AWS vs Azure: Which Cloud Platform is Right For You in 2025?

AWS vs Azure - Overview

Understand the comprehensive comparison of AWS vs Azure, while we highlight its core services, pricing models, storage solutions, and database offerings. It explores key differences and similarities to help businesses decide which cloud platform suits their needs best. The focus is on both technical features and business implications of choosing between Microsoft Azure vs AWS.

What is AWS?

Amazon Web Services indicated as AWS. Amazon subsidiary providing on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, businesses, and governments. It comprises a large number of global compute, storage, database, analytics, application, and deployment services that assist organizations to move fast, lower the cost of IT, and scale applications. 

What is Azure?

Microsoft Azure is an all-in-one cloud computing platform including varied services for computing, analytics, storage, and networking. Azure makes it possible for all businesses, big and small, to build, deploy, and manage applications and services in their data centers in the Microsoft-managed cloud. Microsoft offers plenty of programming languages, tools, and frameworks, as well as third-party software and systems.

Azure vs AWS Key Comparison Areas

Azure Cloud vs AWS Cloud – Storage

Azure Cloud

Azure Storage provides a versatile and scalable cloud storage platform supporting a wide range of data types and workloads, from unstructured blobs to managed file shares and high-performance enterprise storage solutions.

Storage Service: 

Azure Storage is a secure, scalable cloud platform offering services like Blob Storage, Azure Files, Queues, Tables, and Managed Disks for various data and workload needs. It supports high-performance and enterprise storage with global access via APIs.

Tiered Storage Solutions:

• Azure Blob Storage offers multiple access tiers to optimize cost based on data usage patterns:
• Hot tier: For frequently accessed data with higher storage costs but lower access costs.
• Cool tier: For infrequently accessed data, with lower storage costs but higher access costs and a minimum retention of 30 days.
• Cold tier: For rarely accessed data needing fast retrieval, with a minimum retention of 90 days.
• Archive tier: For rarely accessed data with flexible retrieval latency (hours), requiring a minimum retention of 180 days.
• These tiers apply only to Block Blobs, not to Append or Page Blobs. Storage capacity limits are set at the account level, allowing distribution across tiers as needed.

Object Size Limits:

• Block Blob: Maximum size of 7 TiB.
• Page Blob: Maximum size of 4 TiB; files must be 512-byte aligned.
• Azure Files: Maximum size of 4 TiB.
• Managed Disks: Maximum size of 4 TiB.
• These limits ensure efficient storage and retrieval, with specific alignment requirements for page blobs to support virtual hard disk formats.

AWS Cloud

AWS offers a comprehensive suite of storage services designed for scalability, durability, and integration with its broader cloud ecosystem, including object, file, and block storage optimized for diverse application needs.

Storage Service: 

AWS offers a broad range of storage services including Amazon S3 for scalable object storage, Amazon EFS for shared file storage, Amazon FSx for managed file systems, and Amazon EBS for block storage. It supports hybrid cloud with tools like AWS Storage Gateway and Snowball for edge data transfer, and integrates closely with analytics and machine learning services.

Tiered Storage Solutions:

Amazon S3 offers multiple storage classes:

• S3 Standard: For frequently accessed data with high durability and availability.
• S3 Intelligent-Tiering: Automatically moves data between frequent and infrequent access tiers based on usage.
• S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (IA): For less frequently accessed data requiring rapid access.
• S3 One Zone-IA: Lower-cost option for infrequently accessed data stored in a single availability zone.
• S3 Glacier and Glacier Deep Archive: For long-term archival with retrieval times from minutes to hours.
  AWS provides flexible tiering options to optimize costs while maintaining durability and availability.

Object Size Limits:

• Amazon S3 supports objects up to 5 TiB per object, with multipart upload required for files larger than 5 GB.
• EBS volumes can scale up to 64 TiB depending on volume type.
• EFS file systems can scale to petabytes with no practical file size limits, suitable for shared file storage.

AWS vs Azure Pricing Comparison

Both AWS and Azure offer pay-as-you-go pricing models with reserved instance discounts for long-term commitments. Azure tends to be more cost-effective for smaller workloads, while AWS offers better discounts for larger, sustained usage.

