Comparison Guide: UpCloud Vs Azure

Posted on 12.5.2025

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 AreaAzureUpCloud Equivalent / Strategy
ComputeVirtual MachinesUpCloud Cloud Servers with flexible plans, high-performance MaxIOPS storage
ContainerizationAKSUKS (UpCloud Kubernetes Service)
Storage (Object)Blob StorageUpCloud Object Storage (S3-compatible)
Block StorageManaged DisksUpCloud Block Storage with MaxIOPS
Relational Databases (Managed)Azure SQLUpCloud 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 StoreTable Store / CosmosDB UpCloud managed Valkey
Vector DatabasesAI Search✅ UpCloud managed OpenSearch
ServerlessAzure Functions➡️ We recommend fnproject, orFission atop UKS
Load BalancingAzure Load BalancerUpCloud Managed Load Balancer
DNS ManagementAzure DNS➡️Use external DNS (e.g., BunnyDNS, EuroDNS, Cloudflare)
Firewall & NetworkNSGs, ASGsCloud Server Firewall
Private NetworksVPCSDN 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 AreaAzureUpCloud
Service Area
Compute InstancesOffers 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)
StorageCharges 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 FeesImposes 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
SLAOffers 99.9% to 99.99% SLA, depending on the service level99.999% uptime SLA, with 50x compensation on downtime
SupportTiered 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!

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