Amazon Web Services (AWS) vs IBM Cloud Comparison
Compare Amazon Web Services (AWS) vs IBM Cloud features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
7.6/10
Amazon's public cloud platform, with over 200 pay-as-you-go services for compute, storage, databases, networking and AI, used by startups through large enterprises and governments.
IBM Cloud
6.3/10
IBM's public cloud platform offering virtual and bare metal servers, managed Kubernetes and OpenShift, storage, databases and watsonx AI for enterprise hybrid cloud workloads.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 7.6/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Analytics | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Customization | 10/10 | 8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Integration | 10/10 | 7/10 |
| Scalability | 10/10 | 8/10 |
| Security | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Free plan | Free Lite / Free |
| Features | ||
| API and CLI | ||
| Managed Databases | ||
| Multiple Regions | ||
| Object Storage | ||
| Uptime SLA | Not listed | |
| Serverless Functions | ||
| Managed Kubernetes | ||
| VPS Hosting | Not listed | |
| Cloud Compute | ||
| Content Delivery Network | Not listed | |
| Dedicated Servers | Not listed | |
| Automatic Backups | Not listed | |
Amazon Web Services (AWS) vs IBM Cloud cost by team size
Amazon Web Services (AWS) and IBM Cloud cost the same at every team size we checked.
| Team size | Amazon Web Services (AWS) | IBM Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeFree plan | FreeLite / Free |
| 5 users | FreeFree plan | FreeLite / Free |
| 10 users | FreeFree plan | FreeLite / Free |
| 25 users | FreeFree plan | FreeLite / Free |
| 50 users | FreeFree plan | FreeLite / Free |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Higher Integration score (10/10 vs 7/10)
- Higher Analytics score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for startups (8/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for government (8/10 vs 6/10)
Why choose IBM Cloud
Our data shows no clear advantage over Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Pros & Cons
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Pros
- The service catalogue is unusually broad, with over 200 services across 38 regions, so most infrastructure needs can be met on one platform.
- EC2 has a 99.99% region-level SLA with credits of up to 100%, and instances unavailable for more than six minutes in an hour are not billed for that hour.
- The free plan gives up to $200 in credits, and more than 30 always-free services let new teams experiment at low cost.
- Support scales from a $29 minimum up to dedicated Enterprise and Unified Operations tiers for mission-critical workloads.
- G2 rates it 4.4 across more than 17,000 reviews, and reviewers praise its scalability and global reach.
Cons
- Reviewers widely cite a steep learning curve across the console and services.
- Usage pricing is complex and can produce unexpected bills unless spend is monitored closely.
- Paid support is billed as a percentage of total AWS spend, so support costs rise with usage.
- A July 2025 billing console bug showed customers estimated charges in the billions, which hurt trust in its cost tooling.
IBM Cloud
Pros
- The One Rate Object Storage plan bundles egress and API calls into one charge starting at 10 USD per TB per month.
- Tight integration with Red Hat OpenShift, and IBM manages the Kubernetes master, version updates and the host OS.
- Unusual compute options, including bare metal and IBM Power Virtual Server, suit legacy enterprise workloads.
- Large promotional credits are available, including 1,000 USD for bare metal or VPC and 2,500 USD for Power Virtual Server.
- Reviewers consistently cite security and compliance as strengths.
Cons
- A Gartner reviewer criticised the portal's response time, and others describe the platform as complex for new administrators.
- Public feedback cites friction with billing, procurement and account administration.
- Some reviewers report support that is slow or fragmented across IBM's large organization.
- Most service prices come from the catalog estimator rather than a public price list.
- Its market position and third-party ecosystem are smaller than those of AWS, Azure and Google Cloud.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Amazon Web Services (AWS) scores higher on our AI Software criteria: 7.6/10 against 6.3/10 for IBM Cloud. The largest gap is in Integration: 10/10 for Amazon Web Services (AWS) and 7/10 for IBM Cloud.
Both are free for 10 users.
Yes, both Amazon Web Services (AWS) and IBM Cloud have a free plan.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the better fit for startups: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 4/10 for IBM Cloud.
