Azure
Azure is Microsoft's cloud platform, essential for organizations that run on Windows and Microsoft technologies.
Our verdict
Who it's for
Microsoft's cloud, essential for enterprises running Windows
Who should look elsewhere
Confusing portal UI
Pros
- +Best for Microsoft ecosystem
- +Good hybrid cloud options
- +Enterprise relationships strong
- +Good AI services
- +Active Directory integration
Cons
- −Confusing portal UI
- −Pricing hard to predict
- −Some services less polished
- −Documentation can be outdated
- −Region availability varies
Key features
- ✓Virtual machines
- ✓App services
- ✓Azure Functions
- ✓Kubernetes service
- ✓Database services
- ✓AI and ML tools
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | $0 | month | $200 credit for 30 days; 12 months free services; 25+ always-free services |
| Pay-as-you-go | — | month | Pay only for what you use; No upfront commitment; VM, storage, networking, AI services |
| Reserved Instances | $72 | month | Predictable pricing; 1 or 3 year commitment; Best for steady workloads |