Quick Comparison
| AWS | GCP | Azure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market share | ~31% | ~12% | ~25% |
| Strengths | Everything (broadest) | Data/ML, Kubernetes | Enterprise, Microsoft stack |
| Free tier | 12 months + always free | 12 months + always free | 12 months + always free |
| Best for | Startups, general use | Data engineering, AI | Enterprise, .NET, hybrid |
When to Use AWS
- Default choice — broadest service catalog
- Startup credits available
- Largest community and documentation
- Most third-party integrations
When to Use GCP
- Data engineering (BigQuery is unmatched)
- Kubernetes (GKE is the best managed K8s)
- Machine learning (Vertex AI, TPUs)
- You want simpler pricing
When to Use Azure
- Your company uses Microsoft 365/Active Directory
- .NET applications
- Enterprise hybrid cloud
- Government/compliance requirements
Verdict
AWS is the safe default. GCP for data/ML workloads. Azure if you’re a Microsoft shop. For personal projects and startups, AWS has the most resources and tutorials.