Virtual machines & images · AWS vs Google Cloud
AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) vs Google Axion Arm VMs (N4A, C4A)
AWS Graviton maps to Google Axion, Google's own Arm processor, offered in the N4A (Neoverse N3) and C4A (Neoverse V2) machine series.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) | Google Axion Arm VMs (N4A, C4A) |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | AWS-designed Arm64 server CPUs behind the "g" instance families. Graviton4 (M8g/C8g/R8g/X8g) is widely available, and Graviton5-based M9g/C9g/R9g families appear in the current-generation list. | Compute Engine machine series on Google's Axion Arm processor. N4A uses Arm Neoverse N3 cores and C4A uses Neoverse V2 cores. |
| Pricing model | Graviton instances are priced per second like other instance types and generally cost less than comparable x86 instances. Savings Plans and RIs apply. | Billed per second (1-minute minimum) for vCPUs, memory, and attached resources, by machine type and region. Sustained use discounts apply automatically to some series; committed use discounts and Spot pricing are also available. |
| Docs | AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) docs | Google Axion Arm VMs (N4A, C4A) docs |
| Pricing page | AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) pricing | Google Axion Arm VMs (N4A, C4A) pricing |
Key differences
- The A4X GPU series also uses Arm CPUs (NVIDIA Grace), but N4A and C4A are the general-purpose Axion options.
- Check that your images and container builds include arm64 variants, as with Graviton.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Graviton instances are priced per second like other instance types and generally cost less than comparable x86 instances. Savings Plans and RIs apply. AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) pricing →
- GCP
- Billed per second (1-minute minimum) for vCPUs, memory, and attached resources, by machine type and region. Sustained use discounts apply automatically to some series; committed use discounts and Spot pricing are also available. Google Axion Arm VMs (N4A, C4A) pricing →
And on Azure?
Direct match Azure's equivalent is Azure Cobalt (Arm-based VMs). AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2)?
AWS Graviton maps to Google Axion, Google's own Arm processor, offered in the N4A (Neoverse N3) and C4A (Neoverse V2) machine series.
How does pricing compare between AWS Graviton (Arm-based EC2) and Google Axion Arm VMs (N4A, C4A)?
AWS: Graviton instances are priced per second like other instance types and generally cost less than comparable x86 instances. Savings Plans and RIs apply. Google Cloud: Billed per second (1-minute minimum) for vCPUs, memory, and attached resources, by machine type and region. Sustained use discounts apply automatically to some series; committed use discounts and Spot pricing are also available. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Azure Cobalt (Arm-based VMs) (direct match). AWS Graviton maps to Azure Cobalt.