Choosing between AWS and Google Cloud Platform is one of the most important infrastructure decisions you'll make. Both are excellent platforms, but they excel in different areas. This guide helps you make an informed choice.
Market Position
AWS leads with ~32% market share, followed by Azure at ~22%, and GCP at ~10%. However, market share doesn't mean one is "better"—it depends on your specific needs.
Pricing Comparison
Compute (EC2 vs Compute Engine)
- AWS EC2: More instance types, complex pricing
- GCP: Simpler pricing, automatic sustained-use discounts
- Winner: GCP is often 20-40% cheaper for similar workloads
Storage (S3 vs Cloud Storage)
- Both offer similar pricing tiers
- GCP has simpler egress pricing
- Winner: Tie, depends on access patterns
Key Services Comparison
Kubernetes
GKE (Google) is considered the gold standard for managed Kubernetes—Google invented K8s. EKS (AWS) has improved significantly but requires more configuration.
Machine Learning
GCP excels with TensorFlow, Vertex AI, and TPUs. AWS offers SageMaker and broader ML service variety. Choose GCP for ML-heavy workloads.
Data Analytics
BigQuery (GCP) is unmatched for serverless data warehousing. AWS Redshift requires more management but offers more customization.
When to Choose AWS
- Largest service catalog (200+ services)
- Most mature enterprise features
- Widest global infrastructure
- Best for general-purpose cloud needs
When to Choose GCP
- Kubernetes-native workloads
- Machine learning and AI projects
- Big data and analytics
- Cost-conscious organizations
Our Recommendation
For most businesses, AWS offers the safest choice with the largest ecosystem. Choose GCP if you're building ML/AI applications or are heavily invested in Kubernetes. Many enterprises use both in a multi-cloud strategy.
Need Help Choosing?
CloudElevate works with both AWS and GCP. We help you evaluate your workloads and choose the optimal platform—or design a multi-cloud architecture.
Contact us at info@cloudelevate.ai for cloud consulting.
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