Short answer
As of October 23, 2026, Google Cloud Compute Engine wins more of the head-to-head checks (8 vs 1) and ranks higher overall (#87 of 160). Google Cloud Compute Engine is cheaper to start ($6.11 vs $6.86 a month) and Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) has more locations (48 vs 41).
Verdict
Google Cloud Compute Engine is cheaper to start: e2-micro costs $6.11 per month against $6.86 at Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series), and it stays cheaper per gigabyte of RAM ($6.12 vs $7.59 median).
Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) has the wider footprint with 48 locations in 32 countries, against 41 in 27 at Google Cloud Compute Engine; both offer Doha, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Johannesburg, London and 16 more.
Overall Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) ranks #111 and Google Cloud Compute Engine #87 of 160 providers we track. Choose Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) if you need a wider choice of locations; choose Google Cloud Compute Engine if price matters most.
Azure and Google Cloud side by side
| Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) | Google Cloud Compute Engine | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan | Standard_B2ats_v2: $6.86/mo | e2-micro: $6.11/mo |
| Entry plan specs | 2 vCPU, 1 GB RAM | 2 vCPU, 1 GB RAM |
| Cheapest Windows plan | Standard_B2ats_v2: $6.86/mo | e2-micro: $6.11/mo |
| Median price per GB RAM | $7.59 | $6.12 |
| Data-center locations | 48 in 32 countries | 41 in 27 countries |
| Regions | Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America | Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America |
| Virtualisation | Hyper-V | KVM-based hypervisor |
| Hourly billing | No | No |
| NVMe storage | — | Yes |
| DDoS protection | — | — |
| Backups | Paid | Paid |
| Managed option | — | — |
| Payment methods | card | card |
| Money-back | Not published | Not published |
| Uptime SLA | Not published | Not published |
| Trustpilot | 1.4 (57 reviews) | 1.4 (43 reviews) |
| Founded / HQ | 2010, Redmond US | 2008, Mountain View US |
Highlighted cells mark the better value where the comparison is objective (lower price, more locations, higher rating).
Plans at the same size
The closest matching plans by RAM from each provider.
| RAM | Azure | $/month | Google Cloud | $/month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | Standard_B2ats_v2 (2 vCPU, ? GB) | $6.86 | e2-micro (2 vCPU, ? GB) | $6.11 |
| 2 GB | Standard_B1ms (1 vCPU, ? GB) | $15.11 | e2-small (2 vCPU, ? GB) | $12.23 |
| 4 GB | Standard_B2ls_v2 (2 vCPU, ? GB) | $30.37 | e2-medium (2 vCPU, ? GB) | $24.46 |
| 8 GB | Standard_B2s_v2 (2 vCPU, ? GB) | $60.74 | e2-standard-2 (2 vCPU, ? GB) | $48.92 |
| 16 GB | Standard_B4s_v2 (4 vCPU, ? GB) | $121.18 | e2-standard-4 (4 vCPU, ? GB) | $97.84 |
| 32 GB | no plan | — | e2-standard-8 (8 vCPU, ? GB) | $195.67 |
Locations
Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) operates 48 locations (Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America); Google Cloud Compute Engine operates 41 (Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America).
Cities both offer: Doha, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Johannesburg, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan, Mumbai, Osaka, Paris and 10 more.
Only Azure: Amsterdam, Auckland, Brussels, Busan, California, Canberra, Cardiff, Chennai, Cheyenne, Chicago and 16 more.
Only Google Cloud: Ashburn, Berlin, Changhua County, Columbus, Council Bluffs, Dallas, Dammam, Delhi, Eemshaven, Hamina and 9 more.
Frequently asked questions
Is Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) or Google Cloud Compute Engine better?
As of October 23, 2026, Google Cloud Compute Engine wins more of the head-to-head checks (8 vs 1) and ranks higher overall (#87 of 160). Google Cloud Compute Engine is cheaper to start ($6.11 vs $6.86 a month) and Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) has more locations (48 vs 41).
Is Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) cheaper than Google Cloud Compute Engine?
Google Cloud Compute Engine has the lower entry price: $6.11 against $6.86 per month. The plans-at-equal-RAM table compares them size by size.
Which has more data centers, Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) or Google Cloud Compute Engine?
Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series), with 48 locations in 32 countries versus 41 at Google Cloud Compute Engine. Both operate in Doha, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Johannesburg and 17 more.
Do Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines (B-series) and Google Cloud Compute Engine offer Windows VPS?
Both offer Windows Server.
Sources
Prices, plans and locations were read from these pages; last checked October 23, 2026. Prices change, so confirm on the provider's site before you buy.