Microsoft Azure vs Yandex Cloud Comparison
Compare Microsoft Azure vs Yandex Cloud features, pricing, and more.
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.
Yandex Cloud
6.3/10
Public cloud platform from Yandex offering virtual machines, managed Kubernetes, managed databases, serverless and ML services, mainly for businesses in Russia and Kazakhstan.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.9/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Integration | 9/10 | 5/10 |
| Analytics | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Customization | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Ease of Use | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Scalability | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | $3/mo Pay-as-you-go |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Azure free account | Free Serverless free tier |
| Features | ||
| Managed Databases | ||
| Multiple Regions | ||
| Object Storage | ||
| Serverless Functions | ||
| Managed Kubernetes | ||
| VPS Hosting | ||
| Cloud Compute | ||
| Content Delivery Network | ||
| Shared Hosting | ||
| Free SSL Certificates | Not listed | |
| Managed WordPress | Not listed | |
| DDoS Protection | Not listed | |
| Automatic Backups | Not listed | |
Microsoft Azure vs Yandex Cloud cost by team size
Microsoft Azure and Yandex Cloud cost the same at every team size we checked.
| Team size | Microsoft Azure | Yandex Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeAzure free account | FreeServerless free tier |
| 5 users | FreeAzure free account | FreeServerless free tier |
| 10 users | FreeAzure free account | FreeServerless free tier |
| 25 users | FreeAzure free account | FreeServerless free tier |
| 50 users | FreeAzure free account | FreeServerless free tier |
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
- Higher Integration score (9/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Analytics score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (9/10 vs 7/10)
- Includes Shared Hosting, which Yandex Cloud lacks
Why choose Yandex Cloud
- 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.
Yandex Cloud
Pros
- The service catalogue is broad: VMs, Kubernetes, serverless, more than six managed database engines including ClickHouse and YDB, CDN, and backup.
- The Russia region has five availability zones, and data stays in the region where it was created.
- Native ML services such as YandexGPT and SpeechKit sit alongside the infrastructure services.
- Compliance credentials include ISO/IEC 27017 and PCI DSS across service categories.
- Entry pricing is low, with VMs from $2.85 per month and a serverless free tier.
Cons
- Only two regions, Russia and Kazakhstan, with no presence in Europe, the Americas or Asia beyond them.
- Some services, including Cloud Functions and Smart Web Security, are not available in the Kazakhstan region.
- Western companies face sanctions exposure.
- English documentation is weaker and the third-party ecosystem is smaller than on AWS, Azure or Google Cloud.
- Independent English-language reviews are scarce; TrustRadius shows only a single review.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Microsoft Azure scores higher on our AI Software criteria: 6.9/10 against 6.3/10 for Yandex Cloud. The largest gap is in Integration: 9/10 for Microsoft Azure and 5/10 for Yandex Cloud.
Both are free for 10 users.
Yes, both Microsoft Azure and Yandex Cloud have a free plan.
Microsoft Azure is the better fit for enterprise: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 7/10 for Yandex Cloud.
Microsoft Azure has Shared Hosting, which Yandex Cloud lacks.
