Simple hosting & virtual desktops · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools): Google Cloud equivalent
Google Cloud has no first-party virtual desktop service like Amazon WorkSpaces.
Desktops on Google Cloud are delivered through partner VDI products running on Compute Engine.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) | No first-party equivalent |
| Lifecycle | The WorkSpaces Pools and PCoIP protocol end of support is June 30, 2027 (sunset announced June 30, 2026). WorkSpaces Personal on the DCV protocol continues. | — |
| What it is | Managed cloud desktops on Windows, Ubuntu, Rocky Linux, or RHEL. Personal gives persistent per-user desktops, and Pools gives non-persistent ones. | — |
| Pricing model | Per WorkSpace, monthly or hourly by bundle, with optional license-included Windows or Microsoft 365 apps. | Not applicable. |
| Docs | Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) docs | — |
| Pricing page | Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) pricing | — |
Key differences
- Partner products are licensed separately from the VMs they run on.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per WorkSpace, monthly or hourly by bundle, with optional license-included Windows or Microsoft 365 apps. Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) pricing →
- GCP
- Not applicable.
And on Azure?
Partial match Azure's equivalent is Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365 (Cloud PC). AWS vs Azure comparison →
Verification notes
- Absence of a first-party DaaS is based on Google Cloud documentation reviewed on 2026-10-27.
FAQ
Does Google Cloud have an equivalent to Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools)?
Google Cloud has no first-party virtual desktop service like Amazon WorkSpaces. Desktops on Google Cloud are delivered through partner VDI products running on Compute Engine.
How does pricing compare between Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) and Google Cloud?
AWS: Per WorkSpace, monthly or hourly by bundle, with optional license-included Windows or Microsoft 365 apps. Google Cloud: Not applicable. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 (Cloud PC) (partial match). Amazon WorkSpaces maps to Azure Virtual Desktop (you run the session hosts) and Windows 365 (fully managed per-user Cloud PCs).