Direct comparison
Microsoft Azure vs Scaleway
Microsoft Azure or Scaleway? The direct cloud comparison of services, data centers, costs and sovereignty. Hyperscaler versus European cloud – focused on sovereignty, GDPR and compliance.
Management summary
As of 2026-07Microsoft Azure positions itself as a technologically leading hyperscaler with maximum strength in AI, Big Data, and Microsoft integration, but is limited by weak jurisdictional sovereignty (SEAL 4.4/10) and high costs (Price 4/10). Scaleway convinces as a cost-efficient, sovereign EU cloud with a strong Bare Metal and Cloud Native foundation, but is limited to European markets and offers little Enterprise or Workplace integration. While Azure covers complex, international enterprise scenarios with over 200 services and global reach, Scaleway focuses on European sovereignty (SEAL 7.9/10) and price competitiveness (Cost Rating 8.5/10) with 80+ services. The choice depends primarily on the requirement for global presence and Microsoft ecosystem integration versus European data sovereignty and cost transparency.
Methodology & data basisMicrosoft Azure
HyperscalerUSP: Leading in data analytics, AI, and Kubernetes
Recommendation: Recommended for enterprises heavily invested in Microsoft.
Scaleway
EU providerUSP: European portfolio with a focus on AI infrastructure and cloud-native development
Recommendation: Recommended for companies looking for European Cloud Native alternatives
Performance chart
Microsoft Azure and Scaleway across 8 core categories, compared with the average of all providers (1–10).
Market positioning
All 13 providers by sovereignty and portfolio performance — purely computed from the category ratings.
Positions are purely computational: X = mean of technological & operational sovereignty, Y = mean of all remaining rating categories (each 1–10). Not a ranking recommendation. Methodology & data basis
Strengths & weaknesses
Automatically derived from the editorially reviewed rating data and backed by the category ratings (1–10) — fair to both sides.
Strengths
- Top values in data security & encryption (10/10) through Confidential VMs, BYOK, and Dedicated HSM, significantly above the average of the comparison group (avg. 7.8).
- Leading position in AI (10/10) and Big Data (8/10) with comprehensive managed services such as Azure OpenAI, Synapse Analytics, and Microsoft Fabric.
- Enormous strategic breadth (9/10) with over 200 services, including strong database (10/10), storage (10/10), and networking offerings (10/10).
- Optimal integration for Microsoft workloads (10/10) and collaboration tools (10/10), supported by Entra ID and seamless Windows/M365 connectivity.
Points to consider
- Low technological sovereignty (5/10) due to proprietary platform and lock-in risks, significantly below the average of the comparison group (avg. 7.4).
- Weak operational sovereignty (5/10) due to the global operating model, which is below the industry average (avg. 8.0).
- High costs (Price 4/10) with expensive egress (3.0/10) and average CPU (4.0/10) and RAM prices (3.6/10), increasing the TCO for pure IaaS workloads.
Strengths
- Outstanding pricing (Price 9/10) with a Cost Rating of 8.5/10 and competitive rates, particularly for GPU (9.0/10) and Egress (10.0/10).
- Maximum sovereignty in Europe: Technological (9/10) and operational sovereignty (9/10) are at top level, supported by a SEAL Score of 7.9/10 and EU residence.
- Strong Bare Metal and container infrastructure: Bare Metal achieves the highest score in the comparison field (9/10), complemented by mature containerization (8/10) with Managed Kubernetes.
- Solid foundation for Linux (8/10) and storage (8/10), with archive storage being particularly inexpensive (9.5/10) and the portfolio covering Block, File, Object, and Archive.
Points to consider
- No global reach (Global Reach 1/10): With only 3 countries and 1 continent, the provider is unsuitable for international workloads; however, this is irrelevant for purely European users.
- Lack of workplace integration (Collaboration Tools 2/10): There is no portfolio for Office, Mail, or Conferencing, underscoring its use as a pure infrastructure offering.
- Weak enterprise virtualization (Virtualization 4/10): No managed VMware or direct hypervisor access complicates the migration of classic enterprise estates.
Which provider when?
Use-case-based decision aid — both options are a valid choice.
Choose Microsoft Azure if:
- You require deep integration into the Microsoft ecosystem (Windows Server, MSSQL, Entra ID, M365) with the highest security standards.
- Your workloads require global presence with low latency in over 30 countries and 70+ regions.
- You rely on advanced AI/ML models and Big Data analytics with managed services such as Synapse Analytics or Azure OpenAI.
- You are migrating existing VMware or Hyper-V environments and require managed virtualization solutions.
Choose Scaleway if:
- European data sovereignty and technological sovereignty (SEAL Score 7.9/10) are your primary selection criteria.
- You are looking for cost-efficient IaaS/PaaS solutions with transparent pricing and low egress costs.
