AWS vs Azure: Which cloud platform is best in 2024?

With over 3,000 searches in the past month alone, the question of AWS vs Azure is still at the top of businesses' minds when shifting to cloud computing. And why not? AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Azure (Microsoft Azure) dominate the cloud market, holding over 50% of the total share. If you also can't decide between Azure vs AWS for business, you are in the right place. 

At the end of this guide, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your business needs. To discover a comprehensive AWS vs Azure cloud computing comparison, continue reading. 

What Are AWS? Understanding Amazon Web Services 

AWS launched in 2006 to fulfill Amazon's internal needs for scalable infrastructure. Over time, it became the market leader in cloud computing. Today, it offers many services to help businesses with everything from computing to machine learning. 

Core Strengths 

AWS excels in performance, flexibility, and scalability. Its vast infrastructure supports businesses of all sizes and industries. It also leads to CPU and memory performance. For example, AWS can handle fast disk writes at speeds close to 1 Gbps (gigabit per second), making it perfect for performance-heavy tasks like video rendering or large-scale data processing. 

What Is Azure? Understanding Microsoft Azure 

Azure started as Windows Azure in 2010 and has rapidly grown into a cloud platform capable of competing with AWS. It's known for its deep integration with Microsoft products like Windows Server, Office 365, and Active Directory. It is a popular choice for businesses already using Microsoft tools. 

Core Strengths 

Azure stands out for its hybrid cloud capabilities (connecting on-premises infrastructure with cloud resources) and enterprise solutions. Azure provides fast networking speeds, which makes it ideal for global organizations. Its seamless integration with Microsoft's software ecosystem offers a clear advantage for companies already using Microsoft technologies. 

What is AWS vs Azure 

One of the main differences between AWS and Azure is that AWS excels in raw computational power and offers a wide range of services. In contrast, Azure is recognized for its strong integration with Microsoft products and services, making it the preferred choice for organizations already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. 

However, they offer comparable core services like computing, storage, databases and networking. So, to help you decide which is better for your business, let's make a detailed comparison. 

AWS vs Azure Cloud Services Comparison: Comparison Across Key Areas 

AWS vs Azure Services 

Popular AWS Services  

EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud)  

A service that provides scalable virtual servers in the cloud. These servers (also called instances) can be adjusted based on your computing needs (whether running a small website or a large application.) 

S3 (Simple Storage Service)  

A reliable storage service where you can store any file—images, videos, backups, etc. It's designed to scale automatically as your storage needs grow. 

AWS Lambda  

A serverless computing service where you run code without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. "Serverless" means AWS manages the servers for you. 

Amazon SageMaker  

A machine learning platform that makes it easy to build, train, and deploy machine learning models, even if you’re not a data scientist.  

Popular Azure Services Explained 

Azure Virtual Machines (VMs)  

Like AWS’s EC2, Azure VMs provide on-demand computing resources in the cloud. You can choose different configurations to meet your business's computing needs. 

Azure Blob Storage  

This is Azure’s version of object storage, like AWS S3, where you can store large amounts of unstructured data, such as images, video files, and backups. 

Azure Functions  

Azure’s serverless computing option allows you to run code without worrying about infrastructure like AWS Lambda. 

Azure Machine Learning Studio  

A visual interface for building, training, and deploying machine learning models without requiring in-depth coding expertise. 

AWS vs Azure market share 2024 

AWS  

It still leads with a 31% market share, covering 25 regions, 81 availability zones, and over 218 edge locations.  

AWS’s global infrastructure makes it a go-to choice for businesses needing reliable, worldwide coverage. 

Azure  

It has increased its share to 24%, with over 60 regions and an expanding partner network of 68,000+. Its strong presence in hybrid cloud and AI integration is helping it gain ground against AWS. 

Takeaway

Azure’s market share continues to rise due to its hybrid cloud strategy and AI advancements. 

Compute Services (EC2 vs Azure VMs) 

AWS EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud)  

Offers various instance types, including Graviton-based instances, which provide better price-performance ratios for high-demand applications like machine learning. 

Azure Virtual Machines (VMs)  

It supports VM Scale Sets, which allow automatic scaling of VMs based on demand, making it a strong choice for enterprise applications. 

Takeaway 

AWS’s Graviton processors offer a clear advantage for businesses focused on performance and cost-efficiency. While, Azure leads in hybrid workloads and enterprise applications. 

Storage Solutions (S3 vs Blob Storage) 

AWS S3 (Simple Storage Service)

S3 is known for scalability and durability. AWS also offers Glacier for long-term, cost-effective storage. 

Azure Blob Storage  

It provides similar features to AWS S3 but includes Managed Disks for easier integration into enterprise applications. 

Takeaway 

AWS and Azure now offer automated tiering for storage, but AWS's Glacier Deep Archive is ideal for businesses looking to reduce costs on long-term storage. 

Networking and Content Delivery 

AWS VPC (Virtual Private Cloud)  

VPC allows businesses to create private, isolated AWS cloud sections to launch resources in a defined network. Paired with CloudFront for content delivery, AWS is highly scalable. 

