Cloud Computing Explained: AWS vs Azure vs GCP — Which Should You Learn First?

The cloud computing market is worth over $700 billion and growing fast. Whether you are a developer, sysadmin, or someone looking to switch careers, cloud skills are among the most valuable and well-compensated in the industry. But with three major platforms competing for dominance — AWS, Azure, and GCP — where do you start?

This guide breaks down each platform honestly so you can make the right choice for your career goals.

The Big Three: A Quick Overview

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Launched in 2006, AWS is the pioneer and current market leader with roughly 31% market share. It offers over 200 services covering compute, storage, databases, machine learning, networking, and more. If you want the widest range of job opportunities, AWS is hard to beat.

Best for: General cloud careers, startups, freelancers, and anyone wanting maximum job market options.

Microsoft Azure

Azure holds around 24% market share and is the dominant choice in enterprise environments, especially companies already running Microsoft products like Windows Server, Active Directory, and Office 365. Azure’s integration with the Microsoft ecosystem is seamless and unmatched.

Best for: Enterprise IT professionals, .NET developers, and anyone working in a Microsoft-heavy organization.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

GCP sits at around 11% market share but punches above its weight in specific areas — particularly data engineering, machine learning, and Kubernetes (which Google invented). GCP is also known for having some of the best networking infrastructure in the world.

Best for: Data engineers, ML engineers, and developers who want to work with cutting-edge AI/ML services.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Pricing

All three offer pay-as-you-go pricing, but GCP is generally considered the most cost-effective for compute workloads, especially with its sustained use discounts that apply automatically. AWS and Azure offer reserved instances for significant savings if you commit to 1–3 years.

Learning Curve

• AWS has the most services, which can feel overwhelming at first, but the documentation and community resources are exceptional.
• Azure is very familiar if you already know Windows and Microsoft tools, making the transition smooth for sysadmins.
• GCP has a cleaner, more developer-friendly console and is often praised for its simplicity.

Certifications and Job Market

AWS certifications are the most recognized globally and command the highest salaries on average.

Which Should You Learn First?

Here is a simple decision framework:

Choose AWS if:

• You are just starting out in cloud
• You want the most job opportunities
• You are building SaaS products or startups

Choose Azure if:

• You work in a corporate/enterprise environment
• Your organization uses Microsoft 365, Active Directory, or Windows Server
• You are in IT operations or a systems administrator

Choose GCP if:

• You are interested in data engineering or machine learning
• You already use Google Workspace extensively
• You want to work with Kubernetes at a deep level

The Multi-Cloud Reality

Here is the truth: in 2026, most large enterprises use multiple cloud providers. Learning one deeply is the right starting point, but understanding the others conceptually will make you significantly more valuable.

The underlying concepts — virtual machines, object storage, networking, IAM, serverless — are similar across all three. Once you master one, picking up the others becomes much easier.

Getting Started Today

No matter which platform you choose, start with the free tier:

• AWS Free Tier: aws.amazon.com/free
• Azure Free Account: $200 credit for 30 days
• GCP Free Tier: $300 credit for 90 days

Hands-on practice is irreplaceable. Build real projects, break things, fix them, and document what you learn.

At Nnine Training, our cloud courses are designed to get you hands-on from day one — no death by PowerPoint. Explore our curriculum at nnine.training and start building your cloud skills today.