AWS vs Azure vs GCP
Introduction
Cloud provider select pannradhu oru big decision. AWS, Azure, GCP — moonu um powerful, moonu um different strengths vachirukaanga. 🤔
"Best cloud evadhu?" nu direct ah answer panna mudiyaadhu — unga use case, budget, team skills — ellam matter pannum.
Indha article la detailed comparison paapom — especially AI/ML perspective la. Tables, real examples, pricing — ellam cover pannrom. Let's go! ⚡
Cloud Market Overview (2026)
Current cloud market scenario:
| Provider | Market Share | Revenue (Yearly) | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS | ~32% | $100B+ | Most services, mature |
| Azure | ~23% | $75B+ | Enterprise, Microsoft |
| GCP | ~11% | $40B+ | AI/ML, Data analytics |
| Others | ~34% | - | Alibaba, Oracle, IBM |
Key insight: AWS dominant dhaan, but GCP fastest growing — especially AI space la. Azure enterprise customers la strong. 📊
Fun fact: Netflix runs on AWS, LinkedIn runs on Azure, Spotify runs on GCP! 🎬💼🎵
AI/ML Services Comparison
AI/ML services — idhudhaan namma ku most important:
| AI Service | AWS | Azure | GCP |
|---|---|---|---|
| ML Platform | SageMaker | Azure ML | Vertex AI |
| Pre-trained Models | Bedrock | Azure OpenAI | Model Garden |
| AutoML | SageMaker Autopilot | AutoML | AutoML |
| GPU Options | P5, G5 instances | NC, ND series | A2, G2 (TPUs!) |
| LLM Access | Claude, Llama | GPT-4, GPT-4o | Gemini, PaLM |
| Vision AI | Rekognition | Computer Vision | Vision AI |
| Speech AI | Transcribe/Polly | Speech Service | Speech-to-Text |
| NLP | Comprehend | Language Service | Natural Language |
Winner for AI: GCP 🏆 — TPU access, Vertex AI platform, and Google's AI research directly integrate aagudhu.
Runner up: Azure — OpenAI partnership, GPT-4 direct access.
Pricing Deep Dive
Pricing compare pannrom — small AI app scenario:
Scenario: AI chatbot, 10K users/day, 1 GPU for inference
| Resource | AWS | Azure | GCP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compute (2 vCPU, 8GB) | $60/mo | $58/mo | $52/mo |
| GPU (T4, 100hrs) | $350/mo | $365/mo | $330/mo |
| Storage (100GB) | $2.30/mo | $2.40/mo | $2.00/mo |
| Database (Small) | $15/mo | $15/mo | $12/mo |
| Load Balancer | $18/mo | $18/mo | $18/mo |
| **Total** | **~$445** | **~$458** | **~$414** |
GCP slightly cheaper for AI workloads! Plus TPU access extra advantage.
⚠️ Note: Prices change frequently. Always check official pricing pages. Spot instances use pannina 60-70% save pannalam! 💰
Cloud Provider AI Stack Comparison
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ CLOUD AI STACK COMPARISON │ ├────────────┬────────────┬────────────────────────┤ │ AWS │ AZURE │ GCP │ ├────────────┼────────────┼────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ Bedrock │ Azure │ Vertex AI │ │ (LLM Hub) │ OpenAI │ (ML Platform) │ │ │ Service │ │ │ SageMaker │ Azure ML │ AI Platform │ │ (Train) │ Studio │ + TPUs │ │ │ │ │ │ Lambda │ Functions │ Cloud Functions │ │ (Serverless)│(Serverless)│(Serverless) │ │ │ │ │ │ EC2+GPU │ NC/ND VMs │ Compute+GPU/TPU │ │ (Compute) │ (Compute) │ (Compute) │ │ │ │ │ │ S3 │ Blob │ Cloud Storage │ │ (Storage) │ Storage │ (Storage) │ │ │ │ │ └────────────┴────────────┴────────────────────────┘
AWS — The Market Leader
Amazon Web Services (AWS) — largest cloud provider 🥇
Strengths ✅:
- 200+ services — anything you need, irukku
- Most mature, most documentation
- Largest community, most tutorials
- Best marketplace (AMIs, SageMaker models)
- Global — 33 regions, 105 availability zones
Weaknesses ❌:
- Complex pricing — bill predict panna kashtam
- UI/Console old feeling — Azure, GCP better
- AI services not as cutting-edge as GCP
Best AI Services:
- SageMaker — End-to-end ML platform
- Bedrock — Multiple LLMs (Claude, Llama, Titan) oru place la
- Lambda — Serverless AI inference (cheap!)
