IBM Cloud vs Nebius: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of IBM Cloud and Nebius to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
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.
Nebius
6.6/10
Nebius is an AI-focused cloud that rents NVIDIA GPU instances and clusters by the hour, with managed Kubernetes, Slurm, storage and inference services for ML teams.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.3/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Integration | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Analytics | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Customization | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Ease of Use | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Scalability | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Security | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Lite / Free | Contact for pricing |
| Features | ||
| API and CLI | ||
| Managed Databases | ||
| Multiple Regions | ||
| Object Storage | ||
| Serverless Functions | ||
| Managed Kubernetes | ||
| Dedicated Servers | Not listed | |
| Cloud Compute | ||
| Automatic Backups | Not listed | |
| Managed WordPress | Not listed | |
| Shared Hosting | Not listed | |
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose IBM Cloud
- Has a free plan (Nebius does not)
- Higher Integration score (7/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Customization score (8/10 vs 7/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (9/10 vs 7/10)
Why choose Nebius
- Higher Ease of Use score (6/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Cost score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for startups (8/10 vs 4/10)
Pros & Cons
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.
Nebius
Pros
- Newest NVIDIA hardware, including B300 and GB300 NVL72, is listed with published per-hour prices.
- Network egress, ingress and public IPs are free, which removes a common hidden cost on hyperscalers.
- The certification list is broad: SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, several ISO standards including 27001 and 42001, and CSA STAR.
- EU data centers in Finland and Paris help with GDPR and data residency.
- Infrastructure as code is fully supported through a CLI, a Terraform provider, gRPC and REST APIs, and SDKs.
Cons
- The catalogue is narrow outside AI. The only managed database is PostgreSQL, and there is no CDN or web hosting.
- Some users report slower support responses than AWS or CoreWeave.
- Users note documentation gaps for advanced setups.
- Kubernetes and Slurm workflows assume DevOps expertise.
- Commitment pricing and the largest clusters require contacting sales.
