Load balancing
Network Load Balancer vs Azure Load Balancer (Standard)
Network Load Balancer maps to Azure Load Balancer (Standard).
Basic Load Balancer retired on September 30, 2025.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Network Load Balancer | Azure Load Balancer (Standard) |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Layer 4 (TCP, UDP, TLS) load balancer for very high throughput and low latency, with static IPs per AZ and source IP preservation. | Layer 4 (TCP and UDP) load balancer, public or internal, zone-redundant, with outbound rules and HA ports. Basic Load Balancer retired September 30, 2025. |
| Pricing model | Per NLB-hour plus per NLCU-hour. | Per rule-hour (the first five rules at a flat rate, then per extra rule) plus per GB processed, inbound and outbound. There's no hourly charge when no rules are configured. |
| Docs | Network Load Balancer docs | Azure Load Balancer (Standard) docs |
| Pricing page | Network Load Balancer pricing | Azure Load Balancer (Standard) pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 ANS-C01 Retiring | AZ-104 AZ-700 |
Key differences
- Architecture. Azure Load Balancer is a pass-through, software-defined service with no proxy. NLB also passes traffic through but can terminate TLS.
- Features. Azure Load Balancer adds outbound rules (SNAT for backends), HA ports (all ports and protocols on internal load balancers, often for NVAs), and inbound NAT rules. NLB offers static or Elastic IPs per AZ, TLS listeners, and security groups.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per NLB-hour plus per NLCU-hour. Network Load Balancer pricing →
- Azure
- Per rule-hour (the first five rules at a flat rate, then per extra rule) plus per GB processed, inbound and outbound. There's no hourly charge when no rules are configured. Azure Load Balancer (Standard) 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 Administrator Associate AZ-104 | Azure | Associate | current |
| 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.
Verification notes
- Basic Load Balancer retired September 30, 2025. Existing Basic load balancers keep running without support or an SLA, so upgrade to Standard.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of Network Load Balancer?
Network Load Balancer maps to Azure Load Balancer (Standard). Basic Load Balancer retired on September 30, 2025.
How does pricing compare between Network Load Balancer and Azure Load Balancer (Standard)?
AWS: Per NLB-hour plus per NLCU-hour. Azure: Per rule-hour (the first five rules at a flat rate, then per extra rule) plus per GB processed, inbound and outbound. There's no hourly charge when no rules are configured. 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 Administrator Associate (AZ-104); Microsoft Certified – Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700).