Best for: Large teams, enterprise, job market value 💼
Azure — The Enterprise King
Microsoft Azure — enterprise favorite 🥈
Strengths ✅:
- OpenAI exclusive partnership — GPT-4 direct access!
- Microsoft ecosystem (Office 365, Teams, GitHub) integration
- Enterprise compliance — HIPAA, SOC2, etc. ready
- Hybrid cloud best — on-premises + cloud seamless
- GitHub Copilot backend runs on Azure
Weaknesses ❌:
- Smaller service catalog than AWS
- Documentation sometimes confusing
- Portal can be slow
Best AI Services:
- Azure OpenAI Service — GPT-4, GPT-4o, DALL-E 3 directly use pannalam
- Azure ML Studio — Drag-and-drop ML training
- Cognitive Services — Pre-built AI APIs (vision, speech, language)
Best for: Companies already using Microsoft, enterprise AI, GPT-4 apps 🏢
GCP — The AI Powerhouse
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) — AI/ML king 🥉 (market share la, but AI la 🥇)
Strengths ✅:
- TPUs — Google's custom AI chips, training 2-5x faster
- Vertex AI — Best integrated ML platform
- Google's AI research directly — TensorFlow, JAX, Gemini
- BigQuery — Best data analytics
- Kubernetes originated from Google (GKE is the best)
Weaknesses ❌:
- Smaller market share — fewer jobs compared to AWS
- Less services overall
- Enterprise features still catching up
- Smaller community
Best AI Services:
- Vertex AI — Train, deploy, manage ML models
- TPU v5 — Custom AI accelerators (cheaper than GPUs for large models)
- Gemini API — Google's latest LLM
- BigQuery ML — ML directly in SQL queries!
Best for: AI/ML focused teams, data-heavy apps, researchers 🔬
How to Choose? Decision Framework
Quick decision guide:
🤖 "I want to build AI apps with GPT-4" → Azure (OpenAI partnership)
🧠 "I want to train custom ML models" → GCP (TPUs + Vertex AI)
🏢 "I want most job opportunities" → AWS (highest demand)
💰 "I have limited budget" → GCP ($300 free credits)
🔧 "I use Microsoft tools already" → Azure
📊 "I need big data + AI" → GCP (BigQuery + Vertex AI)
🌐 "I need maximum services" → AWS (200+ services)
Pro tip: Learn at least 2 cloud providers. AWS + GCP is a powerful combo for AI developers! 🎯
Real-World AI Company Choices
Famous companies enna cloud use pannraanga:
| Company | Cloud | AI Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | AWS | Recommendation engine |
| OpenAI | Azure | GPT-4 training & serving |
| DeepMind | GCP | AlphaFold, Gemini |
| Uber | GCP + AWS | Demand prediction |
| Airbnb | AWS | Image classification |
| Spotify | GCP | Music recommendations |
| Samsung | Azure | Bixby AI assistant |
| AWS | Visual search AI | |
| Twitter/X | GCP | Content moderation |
| Azure | Job recommendations |
Notice: Many large companies use multi-cloud — one provider la dependent aagaama irukkaanga! 🔄
Certification Roadmap
Cloud certifications — career boost ku:
AWS Path 📜:
- Cloud Practitioner (Beginner) — ₹8,000
- Solutions Architect Associate — ₹12,000
- ML Specialty — ₹25,000
Azure Path 📜:
- AZ-900 Fundamentals (Beginner) — ₹5,000
- AI-900 AI Fundamentals — ₹5,000
- AI-102 AI Engineer — ₹12,000
GCP Path 📜:
- Cloud Digital Leader (Beginner) — ₹8,000
- Associate Cloud Engineer — ₹15,000
- Professional ML Engineer — ₹15,000
Recommendation: Start with one cloud Fundamentals cert → then go for AI/ML specialty. 3-6 months preparation podhum. Free courses available on Coursera, YouTube! 📚
Prompt: Cloud Selection Helper
✅ Key Takeaways
