Is Microsoft Azure's E2s_v5 the best deal?

Virtual Machines · $91.98/mo (16 GB RAM, 2 vCPU)

Better deals exist

Azure E2s_v5 at $91.98/mo is significantly overpriced for basic VM workloads. Numerous VPS providers offer 2-4x more vCPU, comparable or superior RAM, and NVMe storage for $5-25/mo, with far fewer hidden costs. Unless you require Azure's ecosystem lock-in or hybrid cloud features, switching saves 70-95% monthly.

Cloud VPS 4

$5.94/mosave 93.5%

4 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 100GB SSD, unlimited traffic for $5.94/mo - 15x cheaper than Azure with more cores and no per-GB bandwidth surcharges.

Caveat: Price is locked to 24-month prepay; 1-12 month terms cost significantly more; fair usage policy can throttle sustained high-bandwidth usage; ticket-only support on base tier.

Cloud Servers CX33

$9.99/mosave 89.1%

4 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 80GB SSD, 20TB transfer for $9.99/mo; 9x cheaper with better specs and no Windows license surcharge if running Linux.

Caveat: VAT not included in listed price; recent large price increases on other product lines (CPX/CCX up 2.4-2.75x in June 2026); traffic overage billed beyond 20TB pool in EU.

KVM VPS 4

$12.99/mosave 85.9%

4 vCPU, 16GB RAM (matches Azure), 200GB NVMe, 16TB transfer for $12.99/mo; 7x cheaper with identical RAM and superior storage, plus weekly backups.

Caveat: Intro price requires 12-48 month prepay; renewal jumps to $28.99/mo (2.2x); free domain only year one; weekly (not daily) backups on base plan.

Cloud VPS L

$11.5/mosave 87.5%

4 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 240GB NVMe, unlimited traffic (1 Gbps) for $11.5/mo; 8x cheaper than Azure with no bandwidth overage fees and more storage.

Caveat: Intro pricing is promotional (1-3 year contract); renewal pricing 2-6x higher; outbound data beyond 2TB free tier costs $0.036/GB; additional IPv4 addresses $6/month each.

VPS Hosting NVMe 8

$8.36/mosave 90.9%

4 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 200GB NVMe, unmetered bandwidth for $8.36/mo (plus $60 gift card); 11x cheaper with superior specs and no per-GB egress charges.

Caveat: Intro price requires 36-month prepay; renewal jumps to $9.99-15.99/mo; free domain only year one; aggressive upsells for SiteLock, backups, and Pro Email during checkout.

Before you switch

Azure's $91.98/mo is for compute only; add storage, bandwidth, and licensing costs separately. Most VPS alternatives bundle these.
All top alternatives require multi-year prepay (12-36 months) to hit advertised intro rates; renewal prices are 2-6x higher - factor this into TCO.
If you need Windows Server, Azure's license is included; most VPS providers charge $0.039-0.15/vCore/hour extra for Windows, eroding savings.
Azure offers hybrid cloud, enterprise SLA (99.95%), and tight Microsoft ecosystem integration; VPS providers are pure IaaS without these features.
Verify your actual bandwidth needs: Azure charges $0.087/GB after 100GB free; most VPS offer 1-20TB included, but fair-use policies may throttle sustained abuse.
Check data residency and compliance requirements (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.) - Azure's global regions may be mandatory; VPS providers have more limited geographic options.

This comparison is generated from publicly listed pricing and may contain errors or omissions. It is not financial or professional advice, and CloudHosting.io is not responsible for decisions made based on it. Pricing, promotions, and specs change frequently and may not reflect current terms, regional availability, taxes, or contract length. Always verify current pricing and terms directly on the provider's site before purchasing or switching.

Comparable plans across providers

Provider	Plan	Price	Specs
Contabo	Core VPS · Cloud VPS 4	$5.94/mo	8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 100 GB SSD	Visit
Bluehost	VPS Hosting · NVMe 8	$8.36/mo	8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 200 GB NVMe SSD	Visit
OVHcloud	VPS · VPS-2	$8.5/mo	8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 75 GB NVMe	Visit
IONOS	IONOS CLOUD vCPU Servers · vCPU - per core	$9.36/mo	1 vCPU	Visit
InMotion Hosting	VPS Hosting · VPS 4 vCPU	$9.99/mo	8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 160 GB NVMe SSD	Visit
Hetzner	Cloud Servers · CX33	$9.99/mo	8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 80 GB SSD	Visit
IONOS	Cloud VPS (Linux) · Cloud VPS L	$11.5/mo	8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 240 GB NVMe	Visit
Contabo	Performance VPS · Cloud VPS Plus 4	$12.39/mo	8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 150 GB NVMe	Visit
Hostinger	KVM VPS · KVM 4	$12.99/mo	16 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 200 GB NVMe SSD	Visit
IONOS	IONOS CLOUD Cubes (Memory) · Memory Cube S	$13.68/mo	8 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 120 GB NVMe	Visit
IONOS	IONOS CLOUD Cubes (Basic) · Basic Cube M	$18.72/mo	8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 240 GB NVMe	Visit
Hosting.com (formerly A2 Hosting)	VPS Hosting (Self-Managed) · VPS S	$19.99/mo	8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, 160 GB NVMe SSD	Visit
DreamHost	Self-Managed VPS · Stack 8	$21.99/mo	8 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 150 GB NVMe SSD	Visit
Gcore	Cloud Compute (Standard Gen 0, Linux) · g0-standard-4-8	$24.64/mo	8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU	Visit
Scaleway	Virtual Instances · BASIC2-A2C-8G	$25.18/mo	8 GB RAM, 2 vCPU	Visit

Visit Microsoft Azure

Comparing prices across every provider we track...