Cloud Equivalents

Purchase options & licensing · AWS vs Google Cloud

EC2 On-Demand Capacity Reservations vs Compute Engine reservations

EC2 On-Demand Capacity Reservations map to Compute Engine reservations, which hold zonal capacity for a machine type.

Direct match Use it to: Guarantee that VM capacity of a given size is there when you need it (DR, launches, events), separately from discounts.

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Side-by-side comparison

Capacity reservations: AWS vs Google Cloud side by side
AspectAmazon Web ServicesGoogle Cloud
ServiceEC2 On-Demand Capacity ReservationsCompute Engine reservations
LifecycleGenerally availableGenerally available
What it isReserve capacity for an instance type in an AZ, either immediately with no commitment or future-dated with a commitment. Billed at On-Demand rates whether you use it or not. Discounts come from Savings Plans or regional RIs.Reserve zonal capacity for specific machine types, consumed automatically by matching VMs or only by VMs that target the reservation. Future reservations can request capacity ahead of time.
Pricing modelBilled at the On-Demand rate for the reserved instance type, used or unused. Immediate reservations have no term, and future-dated ones carry a minimum commitment.Reserved resources are billed at on-demand rates (committed use discounts can apply) whether or not VMs use them.
DocsEC2 On-Demand Capacity Reservations docsCompute Engine reservations docs
Pricing pageEC2 On-Demand Capacity Reservations pricingCompute Engine reservations pricing

Key differences

  • Reservations are consumed automatically by matching VMs by default, or only by VMs that target them.
  • Future reservations let you request capacity for a later start date.

Pricing summary

Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.

AWS
Billed at the On-Demand rate for the reserved instance type, used or unused. Immediate reservations have no term, and future-dated ones carry a minimum commitment. EC2 On-Demand Capacity Reservations pricing →
GCP
Reserved resources are billed at on-demand rates (committed use discounts can apply) whether or not VMs use them. Compute Engine reservations pricing →

And on Azure?

Direct match Azure's equivalent is Azure on-demand capacity reservation. AWS vs Azure comparison →

FAQ

What is the Google Cloud equivalent of EC2 On-Demand Capacity Reservations?

EC2 On-Demand Capacity Reservations map to Compute Engine reservations, which hold zonal capacity for a machine type.

How does pricing compare between EC2 On-Demand Capacity Reservations and Compute Engine reservations?

AWS: Billed at the On-Demand rate for the reserved instance type, used or unused. Immediate reservations have no term, and future-dated ones carry a minimum commitment. Google Cloud: Reserved resources are billed at on-demand rates (committed use discounts can apply) whether or not VMs use them. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.

What is the Azure equivalent?

Azure on-demand capacity reservation (direct match). EC2 On-Demand Capacity Reservations map to Azure on-demand capacity reservation.

Related AWS vs GCP comparisons

Official sources