Building a startup in 2025 means choosing between AWS and Google Cloud. Both offer substantial startup credits, but the differences matter more than you think.
The question isn't just about credits. It's about which platform fits your startup's needs, your team's skills, and your growth trajectory.
After helping dozens of startups navigate this choice, I've seen what works and what doesn't. This guide breaks down everything you need to know.
AWS vs Google Cloud: The Big Picture
AWS launched in 2006 and dominates the cloud market with 32% market share. Google Cloud, launched in 2008, has grown to 10% but leads in certain areas like Kubernetes and AI.
For startups, the differences boil down to four factors:
- Credit amounts and eligibility
- Developer experience and learning curve
- Service breadth and maturity
- Startup program extras and partnerships
Let's examine each.
Credit Comparison: AWS Activate vs Google Cloud
AWS Activate Program
AWS offers two tiers:
Founders Package:
- $1,000 in credits
- 1 year Business Support included
- No VC or accelerator required
Portfolio Package:
- Up to $100,000 in credits
- 2-year validity
- Requires VC, accelerator, or partner (Y Combinator, Techstars, Stripe Atlas, Posthog for Startups)
Additional benefits:
- $5,000 in credits for businesses under 5 years old
- Access to AWS Activate Builder's Journey (learning resources)
- AWS Support credits included
How to apply:
- Direct: aws.amazon.com/activate
- Via partners: Apply to Stripe Atlas or Posthog for Startups for instant Portfolio access
Google Cloud for Startups
Google for Startups Cloud Program:
- $200,000 in credits over 2 years
- 12 months Google Workspace Business Plus
- $600 in Google Maps credits
- Firebase credits included
Additional benefits:
- 90-day free trial with full access
- Technical support credits
- Access to Google Cloud's startup community
- Priority support for AI/ML workloads
How to apply:
Credit Comparison
| Factor | AWS Activate | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Max credits | $100,000 (Portfolio) | $200,000 |
| No-partner credits | $1,000 | Full $200,000 |
| Credit validity | 2 years | 2 years |
| Business support | Included (Portfolio) | Additional |
| AI/ML services | Bedrock, SageMaker | Vertex AI, Gemini |
| Partner path required | Yes - for max credits | No |
Developer Experience: What Your Team Needs
AWS Strengths
AWS offers more services than any other provider. If your startup needs a specific capability, AWS likely has it:
- Maturity: 18+ years of production use
- Documentation: Extensive, though sometimes scattered
- Learning curve: Steeper, but more comprehensive
- Ecosystem: Largest third-party tool integration
- Talent pool: More AWS-experienced developers
Best for: Complex architectures, enterprise integrations, or teams with existing AWS experience
Google Cloud Strengths
Google Cloud excels where AWS struggles:
- Simplicity: More intuitive console and CLI
- Kubernetes: Built by Google, leaders in container orchestration
- AI/ML: Vertex AI is more developer-friendly than AWS alternatives
- Data analytics: BigQuery is faster and cheaper for many use cases
- Pricing: More straightforward, less surprise bills
Best for: Startups focused on AI, data, or Kubernetes-native architectures
Service Comparison: Key Categories
Compute
AWS: EC2, Lambda, ECS, EKS, Fargate Google Cloud: Compute Engine, Cloud Run, GKE, Cloud Functions
Winner: Tie. Both offer equivalent services. AWS has more options; Google has simpler defaults.
Databases
AWS: RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB, ElastiCache, Redshift Google Cloud: Cloud SQL, Cloud Spanner, Firestore, Memorystore, BigQuery
| Category | AWS Winner | Google Cloud Winner |
|---|---|---|
Databases - Analytics | Aurora, DynamoDB | BigQuery |
| AI/ML | Good | Excellent |
| Serverless | Lambda | Cloud Run |
AI/ML
AWS: Bedrock (foundation models), SageMaker (ML pipeline), Comprehend (NLP) Google Cloud: Vertex AI (end-to-end ML), Gemini (foundation models), TensorFlow (native support)
Winner: Google Cloud. More developer-friendly AI tools, better integration with modern ML workflows.
