AWS vs GCP: Difference Between Google Cloud & AWS – Compare Features, Pricing, Pros & Cons

In the last decade, cloud technology has gained popularity and many new companies and startups have emerged, providing solutions related to cloud computing.

AWS (Amazon Web Services) and GCP (Google Cloud Platform) are two of the most popular cloud computing platforms available today. Both, AWS and GCP offer a wide range of services that enable businesses to deploy and run applications, store data, and manage their IT infrastructure in the cloud.  This blog on AWS Vs Google Cloud highlights and elaborates the major factors of comparison between GCP vs AWS. Let’s understand what cloud services and Google Cloud vs AWS difference in detail.

What are Cloud Services?

Cloud services refer to any computing services that are provided through the internet on a pay-per-use or subscription basis. Cloud services are provided by cloud service providers, such as AWS, GCP and many others. Here is where you can know more about cloud services and more. Know the main elements in google cloud vs AWS to know how it can benefit you.

What is AWS?

AWS stands for Amazon Web Services, is a cloud computing platform provided by Amazon. It offers a wide range of cloud-based services, including computing power, storage, databases, analytics, and machine learning, among others. 

Why to choose AWS?

1. Wide range of services: AWS provides a wide range of services that cater to different business needs, from computing power and storage to analytics and security.
2. Flexibility: AWS offers a wide range of computing options, including virtual machines, containers, and serverless computing, allowing users to choose the right option based on their needs.
3. Scalability: AWS allows users to scale their resources up or down based on demand, making it easy to handle spikes in traffic or usage.
4. Reliability: AWS has a global infrastructure with multiple availability zones, ensuring high availability and fault tolerance for applications.
5. Security: AWS provides various security features, including encryption, identity and access management, and network security

What is GCP?

GCP stands for Google Cloud Platform, which is a suite of cloud computing services provided by Google. It offers a wide range of cloud-based services, including computing power, storage, databases, analytics, and machine learning, among others.

Why to choose GCP?

1. Scalability: GCP allows users to scale their resources up or down based on demand, making it easy to handle spikes in traffic or usage.
2. Advanced machine learning: GCP offers advanced machine learning capabilities, including pre-built models and APIs, making it easy to integrate machine learning into applications.
3. Hybrid cloud: GCP offers hybrid cloud capabilities, allowing users to seamlessly integrate on-premises infrastructure with GCP.
4. Cost-effective: GCP offers competitive pricing and a range of cost-management tools, making it easy to optimize costs.
5. Security: GCP provides various security features, including encryption, identity and access management, and network security, ensuring that users’ data is secure.
6. Innovative: GCP is known for its innovative services, such as BigQuery, a serverless data warehouse, and Cloud Spanner, a globally distributed relational database.
7. Developer-friendly: GCP provides a range of developer-friendly tools and services, including Kubernetes for container orchestration, App Engine for application development, and Cloud Functions for serverless computing. 

Google Cloud vs AWS: Difference Between Google Cloud and AWS

Here is the detailed comparative analysis on AWS vs Google Cloud.

Features of AWS (Amazon Web Service)

• Computing
• Storage 
• Databases
• Serverless functions
• Cloud app integration
• VPN
• Analytics and machine learning

Features of GCP (Google Cloud Platform)

• Machine learning analytics 
• Application modernization 
• Security 
• Business Collaboration
• Productivity Management    
• Cloud app development 
• Data Storage, and management 

Limitations of AWS (Amazon Web Service)

1. Limited support for legacy systems: AWS may not be the best choice for organizations that rely on legacy systems or technologies.
2. Limited control over infrastructure: Users have limited control over the underlying infrastructure managed by AWS.
3. Limited flexibility in VM sizes: AWS has a fixed set of VM sizes to choose from, which may not be suitable for some workloads.
4. Complexity of networking: AWS has a complex networking setup, which can make it challenging for new users to navigate.
5. Limited scalability in some services: While AWS offers scalability in many of its services, some services may have limited scalability options.
6. Limited control over underlying infrastructure: Users have limited control over the underlying infrastructure managed by AWS.
7. Limited native support for hybrid environments: While AWS offers some hybrid cloud solutions, it may not have the same level of native support for hybrid environments as other cloud providers.

