Scaling, placement & rightsizing
AWS Compute Optimizer vs Azure Advisor
AWS Compute Optimizer maps partly to Azure Advisor's cost recommendations.
Advisor is a broader best-practice engine; Compute Optimizer is a dedicated, deeper rightsizing service.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | AWS Compute Optimizer | Azure Advisor |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Rightsizing and idle-resource recommendations for EC2, Auto Scaling groups, EBS, Lambda, ECS on Fargate, RDS/Aurora, commercial licenses, and more, based on utilization history. | Free recommendations for cost (including VM right-sizing and shutdown), reliability, security, performance, and operational excellence. |
| Pricing model | Basic recommendations are free. Enhanced infrastructure metrics are billed per resource per hour. | Azure Advisor is free. |
| Docs | AWS Compute Optimizer docs | Azure Advisor docs |
| Pricing page | AWS Compute Optimizer pricing | Azure Advisor pricing |
| Exams | SOA-C03 SAP-C02 Retiring | AZ-104 AZ-305 |
Key differences
- Scope. Compute Optimizer covers EC2, Auto Scaling groups, EBS, Lambda, ECS on Fargate, RDS/Aurora, commercial licenses, and more, with performance-risk ratings and Graviton migration suggestions. Advisor covers VM and VMSS right-sizing or shutdown along with reliability, security, performance, and operational recommendations across many Azure services.
- Data. Compute Optimizer uses CloudWatch metrics (optionally enhanced, with longer lookback). Advisor uses Azure Monitor utilization with configurable CPU thresholds and lookback.
- On AWS, Cost Optimization Hub aggregates Compute Optimizer and other savings recommendations. On Azure, Advisor score and Cost Management fill that role.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Basic recommendations are free. Enhanced infrastructure metrics are billed per resource per hour. AWS Compute Optimizer pricing →
- Azure
- Azure Advisor is free. Azure Advisor pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate SOA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Replaces AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C02), whose last exam day was Sep 29, 2025. Simplified Chinese and Korean versions retire after Nov 19, 2026. |
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional SAP-C02 | AWS | Professional | retiring Being updated to SAP-C03. Registration for SAP-C03 opens Oct 27, 2026. Last day to take SAP-C02 is Nov 16, 2026. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate AZ-104 | Azure | Associate | current |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 | Azure | Expert | current English version updated Apr 17, 2026. |
Relevance is based on each exam's published scope, not a line-by-line objective match. Check the official study guide.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of AWS Compute Optimizer?
AWS Compute Optimizer maps partly to Azure Advisor's cost recommendations. Advisor is a broader best-practice engine; Compute Optimizer is a dedicated, deeper rightsizing service.
How does pricing compare between AWS Compute Optimizer and Azure Advisor?
AWS: Basic recommendations are free. Enhanced infrastructure metrics are billed per resource per hour. Azure: Azure Advisor is free. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate (SOA-C03); AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP-C02) [retiring]; Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104); Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305).