IBM Cloud vs Scaleway: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of IBM Cloud and Scaleway 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.
Scaleway
6.6/10
French cloud provider offering virtual instances, bare metal, managed Kubernetes, serverless, databases, object storage and GPUs from EU-only data centers for businesses and developers.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.3/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Integration | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Analytics | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Customization | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Ease of Use | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Scalability | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | €59/mo Silver Support |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Lite / Free | Free Basic Support |
| Features | ||
| API and CLI | ||
| Managed Databases | ||
| Multiple Regions | ||
| Object Storage | ||
| Serverless Functions | ||
| Managed Kubernetes | ||
| Dedicated Servers | ||
| Cloud Compute | ||
| Automatic Backups | Not listed | |
| VPS Hosting | Not listed | |
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose IBM Cloud
- Higher Integration score (7/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Analytics score (6/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (9/10 vs 5/10)
Why choose Scaleway
- Higher Ease of Use score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Cost score (8/10 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.
Scaleway
Pros
- All data centers are in the EU, which helps with GDPR and data sovereignty requirements
- Low entry prices with hourly billing, and Instance list prices include egress
- The shared Kubernetes control plane is free
- A full API, CLI and Terraform provider allow infrastructure-as-code workflows
- A wide compute range covering bare metal, Apple silicon and current GPUs
Cons
- No regions outside Europe
- Trustpilot reviews frequently cite unexpected billing and account verification lockouts
- Support is slow on the free tier, and stronger support costs extra
- Block storage and public IPv4 are billed separately, which pushes costs above headline instance prices
- Development instances carry little or no availability SLO