Limitations of GCP (Google Cloud Platform)

1. Limited third-party support: While GCP has a growing ecosystem of third-party integrations, it still lags behind AWS in terms of the number of available integrations.
2. Limited geographic availability: GCP may not be available in all regions or countries, which can limit its usefulness for some users.
3. Limited database options: While GCP has a range of database services, it offers limited options for traditional SQL databases compared to AWS.
4. Limited container management: While GCP offers Kubernetes-based container management, it has limited options for other container management platforms compared to AWS.
5. Limited enterprise support: While GCP offers enterprise-level support, it may not be as robust as the support offered by AWS for larger organizations.
6. Limited serverless options: GCP has limited serverless options compared to AWS, which may be a disadvantage for some users. Read about advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing in detail.
7. Limited experience with certain workloads: While GCP has a range of services and features, it may have less experience with certain workloads compared to AWS.

How to Choose between google cloud vs AWS?

To choose between AWS vs GCP, consider your specific business needs, the cost and pricing structure of each provider, and the available services and features of cloud computing that match your needs. Additionally, consider the level of support and customer service offered and the experience and expertise your team has with each platform. You will be able to learn the requirements better by understanding this guide on front end and backend technologies.

Why Businesses Need Cloud Services?

While talking about Google Cloud vs AWS, let’s see the various Services offered by AWS and GCP first. Businesses need cloud services to enable flexible and scalable IT infrastructure that can adapt to changing business needs, reduce upfront capital expenditures, and allow for greater collaboration and data accessibility across teams and locations. Additionally, cloud services provide access to advanced tools and technologies that may be too costly or complex to implement in-house. Explore the benefits of cloud computing in this detailed guide.

Google Cloud vs. AWS – Network Services

Google Cloud vs. AWS – Cloud Security Services 

AWS vs. GCP – Database Services

AWS vs. GCP – Storage Services

AWS vs. GCP – Compute Services

Google Cloud vs AWS: Companies Who Uses Them

Both AWS and GCP are used by a wide range of companies, from startups to large enterprises. Some notable companies that use AWS include Netflix, Airbnb, Adobe, LinkedIn, and Samsung, while some notable companies that use GCP include Spotify, Coca-Cola, Philips, and Twitter.

It’s important to note that the decision to use AWS or GCP (or another cloud provider) ultimately depends on each company’s specific needs, priorities, and existing infrastructure.

Google Cloud vs AWS: Availability Zones

Both AWS and GCP offer the concept of “availability zones,” which are data centers located in different geographic regions that enable high availability and disaster recovery capabilities.

AWS currently has 77 availability zones in 24 regions worldwide, with plans to expand to more regions in the future. GCP currently has 27 availability zones across 22 regions worldwide, with plans to expand to additional regions in the future. 

Google Cloud vs AWS: Market Shares & Growth Rate

One of the major comparative factor for this GCP vs AWS is the market share & its growth rate. AWS currently has the largest market share in the cloud computing industry, with over 30% market share, while GCP has around 9% market share.

However, GCP is growing at a faster rate compared to AWS, with a growth rate of around 61% in the past year, compared to AWS’s growth rate of around 33%. This indicates that while AWS currently dominates the market, GCP is rapidly gaining ground and is expected to continue to grow in the future.

Google Cloud vs AWS Pricing Comparison

Google Cloud vs AWS Pricing Comparison Google Cloud Platform is a clear winner.  To explain it 2CPU  8GB RAM instance for GCP is priced at $50 per month whereas AWS instance is priced at $69 per month. You save 25% on it. You can also save more as the Billing for AWS is done on Per-Hour basis, whereas Google Cloud Platform provides billing on a Per-Second basis. 

Google Cloud vs AWS: Job Trends

One of the major comparative factor for this GCP vs AWS is Job Trends. Both AWS and GCP skills are in high demand in the job market, with AWS having a larger number of job postings compared to GCP. However, the demand for GCP skills is rapidly increasing, with a growth rate of around 61% in the past year. Common job roles requiring AWS or GCP skills include cloud architects, engineers, and developers. Read more about what other cloud computing skills you require for these roles in cloud computing. 

Similarities and Differences of AWS vs GCP

AWS and Google Cloud offer similar cloud computing services, but differ in their market share, services offered, pricing options, and user interface. Google Cloud has a stronger focus on machine learning and AI, while AWS has a larger market share and more complex pricing. The choice between them depends on the specific needs of a business.

Which one to choose? Google Cloud vs AWS?

Well, now we have clearly understood the difference between Google Cloud vs AWS. Both the cloud providers have their advantages and disadvantages. To summarize the Google Cloud vs AWS blog, we can say that AWS has the Maximum Market share and has been in the market for way too long and is doing great, but on the other hand even if GCP is new, it is growing at a very fast rate with its competitive Pricing, Free Tier, and Machine Learning etc. So, all things considered, it would be better to say that the choice between Google Cloud vs AWS comes down to personal preference. After you have understood all the Google Cloud vs AWS pointers you can easily make a better choice according to your preference.