Azure VNET (Virtual Network)  

Like AWS VPC, Azure VNET allows the creation of private networks, with ExpressRoute for dedicated, high-speed connections between on-premises and Azure. 

Takeaway 

Azure’s bi-directional Event Grid capabilities and MQTT 5 support improved networking performance, particularly in edge computing scenarios. 

Azure platform as a service vs AWS: Hybrid Cloud Capabilities 

AWS Outposts  

Allows AWS services to be run on-premises, giving businesses hybrid cloud capabilities. However, AWS’s hybrid cloud features are still maturing. 

Azure Arc  

Leads the hybrid cloud market, with robust tools for managing on-premises, cloud, and multi-cloud environments from a single control panel. 

Takeaway 

Azure’s Arc and Stack technologies make it the leader in hybrid cloud environments. Mainly for enterprises that want flexibility between their local data centers and the cloud. 

Pricing Models and Cost Management 

AWS  

AWS pricing offers a Pay-as-you-go model, Reserved Instances, and Spot Instances (for unused capacity at lower prices). AWS Trusted Advisor helps manage costs effectively. 

Azure  

Azure pricing also offers Pay-as-you-go, Reserved VM Instances, and an Azure Hybrid Benefit (which allows companies with existing Microsoft licenses to save on Azure services). 

Takeaway 

There is ongoing debate about whether AWS or Azure offers better pricing. Some find Azure slightly more expensive for specific use cases, while others believe the pricing between the two platforms is similar, depending on specific workloads. 

AWS vs Azure security 

AWS  

AWS Nitro Enclaves enhance data security, isolating sensitive data for industries needing top-level security. AWS is compliant with ISO 27001, SOC, PCI DSS. 

Azure  

Azure’s Security Center and Microsoft Sentinel (a security information and event management tool) provide strong compliance for sectors like government and healthcare. 

Takeaway 

AWS’s Nitro Enclaves have made it a leader in data isolation, but Azure Security Center and Sentinel provide advanced threat detection and response for enterprise environments. 

AWS vs Azure machine learning capabilities 

AWS SageMaker  

AWS’s machine learning platform now includes AutoML features for easier model development and deployment, alongside enhanced Recognition for image and video analysis. 

Azure Cognitive Services  

Azure’s AI services integrate with OpenAI, making it a top choice for natural language processing, computer vision, and AI-driven applications. 

Takeaway 

AWS and Azure have invested in AutoML tools, but Azure’s OpenAI integration gives it a competitive edge in AI-driven enterprise applications. 

Companies using AWS vs Azure 

Azure Customer Base 

Azure is used by leading enterprises like Adobe, LinkedIn, and Starbucks, who rely on Azure cloud hosting services. 

AWS Customer Base 

Top companies like Netflix, Spotify, and Airbnb use AWS to handle massive amounts of data. 

2024 Updates: What’s New in AWS and Azure? 

Both AWS and Azure continuously update their platforms. Here are the most significant updates for 2024: 

4.1. AWS Updates (2024) 

AWS Lambda Extensions Preview  

Lambda now supports Extensions, which allow you to add new tools for security, monitoring, and other enhancements to your serverless functions. 

Amazon EC2 Mac Instances  

For the first time, AWS cloud supports macOS development environments on demand, allowing developers to create Apple apps using EC2. 

AWS Nitro Enclaves  

Nitro Enclaves enhances data security by isolating sensitive data in secure enclaves within EC2 instances, which is ideal for industries like healthcare and finance. 

Amazon Aurora Serverless v2  

An improved version of AWS’s serverless database that can handle thousands of transactions instantly. 

4.2. Azure Updates (2024) 

Microsoft Fabric Event Streams  

Real-time data ingestion from external sources helps businesses process data faster and more efficiently. 

Azure Event Hubs  

New self-service clusters and support for Apache Kafka, a popular open-source event streaming platform. 

Azure DevOps 2024 Q1  

Enhanced security features and feedback-driven updates for easier software development. 

Azure Arc Expansion  

A continued focus on hybrid and multi-cloud solutions, extending Azure Arc capabilities to more environments. 

Explore Further: Cloud Migration Services

AWS vs. Azure: Which One Should You Choose in 2024? 

If you ask AWS vs Azure which is better, there is no exact answer. It depends on your requirements. Because when it comes to features, Azure and AWS are neck-and-neck. The choice comes from specific use cases, workloads, and ecosystem integration. 

Choose Azure for better integration with Microsoft products and leading hybrid cloud solutions. AWS is more flexible, with a broad service portfolio and cost-effective solutions like Graviton instances.  

AWS is also recognized for its strength in IaaS, particularly with cloud-native services like AWS Lambda. Some users feel it is better suited for infrastructure-heavy applications.  

Meanwhile, Azure excels in PaaS, especially for organizations relying on Microsoft’s ecosystem, offering a more integrated and polished experience. 

Conclusion 

AWS and Azure each offer unique strengths, and both platforms have evolved significantly in 2024. Your decision should be based on your business needs, existing infrastructure, and future growth plans. 

Assess your cloud needs and decide accordingly. Contact our cloud experts to ensure the best fit for your organization’s future.