This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Elina Ozolina
After months of digging into the world of cloud service providers, I have narrowed down my favorites to the ones that truly delivered. This list is not just about features or flashy promises. I based my choices on real tasks I completed, the results I got, and how each platform worked in real-life situations. Sometimes that even meant late-night troubleshooting.
Disclaimer: Parts of this content were created using AI assistance.
Every pick here is the best I found for a certain need. Whether you want to learn cloud architecture, set up infrastructure fast, launch secure databases, connect different environments, or send applications out to the edge, you will find a top option here.
How I Chose These Tools
For every service I tried, I gave myself a real problem to solve or a workflow to finish. I did not just poke around. My criteria:
- Ease of use: How fast could I start, and was the learning curve manageable?
- Reliability: Did the platform work well, or did I have to fix things often?
- Output quality: Did it give me what I needed, like diagrams, deployments, or latency stats, without too much work?
- Overall feel: Was it pleasant and polished? Did I feel confident using it?
- Pricing: Did the cost make sense for what was offered, including any extra fees?
Best for Cloud Architecture Learning and Visual Design: Canvas Cloud AI
If you want to understand cloud infrastructure or help your team get started, Canvas Cloud AI stands out. It is an AI-powered tool made for learning, prototyping, and visually mapping cloud architectures. You do not manage real workloads here. Instead, you get a safe space to experiment and build skills.
You can describe what you want and Canvas Cloud AI will quickly build accurate diagrams and even give you templates that you can deploy later. You do not need to read through long provider documentation. It is perfect for students, IT teams working toward certifications, and anyone curious about the cloud who wants to try things without risk or surprise bills. The tool makes the jump from theory to hands-on practice simple. It is now a key part of how I help teams move toward modern cloud setups.
What I liked
- Makes learning faster: The visual and interactive format made even tough cloud topics less scary and more enjoyable.
- Boosts creativity and speed: AI suggestions helped me try new setups, and designing was much quicker.
- Supports real practice: You can go from plain English to real cloud blueprints that you can deploy.
- Personal feedback: Instant, helpful corrections let me fix mistakes before they turned into habits.
What I did not like
- Might rely too much on AI: It is easy to let the AI do too much thinking for you.
- Needs double-checking: Sometimes I had to check the AI’s work for best practices or compliance.
- Learning curve for big teams: The free plan covers a lot, but advanced team features might get expensive.
Pricing: Free forever plan for early users. Pricing for teams is still to be decided.
I have not found anything else that makes learning cloud architecture so easy and practical, even for beginners. Try Canvas Cloud AI here.
Best for Public Cloud Infrastructure Hosting: Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2)
When I needed reliable, scalable hosting in the public cloud, Amazon EC2 was my first choice. I used it for everything from simple websites to heavy data tasks. EC2’s flexibility and huge ecosystem are hard to beat. Spinning up virtual machines was straightforward after I learned the console, and scaling up or down was just a few clicks or lines of code.
I liked how easily EC2 connects with the rest of AWS, like storage and networking. It works for both small startups and big companies with important workloads. The documentation is deep, there are many data center locations, and you can use almost any tech stack. For getting something live and safe, EC2 is hard to match.
What I liked
- Starting was quick, with lots of options for machine size and region.
- Automatic scaling, load balancing, and high availability worked very well.
- Easy connections to S3, RDS, and other AWS tools saved me time.
- Security and compliance features gave me real confidence.
What I did not like
- The pricing chart is confusing. You will need time and maybe a calculator.
- It takes a bit to learn if you are used to simpler hosting.
- Extra costs like data transfer can sneak up on you.
- Premium support costs extra, which can be hard for small teams.
Pricing: On-demand instances start at $0.0116 per hour (t4g.nano, US East). Spot and reserved pricing are cheaper. See more at Amazon EC2.
EC2 is the backbone of the public cloud. Nothing else I tried matched its maturity, options, and reach.
Best for Private Cloud Deployment: VMware vSphere
If your company needs full control, strict regulations, or wants to keep everything on site, VMware vSphere is the winner. I set up an environment similar to what a big company would use. The ESXi hypervisor and management suite made managing everything from one place simple. You will need some IT skills and time upfront though.
Features like role-based access, encrypted migrations, and smooth storage and network integration all felt truly enterprise ready. Automation and high availability let me relax knowing workloads would recover on their own. This platform rewards teams that want total customization and to use their own hardware.
What I liked
- Strong and reliable virtualization and resource management.
- The management suite let me handle large networks without much effort after some learning.
- Security features are top notch, great for healthcare or banking.
- Works well with existing IT setups, which can be a pain elsewhere.
