Purchase options & licensing · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon EC2 Reserved Instances vs Resource-based committed use discounts
EC2 Reserved Instances map to resource-based committed use discounts: commit to vCPUs, memory, GPUs, or local SSD in a region for 1 or 3 years.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon EC2 Reserved Instances | Resource-based committed use discounts |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | A 1- or 3-year billing discount for a specific instance configuration. Standard RIs can be modified and resold on the RI Marketplace. Convertible RIs can be exchanged. Purchases can't be cancelled. | Commit to a quantity of vCPUs, memory, GPUs, or local SSD in a region for 1 or 3 years. Sustained use discounts also apply automatically to some series. |
| Pricing model | All, Partial, or No upfront, with 1- or 3-year terms. Standard RIs discount more than Convertible. | Discounted rate for committed resources over 1 or 3 years, billed monthly whether or not you use them. |
| Docs | Amazon EC2 Reserved Instances docs | Resource-based committed use discounts docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon EC2 Reserved Instances pricing | Resource-based committed use discounts pricing |
Key differences
- Commitments are to resource quantities in a region, not to an instance type, so they apply across VM sizes within the machine series.
- There is no marketplace to resell commitments.
- Sustained use discounts give automatic savings on some series even without a commitment.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- All, Partial, or No upfront, with 1- or 3-year terms. Standard RIs discount more than Convertible. Amazon EC2 Reserved Instances pricing →
- GCP
- Discounted rate for committed resources over 1 or 3 years, billed monthly whether or not you use them. Resource-based committed use discounts pricing →
And on Azure?
Direct match Azure's equivalent is Azure Reservations (Reserved VM Instances). AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Amazon EC2 Reserved Instances?
EC2 Reserved Instances map to resource-based committed use discounts: commit to vCPUs, memory, GPUs, or local SSD in a region for 1 or 3 years.
How does pricing compare between Amazon EC2 Reserved Instances and Resource-based committed use discounts?
AWS: All, Partial, or No upfront, with 1- or 3-year terms. Standard RIs discount more than Convertible. Google Cloud: Discounted rate for committed resources over 1 or 3 years, billed monthly whether or not you use them. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Azure Reservations (Reserved VM Instances) (direct match). EC2 Reserved Instances map to Azure Reservations (Reserved VM Instances).