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Cloud · head to head

Oracle Cloud vs RAD Studio

Oracle Cloud logo

Oracle Cloud

Cloud

Enterprise cloud computing services

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
RAD Studio logo

RAD Studio

Developer Tools

Cross-platform native app development with Delphi and C++Builder

From
$2000/perpetual
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Oracle Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Oracle Cloud the free trial gives US$300 of credit that expires when consumed or after 30 days, whichever comes first; RAD Studio professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Oracle Cloud and RAD Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Oracle Cloud and RAD Studio differ
AttributeOracle CloudRAD Studio
Starting priceFree$2000/perpetual
Pricing modelusage-basedone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Api, CliWeb
CategoryCloudDeveloper Tools
Founded2019Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Oracle Cloud

  • Autonomous Database
  • Compute Instances
  • MySQL Database Service
  • Object Storage
  • Block Volume
  • Load Balancers
  • Virtual Cloud Network
  • API Gateway

Only in RAD Studio

Nothing recorded that Oracle Cloud does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Oracle Cloud

  • Running virtual machines, databases and storage on Oracle's cloud infrastructurenot RAD Studio
  • Hosting Oracle Database workloads on infrastructure from the same vendornot RAD Studio

RAD Studio

  • Building Windows desktop applications with VCL componentsnot Oracle Cloud
  • Creating iOS and Android apps from shared Delphi codebasenot Oracle Cloud
  • Connecting to Oracle databases through FireDAC connectivitynot Oracle Cloud
  • Building REST web services that run on Linux serversnot Oracle Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

Oracle Cloud

  • The free trial gives US$300 of credit that expires when consumed or after 30 days, whichever comes first
  • The US$300 cloud credit is available only in select countries
  • Only one Oracle Cloud Free Trial or Always Free account is permitted per person
  • Accounts left idle for 30 days or more are eligible for suspension or termination as abandoned
  • Always Free NoSQL Database is restricted to the Phoenix region
  • Free Tier availability is subject to capacity limits, and the published per-service capacity figures are estimates that assume the entire credit is spent on that one service

RAD Studio

  • Professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
  • Enterprise edition steps up to $3,400 license plus $1,199 maintenance, and Architect edition to $4,416 license plus $2,183 maintenance
  • The perpetual license only entitles the buyer to updates for one year; continued access to new updates and upgrades requires an annually renewable Update Subscription

Pricing, plan by plan

Oracle Cloud

Free
  • Always FreeFree
    • Oracle Autonomous Database
    • 2 compute instances
    • 100 GB storage
  • Pay-as-You-GoFree
    • Flexible pricing
    • No long-term commitment
    • Enterprise support

RAD Studio

$2000/perpetual
  • Professional Edition$2000/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $599
    • Total $2,599 + Tax
  • Enterprise Edition$3400/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $1,199
    • Total $4,599 + Tax
  • Architect Edition$4416/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $2,183
    • Total $6,599 + Tax

Which should you pick?

Choose Oracle Cloud if

  • You need autonomous database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
  • You also want compute instances.
Oracle Cloud review

Choose RAD Studio if

Nothing in the data separates RAD Studio from Oracle Cloud on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

RAD Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Oracle Cloud or RAD Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Oracle Cloud starts at Free and RAD Studio at $2000/perpetual, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Oracle Cloud or RAD Studio?
Oracle Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Oracle Cloud and $2000/perpetual for RAD Studio.
Does Oracle Cloud or RAD Studio run on more platforms?
Oracle Cloud runs on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli. RAD Studio runs on Web.
Can I use Oracle Cloud for free?
Yes. Oracle Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RAD Studio starts at $2000/perpetual.
What is Oracle Cloud best used for?
Oracle Cloud is most often used for running virtual machines, databases and storage on oracle's cloud infrastructure, hosting oracle database workloads on infrastructure from the same vendor. Of those, running virtual machines, databases and storage on oracle's cloud infrastructure and hosting oracle database workloads on infrastructure from the same vendor are not what RAD Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Oracle Cloud do that RAD Studio cannot?
Oracle Cloud covers Autonomous Database, Compute Instances, MySQL Database Service, Object Storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

RAD Studio: How much does RAD Studio cost?

RAD Studio uses perpetual licensing: Professional Edition $2,000 perpetual license + $599 first year maintenance ($2,599 total + tax). Enterprise Edition $3,400 license + $1,199 maintenance ($4,599 total + tax). Architect Edition $4,416 license + $2,183 maintenance ($6,599 total + tax).

Source
RAD Studio: What is the difference between RAD Studio editions?

Professional Edition ($2,599 total + tax) targets individual developers. Enterprise Edition ($4,599 total + tax) adds multi-tier app capabilities. Architect Edition ($6,599 total + tax) includes advanced database and cloud features. All three include perpetual licenses.

Source
RAD Studio: Does RAD Studio offer Kai AI integration and discounts?

Yes, adding Kai AI to any edition provides discounts: 25% off Professional ($2,136 + tax), 30% off Enterprise ($3,394 + tax), and 40% off Architect ($4,109 + tax). This promotion is active through August 31, 2026.

Source
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