What is the difference between Microsoft Azure and RunPod?

Microsoft Azure and RunPod are both cloud GPU providers offering different pricing models, features, and GPU availability. Use our comparison tool to see real-time pricing and feature differences.

Which is cheaper: Microsoft Azure or RunPod?

Pricing varies by GPU model and usage requirements. Check our real-time comparison table to find the best deals for your specific needs.

Can I switch between Microsoft Azure and RunPod?

Yes, both providers offer flexible cloud GPU services. However, consider factors like data transfer costs, setup time, and specific features when switching between providers.

How many GPU models are available for comparison?

We track pricing for 15 different GPU models across both Microsoft Azure and RunPod, with 0 models available from both providers.

Microsoft Azure vs RunPod

Compare GPU pricing, features, and specifications between Microsoft Azure and RunPod cloud providers. Find the best deals for AI training, inference, and ML workloads.

Microsoft Azure

Provider 1

GPUs Available

Visit Website

RunPod

Provider 2

GPUs Available

Visit Website

Comparison Overview

Total GPU Models

Microsoft Azure GPUs

RunPod GPUs

Direct Comparisons

GPU Pricing Comparison

Total GPUs: 15Both available: 0Microsoft Azure: 0RunPod: 15

Showing 15 of 15 GPUs

Last updated: 11/30/2025, 7:30:47 PM

GPU Model ↑	Microsoft Azure Price	RunPod Price	Price Diff ↕	Sources
A100 PCIE 40GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$1.89/hr★ Best	—	RunPod
A100 PCIE 40GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $1.89/hour Updated: 3/31/2025 ★Best Price RunPod
A100 SXM 80GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.79/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
A100 SXM 80GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.79/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
A40 48GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.40/hr★ Best	—	RunPod
A40 48GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.40/hour Updated: 6/3/2025 ★Best Price RunPod
B200 192GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$5.98/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
B200 192GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $5.98/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
H100 80GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$1.35/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
H100 80GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $1.35/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
H200 141GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$3.59/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
H200 141GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $3.59/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
L40 40GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.69/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
L40 40GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.69/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
L40S 48GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.40/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
L40S 48GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.40/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX 3090 24GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.14/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX 3090 24GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.14/hour Updated: 11/19/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX 4090 24GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.20/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX 4090 24GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.20/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX 6000 Ada 48GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.40/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX 6000 Ada 48GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.40/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX A4000 16GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.09/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX A4000 16GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.09/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX A5000 24GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.11/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX A5000 24GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.11/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX A6000 48GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.25/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX A6000 48GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.25/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
Tesla V100 32GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.17/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
Tesla V100 32GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.17/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API

A100 PCIE 40GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$1.89/hr★ Best	—	RunPod
A100 PCIE 40GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $1.89/hour Updated: 3/31/2025 ★Best Price RunPod
A100 SXM 80GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.79/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
A100 SXM 80GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.79/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
A40 48GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.40/hr★ Best	—	RunPod
A40 48GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.40/hour Updated: 6/3/2025 ★Best Price RunPod
B200 192GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$5.98/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
B200 192GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $5.98/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
H100 80GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$1.35/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
H100 80GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $1.35/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
H200 141GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$3.59/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
H200 141GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $3.59/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
L40 40GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.69/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
L40 40GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.69/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
L40S 48GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.40/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
L40S 48GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.40/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX 3090 24GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.14/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX 3090 24GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.14/hour Updated: 11/19/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX 4090 24GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.20/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX 4090 24GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.20/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX 6000 Ada 48GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.40/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX 6000 Ada 48GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.40/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX A4000 16GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.09/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX A4000 16GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.09/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX A5000 24GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.11/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX A5000 24GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.11/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
RTX A6000 48GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.25/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
RTX A6000 48GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.25/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API
Tesla V100 32GB VRAM • RunPod	Not Available	$0.17/hr★ Best	—	RunPod API
Tesla V100 32GB VRAM • Not Available RunPod $0.17/hour Updated: 11/30/2025 ★Best Price RunPod API

Features Comparison

Microsoft Azure

Azure AI
Comprehensive suite of AI services and tools for building intelligent applications
Enterprise Integration
Seamless integration with Microsoft ecosystem and enterprise tools
Hybrid Capabilities
Strong hybrid and multi-cloud support with Azure Arc
Advanced Security
Industry-leading security features and compliance certifications
Global Scale
Extensive worldwide network of data centers and edge locations

RunPod

Secure Cloud GPUs
Access to a wide range of GPU types with enterprise-grade security
Pay-as-you-go
Only pay for the compute time you actually use
API Access
Programmatically manage your GPU instances via REST API
Fast cold-starts
Pods typically ready in 20-30 s
Hot-reload dev loop
SSH & VS Code tunnels built-in
Spot-to-on-demand fallback
Automatic migration on pre-empt

Pros & Cons

Microsoft Azure

Advantages

Strong enterprise integration and support
Comprehensive AI and machine learning services
Advanced security and compliance features
Extensive hybrid cloud capabilities

Considerations

Complex pricing and billing structure
Can be expensive for certain workloads
Steeper learning curve for new users

RunPod

Advantages

Competitive pricing with pay-per-second billing
Wide variety of GPU options
Simple and intuitive interface

Considerations

GPU availability can vary by region
Some features require technical knowledge

Compute Services

Microsoft Azure

Azure Virtual Machines

GPU-enabled VMs for various workloads

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Managed Kubernetes service with GPU support

Integrated GPU node pools
Automated scaling and updates

Azure Machine Learning

End-to-end ML platform with GPU acceleration

Automated ML capabilities
Integrated MLOps

RunPod

Pods

On‑demand single‑node GPU instances with flexible templates and storage.

Instant Clusters

Spin up multi‑node GPU clusters in minutes with auto networking.

Pricing Options

Microsoft Azure

Pay-as-you-go

Flexible pricing with no upfront commitment

Reserved VM Instances

Save up to 72% with 1 or 3-year commitments

Spot VMs

Up to 90% savings for interruptible workloads

Azure Hybrid Benefit

Cost savings for existing Windows Server and SQL Server licenses

RunPod

Getting Started

Microsoft Azure

Get Started

1
Create an Azure account
Sign up for Azure and get started with free credits
2
Set up your environment
Configure your subscription, resource groups, and access controls
3
Choose compute services
Select from VMs, containers, or serverless based on your needs
4
Deploy resources
Launch your first GPU-enabled instance or AI service

RunPod

Get Started

1
Create an account
Sign up for RunPod using your email or GitHub account
2
Add payment method
Add a credit card or cryptocurrency payment method
3
Launch your first pod
Select a template and GPU type to launch your first instance

Support & Global Availability

Microsoft Azure

Global Regions

60+ regions worldwide with multiple availability zones

Support

Basic, Developer, Standard, and Professional Direct support plans with 24/7 options. Extensive documentation and community resources.

RunPod