Software · head to head
IBM Cloud vs Alibaba Cloud
The short version
- Each has a real cost: IBM Cloud the USD 200 starter cloud credit is valid for 30 days only; 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
- They diverge on capability: IBM Cloud covers Virtual Servers, Alibaba Cloud covers Elastic Compute Service.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which IBM Cloud and Alibaba Cloud actually diverge.
| Attribute | IBM Cloud | Alibaba Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 | 2009 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), platforms (Linux, Windows, Api, Cli), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 IBM Cloud
- Virtual Servers
- Bare Metal
- Cloud Foundry
- Watson AI
- Blockchain
- Databases
- Jenkins
- HIPAA
Only in Alibaba Cloud
- Elastic Compute Service
- Object Storage Service
- RDS Database
- MaxCompute
- Function Compute
- CDN
- Load Balancer
- Data encryption
Both cover
- Kubernetes
- API Gateway
- Terraform
- Ansible
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- SOC2
- ISO27001
- Cloud deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
IBM Cloud
- Running containerized and VM workloads on IBM's public cloudnot Alibaba Cloud
- Building on Watson APIs and IBM middleware as managed servicesnot Alibaba Cloud
Alibaba Cloud
- Cloud compute and storage with a strong footprint in China and Asia Pacificnot IBM Cloud
- Pay-as-you-go infrastructure without upfront commitmentnot IBM Cloud
- Committed-use discounts through savings plans for steady workloadsnot IBM Cloud
- CDN and data transfer packages for content deliverynot IBM Cloud
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
IBM Cloud
- The USD 200 starter cloud credit is valid for 30 days only
- The larger promotional credits are time boxed: USD 1,000 for Bare Metal Servers for VPC over 120 days, USD 2,500 for Power Virtual Server over 90 days, and USD 5,000 for Backup and Recovery over 90 days
- The USD 5,000 Backup and Recovery promotion is valid for new clients only and requires a checkout promo code
- The listed promotions carry an expiry date of 31 December 2026
- Beyond the free tier the account is pay as you go, so cost tracks usage with no published cap
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
Pricing, plan by plan
IBM Cloud
Free- Lite PlanFree
- Free services
- Limited resources
- 30-day trial
- Standard PlanFree
- Pay-as-you-go
- Enterprise support
- Advanced services
Alibaba Cloud
Free- Free TrialFree
- Free tier credits
- ECS instances
- Cloud storage
- Pay-as-You-GoFree
- Flexible billing
- No commitments
- Global reach
Which should you pick?
Choose IBM Cloud if
- You need virtual servers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
- You also want bare metal.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is IBM Cloud or Alibaba Cloud better?
- Neither clearly leads. IBM Cloud starts at Free and Alibaba Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, IBM Cloud or Alibaba Cloud?
- IBM Cloud starts at Free and Alibaba Cloud at Free.
- Does IBM Cloud or Alibaba Cloud run on more platforms?
- Both run on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use IBM Cloud for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is IBM Cloud best used for?
- IBM Cloud is most often used for running containerized and vm workloads on ibm's public cloud, building on watson apis and ibm middleware as managed services. Of those, running containerized and vm workloads on ibm's public cloud and building on watson apis and ibm middleware as managed services are not what Alibaba Cloud is typically brought in for.
- What can IBM Cloud do that Alibaba Cloud cannot?
- IBM Cloud covers Virtual Servers, Bare Metal, Cloud Foundry, Watson AI. Alibaba Cloud covers Elastic Compute Service, Object Storage Service, RDS Database, MaxCompute. Both handle Kubernetes, API Gateway, Terraform, Ansible.