- Your architecture is based on Linux, containerization (Kubernetes), and Bare Metal servers for maximum performance.
- You need a cloud infrastructure that operates entirely within the EU and has no dependencies on US legislation.
Service comparison by category
All 19 rating categories in a head-to-head duel (1–10). A notable lead is marked from a 2-point difference.
| Category | Microsoft AzurevsScalewayScale 1–10 | Avg. all | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Security & Encryption | 107 | 7.8 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Technological Sovereignty | 59 | 7.4 | Lead Scaleway |
| Operational Sovereignty | 59 | 8 | Lead Scaleway |
| Strategic Capabilities | 96 | 6.2 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Price | 49 | 6.4 | Lead Scaleway |
| Collaboration Tools | 103 | 5.1 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Global Reach | 101 | 4.5 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Big Data | 84 | 4.8 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| AI | 106 | 4.8 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Bare Metal | 39 | 5.2 | Lead Scaleway |
| Virtualization | 104 | 5.7 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Containerization | 98 | 7.3 | balanced |
| Databases | 107 | 6.9 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| High Availability | 96 | 6.7 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Microsoft | 104 | 4.5 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Linux | 108 | 8.8 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Encryption | 97 | 6.8 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Storage | 108 | 7.7 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
| Network | 108 | 7.8 | Lead Microsoft Azure |
Management Summary
Sovereign Cloud
SEAL Framework
Strategic (15 %)
Legal & Jurisdictional (10 %)
Data & AI (10 %)
Operational (15 %)
Supply Chain (20 %)
Technology (15 %)
Security & Compliance (10 %)
Environmental (5 %)
Availability & Locations
Compute
shared & low-budget
Hot Storage
Cold Storage
Managed Databases
Network & Security
Orchestration
Virtualization
Management
Big Data
AI & Machine Learning
Quantum Computing
Compliance & Certificates
German cloud security catalogue
IT service management system standard
Information security management system
Cloud security controls for providers
Personal data protection for cloud
Privacy information management extension
Energy management for data centers
Cloud Security Alliance assurance registry
Service organization control audit reports
Payment card data security standard
Quality management system standard
Cost Indication
vCPU/h
H100/h
GB/h
CPU/h
Ratio1/4
GB/h | 3000 IOPS
GB/h
GB/h
GB/h
Cluster/h
per 1 Mil Requests
GB-Sec
LLama3.3-70B per 1Mil tokens
LLama3.3-70B per 1Mil tokens
per GB
Our comparison methodology
The scores show a relative price comparison per service category. The lowest price earns 10 points; higher prices are marked down proportionally. Missing services are treated neutrally.
As of: List prices as of 11 September 2025, location Germany (DE).
More cloud comparisons
Frequently asked questions: Microsoft Azure vs Scaleway
What is the difference between Microsoft Azure and Scaleway?
Microsoft Azure is a global hyperscaler with over 200 services, strong Microsoft integration, and leading AI/Big Data technology, but with lower sovereignty (SEAL 4.4/10) and higher costs (Price 4/10). Scaleway is a European provider focused on sovereignty (SEAL 7.9/10), cost efficiency (Price 9/10), and cloud-native technologies such as Bare Metal and Kubernetes, but without global reach and enterprise workplace tools.
Which provider is more sovereign?
Scaleway is significantly more sovereign with a SEAL Score of 7.9/10 (79%) and high scores in technological (9/10) and operational sovereignty (9/10). Microsoft Azure has a SEAL Score of 4.4/10 (44%) and lower values in technological (5/10) and operational sovereignty (5/10), which is due to its global structure and US residence.
Who is cheaper?
Scaleway is significantly cheaper with a price score of 9/10 and a Cost Rating of 8.5/10, particularly for GPU (9.0/10) and Egress (10.0/10). Microsoft Azure has a price score of 4/10 and a Cost Rating of 5.7/10, with more expensive egress costs (3.0/10) and average CPU/RAM prices. However, actual costs always depend on the workload.
Which provider offers better AI and Big Data services?
Microsoft Azure clearly leads with an AI score of 10/10 and Big Data of 8/10, supported by services such as Azure OpenAI, Synapse Analytics, and Microsoft Fabric. Scaleway has an AI score of 6/10 and Big Data of 4/10, but offers Generative APIs and Managed Inference, which is above average for a sovereign provider.
Is Scaleway suitable for global companies?
No, Scaleway has a global reach of only 1/10 with a presence in just 3 countries and 1 continent. Microsoft Azure has a global reach of 10/10 with 300 data centers in 36 countries and 70+ regions, making it significantly more suitable for international workloads.
Not sure which provider fits you?
The Cloud Compass determines the best cloud for your use case — data-driven and vendor-neutral.
Start Cloud Compass