Comparison Guide: UpCloud Vs GCP
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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.
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 Area | GCP | UpCloud Equivalent / Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Compute | Compute Engine | UpCloud Cloud Servers with flexible plans, high-performance MaxIOPS storage |
| Containerization | GKE | UKS (UpCloud Kubernetes Service) |
| Storage (Object) | Cloud Storage | UpCloud Object Storage (S3-compatible) |
| Block Storage | Persistent Disk | UpCloud Block Storage with MaxIOPS |
| Databases (Managed) | Cloud SQL | UpCloud MySQL, Valkey, PostgreSQL, OpenSearch, and Terraform Provider |
| Load Balancing | Cloud Load Balancing | UpCloud Managed Load Balancer |
| DNS Management | Cloud DNS | Use external DNS (e.g., Cloudflare, NS1) |
| Firewall & Network | VPC Firewall | Choose UpCloud SDN Firewall (coming soon!), or leverage browser Firewall Rules for traffic filtering; private networking support |
| Identity & Access | IAM | Use project/team-based access, manage SSH keys, and external IAM tools |
| Monitoring | Operations Suite | Choose OSS alternatives such as Prometheus and Beszel, or services like Grafana |
| Logging | Stackdriver (Cloud Monitoring)ClouDeployment | Use ELK stack, Fluentd, or external log services. |
| DevOps / IaC | Deployment Manager, Cloud Build | Terraform for UpCloud, Ansible, or CI/CD tools like GitHub Actions, Jenkins |
| Backup & Snapshots | Persistent Disk Snapshots, and Backup and DR service | UpCloud 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 Area | GCP | UpCloud |
|---|---|---|
| Compute Instances | Offers 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) |
| Storage | Charges 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 Fees | Imposes 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 |
| SLA | Offers 99.95% to 99.99% SLA, depending on the service. | 99.999% uptime SLA, with 50x compensation on downtime |
| Support | Tiered 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.
