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Alibaba Cloud vs Linode

Alibaba Cloud logo

Alibaba Cloud

Cloud

Asia's leading cloud computing provider

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Linode logo

Linode

Cloud

Affordable cloud hosting and infrastructure

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Alibaba Cloud technical support is a separate subscription, from $19.99 a month for Developer up to $8,000 a month for Enterprise, with only Basic included; Linode linode.com/pricing returns a 301 redirect to akamai.com/cloud/pricing; the service is now sold as Akamai Cloud
  • They diverge on capability: Alibaba Cloud covers Elastic Compute Service, Linode covers Compute instances.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alibaba Cloud and Linode actually diverge.

Attributes where Alibaba Cloud and Linode differ
AttributeAlibaba CloudLinode
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Api, CliWeb, Api, Cli
Founded20092003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Alibaba Cloud

  • Elastic Compute Service
  • Object Storage Service
  • RDS Database
  • MaxCompute
  • Function Compute
  • CDN
  • Load Balancer
  • API Gateway

Only in Linode

  • Compute instances
  • Object storage
  • Block storage
  • Managed database
  • Load balancers
  • Firewalls
  • Private networks
  • Cloud Manager API

Both cover

  • Terraform
  • Ansible
  • Docker
  • Kubernetes
  • Cloud deployment
  • Api support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Alibaba Cloud

  • Cloud compute and storage with a strong footprint in China and Asia Pacificnot Linode
  • Pay-as-you-go infrastructure without upfront commitmentnot Linode
  • Committed-use discounts through savings plans for steady workloadsnot Linode
  • CDN and data transfer packages for content deliverynot Linode

Linode

  • Running Linux virtual machines on hourly billed shared or dedicated CPU plansnot Alibaba Cloud
  • Managed Kubernetes, block storage and object storage on a single cloud accountnot Alibaba Cloud
  • Hosting workloads in a specific one of the listed global regionsnot Alibaba Cloud

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Alibaba Cloud

  • Technical support is a separate subscription, from $19.99 a month for Developer up to $8,000 a month for Enterprise, with only Basic included
  • Service prices are not shown as a rate card and route through a calculator or sales
  • Committed discounts require savings plans, reserved instances or capacity packages rather than being automatic

Linode

  • linode.com/pricing returns a 301 redirect to akamai.com/cloud/pricing; the service is now sold as Akamai Cloud
  • Charges accrue for any service on the account even when it is powered off, because RAM and network capacity stay reserved; only deleting the service stops billing
  • Network transfer beyond the monthly allotment is billed from $0.005 per GB and the rate varies by region
  • The Akamai Cloud pricing landing page shows no rates and directs visitors to regional pricing pages or sales

Pricing, plan by plan

Alibaba Cloud

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • Free tier credits
    • ECS instances
    • Cloud storage
  • Pay-as-You-GoFree
    • Flexible billing
    • No commitments
    • Global reach

Linode

Free
  • Nanode 1GB$5/month
    • 1GB RAM
    • 1 vCPU
    • 25GB SSD
  • Linode 4GB$20/month
    • 4GB RAM
    • 2 vCPU
    • 80GB SSD

Which should you pick?

Choose Alibaba Cloud if

  • You need elastic compute service.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
  • You also want object storage service.
Alibaba Cloud review

Choose Linode if

  • You need compute instances.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want object storage.
Linode review

Questions people ask

Is Alibaba Cloud or Linode better?
Neither clearly leads. Alibaba Cloud starts at Free and Linode at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alibaba Cloud or Linode?
Alibaba Cloud starts at Free and Linode at Free.
Does Alibaba Cloud or Linode run on more platforms?
Alibaba Cloud runs on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli. Linode runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Alibaba Cloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Alibaba Cloud best used for?
Alibaba Cloud is most often used for cloud compute and storage with a strong footprint in china and asia pacific, pay-as-you-go infrastructure without upfront commitment, committed-use discounts through savings plans for steady workloads, cdn and data transfer packages for content delivery. Of those, cloud compute and storage with a strong footprint in china and asia pacific and pay-as-you-go infrastructure without upfront commitment are not what Linode is typically brought in for.
What can Alibaba Cloud do that Linode cannot?
Alibaba Cloud covers Elastic Compute Service, Object Storage Service, RDS Database, MaxCompute. Linode covers Compute instances, Object storage, Block storage, Managed database. Both handle Terraform, Ansible, Docker, Kubernetes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Linode: Does Linode charge for data egress?

Linode emphasizes transparent pricing with no egress surprises and a free egress allowance included in the service. The pricing is described as straightforward with no hidden fees and no vendor lock-in.

Source
Linode: What is the free trial credit amount?

New and existing enterprise customers can receive up to $5,000 in cloud credits through promotional offers.

Source
Linode: Is there vendor lock-in with Linode's pricing model?

No. Linode explicitly states there is no vendor lock-in as part of their transparent pricing approach.

Source
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