Comparison Guide: UpCloud Vs GCP

Posted on 21.5.2025

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.  

GCP Vs. UpCloud

GCP

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a suite of cloud computing services offered by Google that provides a series of modular cloud services alongside a set of management tools. It runs on the same infrastructure that Google uses internally for its end-user products, such as Google Search.

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

Both UpCloud and GCP offer comprehensive, feature-rich cloud stacks. GCP offers a paid-for service for its products, 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.  

Services AreaGCPUpCloud Equivalent / Strategy
ComputeCompute EngineUpCloud Cloud Servers with flexible plans, high-performance MaxIOPS storage
ContainerizationGKEUKS (UpCloud Kubernetes Service)
Storage (Object)Cloud StorageUpCloud Object Storage (S3-compatible)
Block StoragePersistent DiskUpCloud Block Storage with MaxIOPS
Databases (Managed)Cloud SQL➡️ UpCloud MySQL, Valkey, PostgreSQL, OpenSearch, and Terraform Provider
Load BalancingCloud Load BalancingUpCloud Managed Load Balancer
DNS ManagementCloud DNS➡️Use external DNS (e.g., Cloudflare, NS1)
Firewall & NetworkVPC Firewall➡️Choose UpCloud SDN Firewall (coming soon!), or leverage browser Firewall Rules for traffic filtering; private networking support
Identity & AccessIAM➡️Use project/team-based access, manage SSH keys, and external IAM tools
MonitoringOperations Suite➡️Choose OSS alternatives such as Prometheus and Beszel, or services like Grafana  
LoggingStackdriver (Cloud Monitoring)ClouDeployment➡️Use ELK stack, Fluentd, or external log services.
DevOps / IaCDeployment Manager, Cloud BuildTerraform for UpCloud, Ansible, or CI/CD tools like GitHub Actions, Jenkins
Backup & SnapshotsPersistent Disk Snapshots, and Backup and DR serviceUpCloud Snapshots, manual or scheduled

Cost comparison

UpCloud offers more predictable and often lower pricing, especially for compute and data transfer. GCP offers flexible pricing with sustained use discounts, but users often face additional charges for storage, data transfers, and premium support. Let’s take a closer look:

Service AreaGCPUpCloud
 
Compute InstancesOffers a wide range of machine types with sustained use discounts. For example, an e2-standard-2 instance (2 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM) costs approximately $53.77 per month with sustained use.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 $4.00 to $6.00 per month for 100 GB of standard persistent disk storage, depending on the region.Offers 100 GB of storage at approximately €8.50 per month (about $9.35 USD)
Data Transfer FeesImposes data egress fees, starting around $0.02 per GB beyond the free tier.Provides zero-cost egress, allowing unlimited outbound data transfer without additional charges
Managed Services Offers a wide portfolio of managed services like Cloud SQL, Memorystore, and load balancing, each priced separately.Provides essential managed services with transparent pricing, often at a lower cost compared to GCP
SLAOffers 99.95% to 99.99% SLA, depending on the service.99.999% uptime SLA, with 50x compensation on downtime
SupportTiered support with slower response times; 24/7 support available at 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 

As businesses face rising costs and stricter data regulations, amid ongoing geopolitical turbulence, choosing a cloud partner that delivers performance, transparency, and control is critical. While GCP brings breadth, UpCloud combines high performance, predictable pricing, and world-class support—all under robust European data protections.

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