CDN, edge compute & global acceleration
AWS Global Accelerator vs Azure global (cross-region) load balancer
AWS Global Accelerator maps to the Azure global (cross-region) load balancer for layer 4, or Front Door for HTTP(S).
Microsoft says the global load balancer most closely matches Global Accelerator's layer 4 behavior.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | AWS Global Accelerator | Azure global (cross-region) load balancer |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Static anycast IP addresses that route TCP and UDP traffic over the AWS global network to the best healthy regional endpoint. | Global tier of Standard Load Balancer that provides a static anycast public IP in front of regional Standard load balancers, for layer 4 geo-redundancy. |
| Pricing model | Fixed fee per accelerator-hour plus a data transfer premium per GB. | Billed like Standard Load Balancer (rules and data processed) on the global tier. |
| Docs | AWS Global Accelerator docs | Azure global (cross-region) load balancer docs |
| Pricing page | AWS Global Accelerator pricing | Azure global (cross-region) load balancer pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 ANS-C01 Retiring | AZ-700 |
Key differences
- Backends. Global Accelerator endpoints can be ALBs, NLBs, EC2 instances, or Elastic IPs in multiple Regions. Azure's global load balancer fronts regional Standard public load balancers only.
- Traffic control. Global Accelerator has traffic dials and endpoint weights, and custom routing accelerators for mapping users to specific instances. Azure's global load balancer routes to the closest healthy regional load balancer.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Fixed fee per accelerator-hour plus a data transfer premium per GB. AWS Global Accelerator pricing →
- Azure
- Billed like Standard Load Balancer (rules and data processed) on the global tier. Azure global (cross-region) load balancer pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate SAA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Italian version retires after Dec 31, 2026. |
| AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty ANS-C01 | AWS | Specialty | retiring The exam is being retired. The last day to take it is Dec 31, 2026. Existing certifications stay active for their three-year period. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Network Engineer Associate AZ-700 | Azure | Associate | current |
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 Global Accelerator?
AWS Global Accelerator maps to the Azure global (cross-region) load balancer for layer 4, or Front Door for HTTP(S). Microsoft says the global load balancer most closely matches Global Accelerator's layer 4 behavior.
How does pricing compare between AWS Global Accelerator and Azure global (cross-region) load balancer?
AWS: Fixed fee per accelerator-hour plus a data transfer premium per GB. Azure: Billed like Standard Load Balancer (rules and data processed) on the global tier. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03); AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) [retiring]; Microsoft Certified – Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700).