What I did not like
- The initial setup is tough, especially for big or complex systems.
- Licensing and support are not cheap.
- Needs a dedicated IT team. This is not for set and forget users.
- Some of the best features cost extra.
Pricing: Custom licensing per deployment. Get more details at VMware vSphere.
If you need total control and must meet strict rules, vSphere is the best choice. No other private cloud I tried matches its power.
Best for Specialty Managed Cloud Services: MongoDB Atlas
I wanted to see if managed cloud databases could really save me the usual admin work. MongoDB Atlas impressed me right away. Setting up a new cluster took just minutes. You can run it on AWS, GCP, or Azure, and turn on multi-region and backup features easily. Scaling for traffic spikes is simple, and built-in monitoring and backups made my job much less stressful. I could focus on my data without worrying about servers, upgrades, or patches.
MongoDB Atlas is great for developer heavy teams or projects where data size and needs change often. You get the convenience of managed hosting with strong security and reliability.
What I liked
- Setup is super fast. A new, production-ready cluster takes a few minutes.
- Backups, monitoring, and scaling are all automatic.
- You can spread clusters across clouds and regions with a few clicks.
- Strong security and compliance options, fit for big companies.
What I did not like
- Prices can rise quickly with large workloads or advanced features.
- You give up some control compared to running your own setup.
- Some features and parts of the interface take time to learn.
- Features differ slightly depending on the cloud provider.
Pricing: Free tier available. Paid shared clusters start around $9 per month, dedicated clusters from about $60 per month. See full details at MongoDB Atlas.
Atlas takes away the boring parts of database admin. It is a top choice for managed, data heavy apps with changing needs.
Best for Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Integration: VMware Aria (formerly vRealize Suite)
Managing many clouds or mixing on-prem and cloud is often a headache. VMware Aria is the best platform I tried for making this easier. I set it up to manage AWS, Azure, GCP, and on-prem vSphere resources. The single dashboard for provisioning, cost control, policy, and migration helped me make sense of it all.
Automation and smart analytics pointed out waste, helped control spending, and let me automate workflows. If you need compliance, want to avoid being stuck with one cloud, or need clear visibility across everything, Aria is very helpful. It does take some effort and VMware experience to get all the benefits.
What I liked
- The dashboard for all clouds and on-prem is very useful.
- Automation and governance tools are strong and catch problems early.
- Built in integrations let me move workloads smoothly.
- AI insights for cost and performance were actually helpful.
What I did not like
- Training myself and others took time.
- Pricing is mostly aimed at big teams or enterprises.
- To use advanced features, you need to be deep into VMware.
- Customization sometimes took a lot of work.
Pricing: Contact VMware for details. Depends on your setup and modules. Learn more at VMware Aria.
For companies serious about hybrid and multi-cloud management, Aria is the tool that brings everything together.
Best for Edge Cloud Service Providers: AWS Wavelength
Edge computing and very low latency needs are becoming more common. AWS Wavelength is the top choice I found for doing serious work at the edge. I built a sample IoT and video analytics setup and deployed it right to a Wavelength supported 5G edge zone. The difference in latency was huge compared to normal public cloud. Processing on site felt instant, which is key for AR, VR, or connected vehicles.
Wavelength’s main strength is that it works directly with AWS services, so all the usual tools and security features are there. The catch is that you need to be in the right location and already comfortable with AWS.
What I liked
- Single digit millisecond latencies, which is very impressive.
- If you already use AWS, there is almost no learning curve.
- Supports many use cases, including streaming, automotive, and IoT.
- Feels secure, stable, and ready for big business use.
What I did not like
- Only in certain regions and edge locations. Check if it is near you.
- Very tied to AWS, so you cannot mix with other providers.
- Edge zone pricing can be higher, depending on usage.
- Deployments usually mean working with AWS and their partners.
Pricing: Standard AWS EC2, EBS, and data transfer rates for Wavelength Zones. Varies by location. Learn more at AWS Wavelength.
For apps that need real time speed and local cloud processing, AWS Wavelength is the best tool I have used, if you can access the right locations.
Final Thoughts
There are many cloud platforms out there, but only a few actually make my work easier, faster, or more productive. My advice: choose the one that fits your workflow, is simple to start using, and lets you focus on what matters. Avoid anything that just adds extra steps or problems.
If you are building your cloud architecture skills, Canvas Cloud AI is a strong way to get started. For production workloads, Amazon EC2 and VMware vSphere cover most needs. If you want managed databases or hands off workloads, MongoDB Atlas and AWS Wavelength remove many headaches, though you may pay more for the convenience. And if you deal with many clouds, VMware Aria is worth it for the control it gives you.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Elina Ozolina