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Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head

Tencent Cloud vs IBM Cloud

Tencent Cloud logo

Tencent Cloud

Cloud & Infrastructure

Cloud solutions for global enterprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IBM Cloud logo

IBM Cloud

Cloud & Infrastructure

Enterprise cloud solutions from a trusted partner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Tencent Cloud standard SA5 2-core instance in Beijing is priced at 1567 CNY per year while an 8-core Standard S6 in Shanghai runs 5719 CNY per year; IBM Cloud the USD 200 starter cloud credit is valid for 30 days only
  • They diverge on capability: Tencent Cloud covers CVM - Cloud Virtual Machines, IBM Cloud covers Virtual Servers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Tencent Cloud and IBM Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Tencent Cloud and IBM Cloud differ
AttributeTencent CloudIBM Cloud
Founded20102013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), platforms (Linux, Windows, Api, Cli), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud & Infrastructure).

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 Tencent Cloud

  • CVM - Cloud Virtual Machines
  • COS - Cloud Object Storage
  • TencentDB
  • SCF - Serverless Computing
  • CDN
  • Load Balancer
  • VPC
  • Data encryption

Only in IBM Cloud

  • Virtual Servers
  • Bare Metal
  • Cloud Foundry
  • Watson AI
  • Blockchain
  • Databases
  • Ansible
  • Jenkins

Both cover

  • API Gateway
  • Terraform
  • Docker
  • Kubernetes
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Tencent Cloud

  • Gaming platformsnot IBM Cloud
  • Social medianot IBM Cloud
  • Video streamingnot IBM Cloud
  • Asia-Pacific deploymentnot IBM Cloud
  • Mobile applicationsnot IBM Cloud

IBM Cloud

  • Running containerized and VM workloads on IBM's public cloudnot Tencent Cloud
  • Building on Watson APIs and IBM middleware as managed servicesnot Tencent Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

Tencent Cloud

  • Standard SA5 2-core instance in Beijing is priced at 1567 CNY per year while an 8-core Standard S6 in Shanghai runs 5719 CNY per year

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Tencent Cloud

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • Free trial credits
    • CVM instances
    • Cloud storage
  • Pay-as-You-GoFree
    • Flexible pricing
    • No long-term contracts
    • Global infrastructure

IBM Cloud

Free
  • Lite PlanFree
    • Free services
    • Limited resources
    • 30-day trial
  • Standard PlanFree
    • Pay-as-you-go
    • Enterprise support
    • Advanced services

Which should you pick?

Choose Tencent Cloud if

  • You need cvm - cloud virtual machines.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
  • You also want cos - cloud object storage.
Tencent Cloud review

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.
IBM Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Tencent Cloud or IBM Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Tencent Cloud starts at Free and IBM Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Tencent Cloud or IBM Cloud?
Tencent Cloud starts at Free and IBM Cloud at Free.
Does Tencent Cloud or IBM 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 Tencent Cloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Tencent Cloud best used for?
Tencent Cloud is most often used for gaming platforms, social media, video streaming, asia-pacific deployment. Of those, gaming platforms and social media are not what IBM Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Tencent Cloud do that IBM Cloud cannot?
Tencent Cloud covers CVM - Cloud Virtual Machines, COS - Cloud Object Storage, TencentDB, SCF - Serverless Computing. IBM Cloud covers Virtual Servers, Bare Metal, Cloud Foundry, Watson AI. Both handle API Gateway, Terraform, Docker, Kubernetes.
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