Azure
Reviewed by Alexis Morain · Updated July 14, 2026
Microsoft Azure is a cloud platform for infrastructure and services: compute, storage, AI, databases. Usage-based billing, trial with free credit.
A complete, solid enterprise cloud, a natural choice in a Microsoft environment, whose real challenge remains cost control.
- Tight Microsoft integration
- Very broad service catalog
- Complex billing to anticipate
Azure is Microsoft's cloud platform, one of the three major global providers alongside AWS and Google Cloud. It offers hundreds of infrastructure and platform services: virtual machines, storage, databases, networking, artificial intelligence and DevOps tools, all billed by usage.
What is Azure used for?
Azure is used to host applications and data, run workloads, train AI models and build scalable infrastructure without buying servers. Its tight integration with the Microsoft ecosystem (Microsoft 365, Active Directory, Power BI) makes it a natural choice for businesses already on Microsoft.
Azure or AWS?
Against AWS, Azure highlights its integration with the Microsoft enterprise and its licensing deals, where AWS keeps an edge in maturity and service breadth. The choice often comes down to existing setup, in-house skills and licensing commitments already in place.
How much does Azure cost?
Azure bills by usage, by the second or by resource consumed, with no fixed subscription. A free tier covers some services, and a trial offers $200 of credit over 30 days for new accounts. Commitment discounts (1 or 3 years) sharply reduce costs.
Pros & Cons
- Tight Microsoft integration
- Very broad service catalog
- Global presence and compliance
- Commitment discounts
- Complex billing to anticipate
- Learning curve
- Costs that drift without governance
Key features of Azure
Virtual machines
Scalable on-demand compute
Databases
Managed SQL and NoSQL
AI services
Azure OpenAI and cognitive tools
Identity
Active Directory integration
Azure pricing
Azure bills by usage, by resource consumed and often by the second, with no fixed subscription, so there is no advertised entry price. A free tier covers some services permanently, and a trial offers $200 of credit valid 30 days for new accounts. Reserved 1- or 3-year commitment discounts clearly reduce the bill, but real cost depends entirely on architecture and volume.
Free plan / trial
Free tier on some services + $200 trial credit over 30 days.
Free tier
Always-free services · Monthly quotas · No commitment
Free limited services
Pay-as-you-go
Compute, storage, AI · Per-second billing · No fixed subscription
Usage-based per resource
Reserved commitment
Significant discounts · Reserved capacity · Enterprise support
Custom 1 to 3 years
Pricing verified on July 14, 2026
Try AzureWho is Azure for?
Best for
- Businesses already on Microsoft
- Enterprise apps at scale
- AI and data workloads
Not recommended for
- Small projects seeking simplicity
- Budgets without cloud governance
Want to try Azure?
Head to the official site and the current offer.
Frequently asked questions about Azure
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How is Azure billed?▼
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