What is AWS Azure and GCP? Which cloud platform is best for your career? Here’s the simplest guide you’ll find.
Cloud computing has become the backbone of modern tech. Whether you pursue data engineering, AI engineering, DevOps, cloud security, or software development, you will likely work with one—or even all—of the big three cloud providers: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
This guide breaks it down in the simplest possible terms—perfect for beginners who want to understand the differences, market demand, learning paths, and career potential.
What Are AWS, Azure, and GCP?
What is AWS?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) is the world’s largest and most widely adopted cloud platform.
What AWS is known for
- Most mature and fully developed cloud platform
- Largest global market presence
- Widest range of cloud services (compute, storage, data engineering, security, ML, DevOps)
- Its browser interface—the AWS Console—lets you work with all services in one place
What AWS is used for
- Cloud engineering
- Data engineering
- AI/ML deployment
- Massive-scale web apps
- Enterprise cloud migration
AWS dominates the AWS vs Azure vs GCP market share 2025, making it the most recognized skill for cloud jobs.
What is Azure?
Microsoft Azure is the second-largest provider and excels in enterprise environments.
So, What Azure is known for
- Seamless integration with Microsoft products (Windows Server, Active Directory, Office 365)
- Strong hybrid cloud capabilities
- Enterprise-grade security certifications
What Azure is used for
- Migrating corporate IT systems
- Security & identity management
- Enterprise data platforms
- Hybrid cloud workloads
What is GCP?
GCP (Google Cloud Platform) is Google’s cloud ecosystem and focuses heavily on data, AI, and machine learning.
What GCP is known for
- Industry-leading analytics and ML tooling (e.g., BigQuery)
- Easiest pricing model
- Excellent for AI/ML, data engineering, and automation workloads
What GCP is used for
- Data analytics
- AI automation
- Machine learning workflows
- Modern app development
AWS vs Azure vs GCP: Key Differences Explained
Core Cloud Services
All three offer the same categories:
- Compute → EC2, Azure VMs, GCE
- Storage → S3, Azure Blob, GCS
- Databases → RDS, Cosmos DB, BigQuery
- Machine Learning → SageMaker, Azure ML, Vertex AI
They do the same things—just with different names, dashboards, and ecosystems.
AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud Comparison Table
| Feature / Category | AWS | Azure | GCP |
| Full Name | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure | Google Cloud Platform |
| What it’s known for | Scale, services breadth, global reach | Enterprise + Microsoft integration | AI, ML, Big Data |
| Market Position (2025) | #1 globally | #2 | #3 |
| Strength | Most complete cloud ecosystem | Best enterprise + hybrid cloud | Best for data/AI workloads |
| Pricing | Complex | Enterprise-friendly | Simplest |
| Learning Curve | Moderate | Moderate | Easiest for data roles |
AWS vs Azure vs GCP: Which Is Better for Your Career?
Amazon Web Services
- Best all-around cloud for beginners
- Highest job demand
- Versatile across DevOps, data engineering, security, and cloud engineering
Azure
- Best for enterprise and IT backgrounds
- Extremely strong in security & compliance
GCP
- Best for AI/ML, automation, and advanced analytics roles
- Great for data engineering beginners
Learn AWS, Azure, and GCP with WeCloudData
If you want a guided, job-ready path instead of learning cloud fundamentals alone,
WeCloudData offers industry-recognized, hands-on programs. If you’re ready to start learning cloud platforms in a truly job-ready way, WeCloudData offers some of the most practical and industry-aligned programs available.
Beginners who want a structured path can dive into our Cloud Engineering Bootcamp, Data Engineering Bootcamp, and AI Engineering & MLOps Bootcamp a hands-on program covering AWS and GCP tools to teach end-to-end ML deployment. Learners who prefer shorter, introductory courses can start with AWS Fundamentals, Azure Basics for Beginners, or GCP Essentials—perfect for getting comfortable with each cloud ecosystem before committing to a full bootcamp.
If you’re serious about cloud careers, WeCloudData accelerates your learning and job-readiness dramatically.
AWS, Azure, and GCP FAQs
- What is AWS vs Azure?
Both are cloud platforms, but AWS is more general-purpose; Azure is stronger for enterprise systems.
- Are GCP and AWS the same?
No. They offer similar categories of services, but GCP focuses heavily on AI and data, while AWS offers broader functionality.
- What is the difference between Azure and GCP?
Azure is best for enterprise integration; GCP is best for analytics and AI.
- What is GCP used for?
Advanced data analytics, ML engineering, automation pipelines, and modern app development.
