Comparison Guide: UpCloud Vs Azure
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With heightened geopolitical dynamics and renewed scrutiny around the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, more organizations are looking to European Cloud Service Providers to ensure stability, security, and future scalability.
In this comparison series, we’re looking into how US hyperscalers AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, compare to UpCloud, so you can better prepare for migration.
Azure Vs. UpCloud
Azure
Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform developed by Microsoft. It provides management, access and development of applications and services including software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) to individuals, companies, and governments through its global infrastructure.
UpCloud
UpCloud is a leading European cloud infrastructure provider, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, with a global cloud platform spanning 13 data centres across four continents. More than 10,000 clients trust UpCloud to run their mission-critical cloud-native workloads from European data centers, under the robust EU Regulatory Framework on Data, atop a cloud-native stack engineered for performance without compromise.
Application comparison
Azure delivers a broad suite of managed services like Blob Storage, Cosmos DB, and Azure Functions, whereas UpCloud focuses on high-performance, cost-effective core services with zero vendor lock-in, so teams can choose the best free and open source tools for their specific use case.
| Service Area | Azure | UpCloud Equivalent / Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Compute | Virtual Machines | UpCloud Cloud Servers with flexible plans, high-performance MaxIOPS storage |
| Containerization | AKS | UKS (UpCloud Kubernetes Service) |
| Storage (Object) | Blob Storage | UpCloud Object Storage (S3-compatible) |
| Block Storage | Managed Disks | UpCloud Block Storage with MaxIOPS |
| Relational Databases (Managed) | Azure SQL | UpCloud managed MySQL or PostgreSQL, |
| NoSQL Document Databases(Managed) | DocumentDB | Choose your own DB stack. We recommend PostgreSQL + JSONB for most scenarios, or MySQL NDB for high-scale key-value workloads. |
| In-memory Key-Value Store | Table Store / CosmosDB | UpCloud managed Valkey |
| Vector Databases | AI Search | UpCloud managed OpenSearch |
| Serverless | Azure Functions | We recommend fnproject, orFission atop UKS |
| Load Balancing | Azure Load Balancer | UpCloud Managed Load Balancer |
| DNS Management | Azure DNS | Use external DNS (e.g., BunnyDNS, EuroDNS, Cloudflare) |
| Firewall & Network | NSGs, ASGs | Cloud Server Firewall |
| Private Networks | VPC | SDN Private Networks |
Cost comparison
Azure offers a broad range of VM types, managed services, and storage options, but costs are generally higher and data egress fees apply after a free quota. UpCloud provides straightforward, lower-cost pricing, zero-cost outbound data transfer, and a 99.999% uptime SLA backed by strong compensation. Let’s take a closer look:
| Service Area | Azure | UpCloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service Area | ||
| Compute Instances | Offers a wide range of VM types. For example, a D2s v3 instance (2 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM) costs approximately $70–$90 per month, depending on usage and region. | Provides straightforward pricing with plans like the CLOUDNATIVE-2xCPU-4GB (2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM) at €15 per month (about $16.50 USD) |
| Storage | Charges around $5.00 to $7.00 per month for 100 GB of standard SSD storage, depending on redundancy and region. | Offers 100 GB of storage at approximately €8.50 per month (about $9.35 USD) |
| Data Transfer Fees | Imposes data egress fees starting at approximately $0.087 per GB (around $87 per TB) after the free quota. | Provides zero-cost egress, allowing unlimited outbound data transfer without additional charges |
| Managed Services | Offers a broad portfolio of managed services like Azure SQL Database, Cosmos DB, and Azure Load Balancer, each priced separately. | Provides essential managed services with transparent pricing, often at a lower cost compared to AWS |
| SLA | Offers 99.9% to 99.99% SLA, depending on the service level | 99.999% uptime SLA, with 50x compensation on downtime |
| Support | Tiered support plans with slower response times; 24/7 support available at an additional cost. | Includes 24/7 live chat support with an average response time under 46 seconds |
One of the biggest benefits of UpCloud is transparent, predictable pricing. In 2024, we scrapped egress fees in favour of offering unlimited outbound traffic. We also recently launched the handy UpCloud Cost Calculator so you can easily generate a real-time estimate for running your cloud infrastructure on UpCloud.
UpCloud also offers superior support, with live chat available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In 2024, our support team responded to initial queries in a blistering 46 seconds, and 94% of customers reported that they were extremely happy with the provided support.
Conclusion
Amid global market turbulence and growing regulatory demands, choosing a cloud provider that prioritizes data sovereignty, transparency, and resilience is more important than ever. While Azure offers a wide range of services backed by Microsoft’s global infrastructure, organizations must increasingly weigh the risks associated with operating under non-European jurisdictions. UpCloud delivers high-performance infrastructure under the robust protection of the EU regulatory framework, with transparent pricing, zero egress fees, and industry-leading support.
Why not start a free trial? Or chat to us for a demo or more information!
