Microsoft Azure vs Selectel: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Microsoft Azure and Selectel to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Microsoft Azure
6.9/10
Microsoft's public cloud platform offering virtual machines, containers, serverless, databases, storage and AI services on pay-as-you-go pricing for businesses of all sizes.
Selectel
6.6/10
Russian infrastructure provider offering dedicated servers, cloud servers, VDS, managed Kubernetes, managed databases, S3 storage, CDN and GPU/ML services for businesses.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.9/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Integration | 9/10 | 6/10 |
| Analytics | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Customization | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Cost | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Scalability | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | RUB 200/mo VDS small |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Azure free account | RUB 200/mo VDS small |
| Features | ||
| Managed Databases | ||
| Multiple Regions | ||
| Object Storage | ||
| Serverless Functions | Not listed | |
| Managed Kubernetes | ||
| VPS Hosting | ||
| Cloud Compute | ||
| Content Delivery Network | ||
| Shared Hosting | Not listed | |
| Free SSL Certificates | Not listed | |
| API and CLI | Not listed | |
| DDoS Protection | Not listed | |
| Uptime SLA | Not listed | |
| Dedicated Servers | Not listed | |
| Automatic Backups | Not listed | |
Microsoft Azure vs Selectel cost by team size
| Team size | Microsoft Azure | Selectel |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeAzure free account | RUB 200/moVDS small |
| 5 users | FreeAzure free account | RUB 200/moVDS small |
| 10 users | FreeAzure free account | RUB 200/moVDS small |
| 25 users | FreeAzure free account | RUB 200/moVDS small |
| 50 users | FreeAzure free account | RUB 200/moVDS small |
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 Microsoft Azure
- Has a free plan (Selectel does not)
- Higher Integration score (9/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Analytics score (8/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (9/10 vs 7/10)
Why choose Selectel
- Higher Cost score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Ease of Use score (6/10 vs 4/10)
Pros & Cons
Microsoft Azure
Pros
- Free account includes a 200 USD credit plus always-free allowances such as 1 million Functions requests and Azure DevOps for 5 users.
- Close integration with Microsoft products such as Entra ID and Power BI is repeatedly praised by reviewers.
- Very broad catalogue covering compute, Kubernetes, serverless, databases, storage and AI services.
- Global footprint of over 400 datacenters across 70 regions as of fiscal 2025.
- Reviewers credit built-in identity management and security.
Cons
- Reviewers on Capterra and TrustRadius say monthly bills are hard to understand and predict.
- Steep learning curve, with many services carrying similar names.
- Some PeerSpot reviewers report support tickets taking weeks or months to resolve.
- Paid support is extra, from 29 to 1,000 USD per month beyond the free Basic plan.
- Integration with non-Microsoft platforms and documentation for new releases draw criticism.
Selectel
Pros
- Very broad catalogue from one vendor: bare metal, VDS, cloud, Kubernetes, DBaaS, S3, CDN, VMware and GPU/ML.
- Certified for Russian personal data law (152-FZ) and holds FSTEC/FSB licences, plus PCI DSS, ISO 27001 and SOC 2.
- Low entry prices, with VDS from about 200 RUB a month and desktop-CPU dedicated servers from 800 RUB.
- Infrastructure can be automated through the API and Terraform.
Cons
- Capacity is concentrated in Russia, with only a few sites in Central Asia and Kenya.
- Prices are in rubles and services are aimed at the Russian market, so sanctions and payment issues may apply for foreign buyers.
- No serverless functions product appears in the catalogue.
- Little independent English-language review coverage.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Microsoft Azure scores higher on our AI Software criteria: 6.9/10 against 6.6/10 for Selectel. The largest gap is in Analytics: 8/10 for Microsoft Azure and 5/10 for Selectel.
Microsoft Azure has a free plan; Selectel does not list one.
Microsoft Azure is the better fit for enterprise: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 7/10 for Selectel.
