Google Cloud vs UpCloud
Compare GPU pricing, features, and specifications between Google Cloud and UpCloud cloud providers. Find the best deals for AI training, inference, and ML workloads.
Google Cloud
Provider 1
UpCloud
Provider 2
Comparison Overview
GPU Pricing Comparison
| GPU Model ↑ | Google Cloud Price | UpCloud Price | Price Diff ↕ | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
L4 24GB VRAM • Google Cloud |  $0.56/hr★ Best | Not Available | — | |
L4 24GB VRAM • | ||||
Tesla T4 16GB VRAM • Google Cloud | $0.35/hr★ Best | Not Available | — | |
Tesla T4 16GB VRAM • | ||||
Tesla V100 32GB VRAM • Google Cloud | $2.48/hr★ Best | Not Available | — | |
Tesla V100 32GB VRAM • | ||||
L4 24GB VRAM • Google Cloud | $0.56/hr★ Best | Not Available | — | |
L4 24GB VRAM • | ||||
Tesla T4 16GB VRAM • Google Cloud | $0.35/hr★ Best | Not Available | — | |
Tesla T4 16GB VRAM • | ||||
Tesla V100 32GB VRAM • Google Cloud | $2.48/hr★ Best | Not Available | — | |
Tesla V100 32GB VRAM • | ||||
Features Comparison
Google Cloud
- Compute Engine
Scalable virtual machines with a wide range of machine types, including GPUs.
- Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
Managed Kubernetes service for deploying and managing containerized applications.
- Cloud Functions
Event-driven serverless compute platform.
- Cloud Run
Fully managed serverless platform for containerized applications.
- Vertex AI
Unified ML platform for building, deploying, and managing ML models.
- Preemptible VMs
Short-lived compute instances at a significant discount, suitable for fault-tolerant workloads.
UpCloud
- Dedicated GPUs
No shared hardware — each GPU is always dedicated to a single server with full performance isolation
- 100% Renewable Energy
Helsinki data center powered entirely by renewable energy with up to 90% waste heat recovery for district heating
- European Data Sovereignty
GDPR-compliant infrastructure in Finland with strong jurisdictional protections and no third-party dependencies
- Zero-Cost Data Transfer
No egress fees — outbound data transfer is included at no extra cost
- Usage-Based Billing
Pay only for active compute time with hourly billing, no rigid contracts or long-term commitments required
Pros & Cons
Google Cloud
Advantages
- Flexible pricing options, including sustained use discounts
- Strong AI and machine learning tools (Vertex AI)
- Good integration with other Google services
- Cutting-edge Kubernetes implementation (GKE)
Considerations
- Limited availability in some regions compared to AWS
- Complexity in managing resources
- Support can be costly
UpCloud
Advantages
- 100% renewable energy with waste heat recovery — strong sustainability credentials
- Zero-cost egress eliminates surprise data transfer bills
- GDPR-compliant EU data sovereignty in Finland
- Dedicated GPUs with no shared hardware
Considerations
- GPU servers only available in Helsinki — no multi-region GPU presence
- Limited to NVIDIA L40S for public cloud (H200 NVL only via private cloud)
- No NVLink or MIG support — inter-GPU communication limited to PCIe 4.0
Compute Services
Google Cloud
Compute Engine
Offers customizable virtual machines running in Google's data centers.
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
Managed Kubernetes service for running containerized applications.
- Automated Kubernetes operations
- Integration with Google Cloud services
Cloud Functions
Serverless compute platform for running code in response to events.
- Automatic scaling and high availability
- Pay only for the compute time consumed
UpCloud
GPU Servers
On-demand NVIDIA L40S GPU instances with dedicated hardware and AMD EPYC 9575F processors
Private Cloud GPUs
Dedicated private cloud infrastructure with NVIDIA L4, L40S, and H200 NVL GPUs
Pricing Options
Google Cloud
On-Demand
Pay for compute capacity per hour or per second, with no long-term commitments.
Sustained Use Discounts
Automatic discounts for running instances for a significant portion of the month.
Committed Use Discounts
Save up to 57% with a 1-year or 3-year commitment to a minimum level of resource usage.
Preemptible VMs
Save up to 80% for fault-tolerant workloads that can be interrupted.
UpCloud
On-Demand GPU Servers
Hourly billing for L40S GPU instances with no upfront commitment — pay only for active compute time
Private Cloud GPUs
Fixed monthly pricing for dedicated private cloud GPU infrastructure with L4, L40S, and H200 NVL
Getting Started
Google Cloud
- 1
Create a Google Cloud project
Set up a project in the Google Cloud Console.
- 2
Enable billing
Set up a billing account to pay for resource usage.
- 3
Choose a compute service
Select Compute Engine, GKE, Cloud Functions, or Cloud Run based on your needs.
- 4
Create and configure an instance
Launch a VM instance, configure a Kubernetes cluster, or deploy a function/application.
- 5
Manage resources
Use the Cloud Console, command-line tools, or APIs to manage your resources.
UpCloud
- 1
Create an UpCloud account
Sign up at upcloud.com and complete account verification
- 2
Select a GPU server plan
Choose from 1x, 2x, or 3x L40S configurations with varying vCPU and RAM options
- 3
Deploy with AI/ML template
Use pre-configured GPU Ubuntu templates to get started quickly with CUDA and ML frameworks
- 4
Attach storage
Add block storage devices (1 GB–4 TB each) from any storage tier for your operating system and data
Support & Global Availability
Google Cloud
Global Regions
40+ regions and 120+ zones worldwide.
Support
Role-based (free), Standard, Enhanced and Premium support plans. Comprehensive documentation, community forums, and training resources.
UpCloud
Global Regions
Helsinki, Finland (Telia Helsinki Data Center)
Support
Documentation, API reference, and support team available through the UpCloud control panel
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