✅ AWS Market Leader — 32% share, 200+ services, most documentation, largest community. Jobs highest demand dhaan. UI complex, pricing predict hard
✅ Azure Enterprise King — 23% share, OpenAI exclusive partnership, GPT-4 direct access. Microsoft ecosystem integration seamless. Hybrid cloud best
✅ GCP AI Powerhouse — 11% share, TPU custom chips (2-5x faster training), Vertex AI integrated platform, BigQuery + ML combination powerful. Cost slightly lower
✅ AI Services — GCP: Vertex AI + TPUs. Azure: OpenAI Service + Cognitive APIs. AWS: SageMaker + Bedrock. Each different strengths
✅ Free Credits Comparison — AWS 12 months free tier, Azure $200 credits + 12 months free, GCP $300 credits 90 days. All try-before-buy options
✅ Pricing Similar — Small AI apps: ₹400-500/month cost same all three. GCP slightly cheaper, negligible difference. Pricing optimization per workload
✅ Job Market Reality — AWS jobs most postings, highest salaries. Azure growing enterprise. GCP specialized ML roles. AWS + one more provider = strong resume
✅ Recommendation Pragmatic — Learn AWS (career value). Start GCP (best AI tools, free credits). Add Azure (completeness). Multi-cloud engineers premium
🏁 🎮 Mini Challenge
Challenge: Deploy Same AI App on All 3 Clouds
Theory mattum illa — hands-on practice! Simple chatbot app deploy pannunga AWS, Azure, GCP la and compare!
Step 1: Simple Flask Chatbot Create Pannunga 🤖
Step 2: AWS la Deploy Pannunga ☁️
Step 3: Azure la Deploy Pannunga 🔵
Step 4: GCP la Deploy Pannunga 🟡
Step 5: Performance & Cost Compare Pannunga 📊
- Latency check pannunga (which is fastest?)
- Deployment time compare
- Monthly cost estimate compare
- Ease of deployment compare
Deliverable: Simple spreadsheet with comparison + screenshots from all 3 clouds
Time: 2-3 hours (if accounts already ready)
Skill Gain: Hands-on experience with all 3 cloud providers ⭐
💼 Interview Questions
Q1: AWS vs GCP — AI model training ku which better? Why?
A: GCP better — TPUs available, Vertex AI platform specifically designed for ML. AWS SageMaker also powerful but GCP TPUs training time 2-5x faster and cost-effective for large models. Depends on model size — small models: both same, large models: GCP.
Q2: OpenAI API use pannanum na which cloud choose pannu?
A: Azure — official OpenAI partnership, GPT-4o access guaranteed, same pricing as OpenAI, enterprise support. AWS also supports via Bedrock but Azure is direct and official.
Q3: Cloud cost optimization — top 3 tips?
A: (1) Spot/Preemptible instances use pannunga — 60-70% discount. (2) Reserved instances — 1 year commitment, 30% discount. (3) Auto-scaling setup — peak hours only scale up, off-peak scale down. Monitoring + billing alerts essential.
Q4: Multi-cloud strategy — when needed? Risks?
A: When needed: vendor lock-in avoid, best services from each cloud, disaster recovery. Risks: operational complexity, team training, cost management difficult, data transfer costs between clouds. Start single-cloud, then expand if needed.
Q5: Azure Hybrid Cloud — what is? When use pannudhu?
A: On-premises servers + Azure cloud combine. When needed: compliance (data must stay local), legacy apps modernization, disaster recovery, burst capacity. Azure best (Azure Stack, ExpressRoute). Expensive — large enterprise use only.
Frequently Asked Questions
AI model training ku best hardware acceleration evadhu GCP la?