Is the cloud really cheaper than your own servers?
Compare the full cost of running your own servers with AWS, Azure or Google Cloud over 3, 5 or 7 years, including the costs people forget.
- Hardware refresh included
- Staff time & egress
- Year-by-year chart
- Data stays in your browser
Estimates only. Default numbers are examples for a small business with 3 servers. Replace them with your own quotes. Your data stays in your browser.
A fair, full-cost comparison
Comparing a server’s price with a monthly cloud bill is misleading. The calculator adds every cost, year by year.
Enter your servers
Hardware, licences, power, space, backups and the IT hours your team spends each month.
Enter your cloud estimate
Your expected monthly bill, commitment discount, data transfer, support and one-time migration.
Compare the totals
See the total for each option, which one is cheaper, and the year the cloud starts saving money.
Every cost, on both sides
These are the line items the calculator adds up.
| On-premise costs | Cloud costs |
|---|---|
| Server hardware, replaced every few years | Monthly bill for compute and storage |
| Storage and network equipment | Discounts for 1–3 year commitments |
| Software licences | Data transfer (egress) fees |
| Power and cooling | Support plan |
| Space or rack rent | One-time migration |
| IT staff time for maintenance | IT staff time for cloud management |
| Backup and disaster recovery | Yearly price changes |
Tips for a realistic result
Cloud side
- Price your exact servers in the official AWS, Azure or Google Cloud calculator, then enter the monthly total.
- Add a commitment discount only if you will sign a 1–3 year plan.
- Estimate data leaving the cloud: it is often the most underestimated cost.
On-premise side
- Use a real quote for servers with the same CPU, memory and storage.
- A small server uses 300–500 W. Add about 50% for cooling.
- Count the hours spent on patching, hardware issues and backups. Most teams underestimate this.
Frequently asked questions
What is TCO?
Total cost of ownership is everything you pay to run a system over its life: purchase, running costs, staff time and replacement, not just the sticker price.
Why compare over 5 years?
Servers are usually replaced every 4–5 years, so a 5-year view includes one full hardware cycle. Shorter periods make on-premise look cheaper than it is.
Is my data saved?
No. All calculations run in your browser and nothing is sent to our server.
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