Serverless
AWS: Lambda, Step Functions, API Gateway Google Cloud: Cloud Functions, Cloud Run, Workflows
Winner: Google Cloud. Cloud Run offers more flexibility than Lambda at similar pricing.
Pricing Comparison: Real Numbers
Let's compare actual costs for a typical startup workload:
Scenario: 10,000 requests/day, 2GB memory, 100GB storage
| Service | AWS (Lambda + RDS) | Google Cloud (Cloud Run + Cloud SQL) |
|---|---|---|
| Compute | ~ $15/month | ~ $12/month |
| Database | ~ $25/month (RDS micro) | ~ $20/month (Cloud SQL micro) |
| Storage | ~ $12/month | ~ $12/month |
| Data transfer | ~ $5/month | ~ $5/month |
| Total | $57/month | $49/month |
Key insight: Google Cloud often costs 10-20% less for equivalent workloads, but AWS offers more volume discounts at scale.
Startup Program Extras
AWS Extras
- AWS Activate perqs: Free credits for Stripe Atlas, Posthog, and other partners
- AWS Marketplace: Easy third-party tool procurement
- AWS Partner Network: Benefits when you need vendors
- AWS Summit: Free conferences and networking
Google Cloud Extras
- Google Workspace: 12 months free Business Plus ($144 value)
- Google Maps: $600 in credits for location features
- Firebase: Built-in backend services
- Google for Startups community: Networking and mentorship
Winner: Google Cloud for individual value. AWS for ecosystem breadth.
When to Choose AWS
Choose AWS if your startup:
- Needs the widest range of managed services
- Has team members with existing AWS experience
- Plans to scale to enterprise customers
- Requires specific AWS-only services (like Amazon Bedrock for certain models)
- Values the largest ecosystem of third-party integrations
When to Choose Google Cloud
Choose Google Cloud if your startup:
- Focuses on AI/ML or data analytics
- Wants simpler, more intuitive tooling
- Values straightforward pricing
- Prefers Kubernetes-native architecture
- Wants the maximum credits without partner requirements
Hybrid Approach: Using Both
Many startups use multiple clouds strategically:
Common pattern:
- Google Cloud: Primary infrastructure, AI/ML workloads
- AWS: Specific services (like Amazon Bedrock, or existing integrations)
Why it works:
- Avoid vendor lock-in
- Use best-of-breed services
- Leverage different pricing models
Challenges:
- More complex operations
- Additional networking costs
- Requires multi-cloud expertise
How to Decide: A Simple Framework
Ask yourself these questions:
| Question | Choose AWS If... | Choose Google Cloud If... |
|---|---|---|
What's your team's experience? | AWS experience | GCP experience or no experience |
What's your primary workload? | Enterprise apps | AI/ML or data analytics |
Do you have VC/accelerator backing? | Yes - AWS Portfolio ($100K) | No - full $200K available |
How complex is your architecture? | Complex - more services | Simple - simpler defaults |
Migration Considerations
Once you choose, switching later costs time and money. Consider:
- Data migration: Moving databases and storage
- Network setup: DNS, VPCs, security groups
- CI/CD pipelines: Rebuilding deployment workflows
- Team retraining: Learning new services
Bottom line: Choose wisely upfront. Both platforms are excellent, but the wrong choice means wasted time.
The Verdict
For most startups in 2025:
Choose Google Cloud if:
- You want maximum credits without partner requirements
- Your startup focuses on AI/ML or modern web apps
- Your team values simplicity over service breadth
- You want better AI/ML tools out of the box
Choose AWS if:
- You have existing AWS expertise on your team
- Your startup needs enterprise-grade services
- You have VC/accelerator backing for AWS credits
- You need the largest ecosystem of integrations
Both platforms will serve you well. The right choice depends on your specific situation.
Quick Reference
| Platform | Max Credits | Apply Link | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Activate | $100,000 (Portfolio) or $1,000 (Founders) | aws.amazon.com/activate | Complex architectures, enterprise needs |
| Google Cloud | $200,000 | developers.google.com/startup/programs | AI/ML, simplicity, maximum credits |
At Startupbricks, we've helped startups navigate both AWS and Google Cloud. We can help you choose the right platform, set up your infrastructure, and avoid common pitfalls.