Microsoft Azure vs Hetzner Cloud: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Microsoft Azure and Hetzner Cloud? Both are popular hosting tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Microsoft Azure is for: Teams building on .NET or Microsoft 365, and companies whose IT already buys Microsoft cloud services.
Hetzner Cloud is for: Developers comfortable running their own Linux servers who want cheap VPS capacity in Europe, the US or Singapore.
Quick verdict
There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Microsoft Azure if your stack is .NET or your company runs on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID. Choose Hetzner Cloud if you can run Linux servers yourself and want low monthly costs.
Microsoft Azure vs Hetzner Cloud — Side by Side
| Microsoft Azure | Hetzner Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Hosting | Hosting |
| What it is | Hyperscale cloud provider | Cloud VPS provider |
| How you pay | Pay as you go, per service | Fixed monthly price per server |
| Free access | 12 months of selected services; App Service F1 free | None |
| What it runs | Anything: App Service, VMs, containers, Functions | Linux VMs; load balancers, volumes, object storage |
| Who runs the servers | You configure and run it; many managed services | You run the servers |
| Pricing | Free · then usage-based | From $7/mo |
| Starting price | Free tier available | From $7/mo |
| Free tier | — | |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.6 |
| Best for | Hosting — .NET, Microsoft shops, enterprise | Hosting — VPS, self-hosting, EU servers |
Pros & Cons
- Enterprise-grade, global scale
- Best fit for .NET / Microsoft stack
- Huge service catalog
- Strong compliance & SLAs
- Complex pricing and portal
- Overkill for small projects
- Steeper learning curve than PaaS hosts
- Unbeatable price-performance
- Generous RAM/CPU for the money
- Hourly billing
- Now has US regions
- Raw VPS — you manage the stack
- No managed PaaS layer
- Fewer managed services than AWS/Azure
- Several 2026 price increases
Key Features Compared
Microsoft Azure
- App Service Free (F1): 60 CPU minutes a day, 1 GB RAM, 1 GB storage, no SLA
- Free and Shared App Service plans don’t support SSL
- New customers get 12 months of selected services free
- 65+ services always free
- Azure for Students: $100 credit, no card needed
Hetzner Cloud
- Cost-Optimized servers from €5.99 a month, Regular Performance from €6.49
- General Purpose servers with dedicated vCPUs from €43.49 a month
- Locations in Germany, Finland, Singapore and the US (Oregon and Virginia)
- Load balancers, free stateful firewalls and S3-compatible object storage
- Prices exclude VAT
Choose Microsoft Azure if…
- You want to start free — Microsoft Azure has a free tier and Hetzner Cloud does not.
- Your stack is .NET or your company runs on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID.
- Your company already has a Microsoft agreement that covers Azure spend.
Choose Hetzner Cloud if…
- You can run Linux servers yourself and want low monthly costs.
- You self-host tools such as Coolify, databases or n8n.
- Your users are in Europe and you want EU-based servers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Microsoft Azure better than Hetzner Cloud?⌄
There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Microsoft Azure if your stack is .NET or your company runs on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID. Choose Hetzner Cloud if you can run Linux servers yourself and want low monthly costs.
What is the difference between Microsoft Azure and Hetzner Cloud?⌄
What it is — Microsoft Azure: Hyperscale cloud provider. Hetzner Cloud: Cloud VPS provider. How you pay — Microsoft Azure: Pay as you go, per service. Hetzner Cloud: Fixed monthly price per server. Free access — Microsoft Azure: 12 months of selected services; App Service F1 free. Hetzner Cloud: None. What it runs — Microsoft Azure: Anything: App Service, VMs, containers, Functions. Hetzner Cloud: Linux VMs; load balancers, volumes, object storage. Who runs the servers — Microsoft Azure: You configure and run it; many managed services. Hetzner Cloud: You run the servers.
Microsoft Azure vs Hetzner Cloud: which is cheaper?⌄
Microsoft Azure pricing: Free · then usage-based. Hetzner Cloud pricing: From $7/mo. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, Microsoft Azure or Hetzner Cloud?⌄
In our catalog, Microsoft Azure rates 4.3 out of 5 and Hetzner Cloud rates 4.6 out of 5, so Hetzner Cloud has a slight edge on reviews.
When should I skip both Microsoft Azure and Hetzner Cloud?⌄
Skip Microsoft Azure if you want a free plan that serves a real site. App Service Free has no SSL and a 60-minute daily CPU cap. Skip Hetzner Cloud if you don’t want to manage servers. Render, Railway and Vercel are fully managed.
Sources · tool facts checked November 2026
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