Which buying model fits the workload?
Shortlist AWS or Azure against the exact application, data locations and operating team. AWS and Azure are service portfolios, so a provider-level winner is less useful than a resource-by-resource design. Azure deserves a focused review when Microsoft identity and eligible software licences shape the estate; AWS should be assessed against the services and skills already required by the workload. Price both beyond temporary credits.
Seven differences that change the shortlist
| Buying question | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase scope | AWS services assembled into a workload | Azure resources and services assembled into a workload |
| Compute examples | EC2 instances and Lambda functions | Virtual Machines, App Service and Functions |
| Identity context | AWS account and access policies | Azure subscription and Microsoft Entra context |
| Introductory access | Current Free plan up to six months or credit exhaustion | New-customer credit for up to 30 days |
| Recurring free scope | Specified Always Free service allowances | Specified always-free and separate new-customer 12-month amounts |
| Licence review | Selected service and marketplace software terms | Selected service terms and eligible existing-licence benefits |
| Cost comparison unit | A region-specific architecture and support scope | The same application scope and support requirement |
Four worked buying briefs
These are hypothetical scenarios with explicit assumptions. They do not establish equal capabilities, measured usability or a negotiated price.
| Requirement | Proof to collect | Acceptance condition |
|---|---|---|
| Application boundary | A diagram including compute, data, identity and outbound calls | Both estimates include the same dependencies |
| Licence scope | Written eligibility for reused commercial software rights | No discount depends on an unverified entitlement |
| Monthly cost | A forecast after credits, with quiet and busy periods | Finance can identify the largest cost drivers |
| Operations | A named owner and recovery rehearsal plan | Support boundaries and application recovery are understood |
Existing Microsoft application
Which licence rights and identity dependencies are actually reusable?
Amazon Web Services: Map application dependencies and any separately licensed software.
Microsoft Azure: Validate Azure benefit eligibility and the required Entra integration.
An existing Microsoft subscription is an input to entitlement review, not proof of free cloud hosting.
Event-driven API
What happens at idle, during bursts and after a failed event?
Amazon Web Services: Estimate Lambda and dependent storage, network and monitoring services.
Microsoft Azure: Estimate Functions or the chosen application runtime and its dependencies.
Use an identical traffic trace and recovery target; do not compare runtime charges alone.
New free-account pilot
Can the prototype survive after promotional access ends?
Amazon Web Services: Identify the current account plan and the end of its credit window.
Microsoft Azure: Record the pay-as-you-go upgrade decision and expiring allowances.
Prepare export and resource cleanup before the introductory period ends.
UK production service
Can every required component run in the approved location?
Amazon Web Services: Confirm region support for each service in the proposed design.
Microsoft Azure: Confirm location support for every resource and supporting service.
A provider having a UK region does not establish that every product is available there.
Compare a service map before a provider name
Begin with a deployment that the team could actually operate: request volume, stateful data, authentication, backups and support hours. Give every component an owner. A managed database and a database installed on a virtual machine can satisfy the same functional need while transferring very different work to the buyer.
Ask each architect to explain which assumptions change if traffic doubles or a zone becomes unavailable. This reveals the design decisions hidden behind a monthly calculator total. Keep optional platform services separate until the application needs them.
Separate the pilot budget from the production budget
Promotional credits can make initial invoices unrepresentative. Prepare one estimate for evaluation and another for the period after credits and introductory allowances expire. State whether a commitment is assumed, how long it lasts and what happens when usage is below the commitment.
Include the cost of maintaining the environment: incident response, identity administration, patching that remains with the team and periodic restore tests. A lower resource estimate is useful only when the operating responsibilities are also acceptable.
Questions before you choose
Is AWS still a 12-month free trial for every new account?
No. The current new-customer programme uses a Free plan lasting up to six months or credit exhaustion. Older accounts can follow legacy terms; check account eligibility.
Does Microsoft 365 include Azure hosting?
Do not assume so. Microsoft 365 and Azure infrastructure are separate commercial scopes. Verify the specific licence and benefit before applying it to a cost model.
Which is cheaper for a UK application?
That requires a specified architecture, region, usage pattern and contract. This comparison does not claim a measured cost winner.
Can workloads move unchanged between them?
Not generally. Application code may be reusable, while identity, managed services, networking and deployment configuration can require changes.
Turn the comparison into your own evaluation
Use the same criteria and priorities for both products, keep unknowns unassessed and record the plan and evidence behind your ratings.
Build a Amazon Web Services vs Microsoft Azure scorecard →Keep the assumptions with the figures
Use the date, billing cycle, units and limits with each example. Check current account terms before purchasing. Unverified prices and model costs stay unpriced.
Download the buying examples as JSON ↓Share the comparison
Use these examples when discussing the shortlist with your team.