AWS Pricing Models

AWS pricing includes on-demand, reserved instances, and spot instances, allowing flexible cost management based on workload needs. Reserved instances offer up to 62% discounts for 3-year commitments.

Azure Pricing Models

Azure pricing offers pay-as-you-go, reserved VM instances, and spot pricing. Azure also provides cost management tools and discounts for hybrid use with existing Microsoft licenses.

AWS vs Azure for Databases

Both AWS and Azure provide a wide range of database services to support relational, NoSQL, in-memory, and data warehousing needs, catering to diverse business applications.

AWS for Database

AWS offers a high-performance, secure, and fully managed database platform supporting a wide range of workloads, from relational and NoSQL to in-memory and data warehousing, with seamless scalability and strong integration across its cloud ecosystem.

• Relational Databases: Amazon RDS supports multiple engines including Amazon Aurora, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and SQL Server, providing automated backups, scaling, failover, and high availability with up to 3-5x faster throughput than alternatives.

• NoSQL Databases: Amazon DynamoDB delivers a fully managed key-value and document database with microsecond latency, while Amazon DocumentDB and Amazon Neptune provide managed document and graph database services respectively.

• In-memory Databases: Amazon ElastiCache offers managed Redis and Memcached services for caching and real-time data access with microsecond latency, supporting clustering, backups, and multi-AZ failover.

• Data Warehousing: Amazon Redshift is a fully managed, petabyte-scale data warehouse with fast query performance, automated scaling, and integration with machine learning and analytics tools.

Azure for Databases

Azure provides a comprehensive database platform with intelligent, fully managed services designed for scalability, security, and hybrid cloud integration, supporting relational, NoSQL, in-memory, and data warehousing workloads.

• Relational Databases: Azure SQL Database offers a fully managed relational service with multiple tiers including hyperscale, built-in intelligence, and near 100% compatibility with SQL Server through Azure SQL Managed Instance.

• NoSQL Databases: Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed, multi-model NoSQL database supporting key-value, document, graph, and columnar models with guaranteed low latency and comprehensive SLAs.

• In-memory Databases: Azure Cache for Redis provides a fully managed, in-memory data store for high-performance caching and session management with features like geo-replication and clustering.

• Data Warehousing: Azure Synapse Analytics combines enterprise data warehousing with big data analytics, offering serverless on-demand querying and integration across relational and non-relational data sources.

Azure vs AWS: Which is Better?

Choosing between Azure vs AWS depends on your business needs and existing infrastructure. AWS leads in overall performance and breadth of services, making it ideal for large-scale, diverse workloads. Azure excels in hybrid cloud deployments and seamless integration with Microsoft products, benefiting enterprises invested in Microsoft ecosystems. Current trends favor multi-cloud strategies, where businesses leverage strengths of both platforms. For cost-sensitive smaller workloads, Azure may offer better pricing, while AWS is preferred for high-performance and extensive global reach. Ultimately, the decision should align with your technical requirements, budget, and long-term cloud strategy.

Conclusion

In the aws vs azure comparison, both platforms offer powerful cloud capabilities with distinct advantages. AWS stands out for its extensive services and performance, while Azure shines in hybrid cloud and Microsoft integration. For professionals aiming to excel in cloud computing, pursuing aws vs azure certification can open many career opportunities. NetCom Learning offers comprehensive AWS courses that help you master cloud architecture, security, and advanced services, preparing you for industry-recognized certifications and real-world challenges.

Azure vs AWS -- FAQs

Q. Which is better, AWS or Azure?

AWS is better for large-scale and diverse workloads; Azure is preferred for hybrid cloud and Microsoft integration.

Azure generally has a more user-friendly interface, making it easier for beginners.

Q. Which is high-paying, AWS or Azure?

AWS certifications tend to have slightly higher average salaries, but both are lucrative.

Q. AWS vs Azure Certifications: Which One Is Best for You?

Choose based on your career goals; AWS is great for infrastructure, Azure for enterprise and hybrid cloud roles.