Alibaba Cloud
Alibaba Group's public cloud for compute, storage, databases and AI services
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web
Is Alibaba Cloud free?
Free plan, plus paid plans
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About Alibaba Cloud
Alibaba Cloud is the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group and the largest provider in mainland China, with data centres across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. Its core compute service, Elastic Compute Service (ECS), offers virtual machines, bare-metal servers, GPU instances and preemptible instances, alongside managed databases such as PolarDB and ApsaraDB, object storage, CDN, security tools and the Qwen family of AI models through its Model Studio. It competes directly with AWS, Azure and Google Cloud, and is a common pick for businesses that need hosting inside China or strong coverage in Southeast Asia. Billing is pay-as-you-go or by monthly or yearly subscription, with preemptible and reserved options for savings. New accounts get trial credits, and some products have an always-free tier. The console and documentation are available in English, though some newer features reach the Chinese site first.
Best for: Businesses that need cloud hosting in mainland China or broad coverage across Asia.
Alibaba Cloud pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from Alibaba Cloud's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free trial | USD 90 ECS credits for 3 months | Nov 8, 2026 | alibabacloud.com |
| Billing | Pay-as-you-go or subscription | Nov 8, 2026 | alibabacloud.com |
Pros and cons
What works
- Strong presence in China and Southeast Asia
- Pay-as-you-go, subscription and preemptible billing
- Full range of compute, database, storage and AI services
- Trial credits and always-free tier products
Why people leave
- Fewer regions in North America and Europe than AWS or Azure
- Product names and console can feel unfamiliar to AWS users
- Hosting in mainland China needs ICP registration
Alibaba Cloud vs OVHcloud, Vultr and Linode
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
Top Alibaba Cloud alternatives
See all 3- 1
OVHcloud68.8European provider with simple VPS and dedicated server pricing and no data transfer surprises.
- 2
Vultr62.6Straightforward global VPS and GPU instances with flat monthly pricing and a simpler console.
- 3
Linode61.8Developer-friendly virtual machines from Akamai with predictable pricing and clear documentation.
Why people left Alibaba Cloud
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Alibaba Cloud: common questions
What is Alibaba Cloud?
Alibaba Cloud: Alibaba Group's public cloud for compute, storage, databases and AI services. Best for businesses that need cloud hosting in mainland China or broad coverage across Asia. Available for Web.
Is Alibaba Cloud free?
Alibaba Cloud has a free plan and paid plans.
How much does Alibaba Cloud cost?
Alibaba Cloud is free with paid plans. Free trial: USD 90 ECS credits for 3 months; Billing: Pay-as-you-go or subscription. Checked on Alibaba Cloud's own site, November 2026.
Does Alibaba Cloud have a free trial or refund?
Free trial: USD 90 ECS credits for 3 months. Source: Alibaba Cloud's own site.
Is Alibaba Cloud open source?
No, Alibaba Cloud is not open source.
What platforms does Alibaba Cloud run on?
Alibaba Cloud is available for Web.
What are the best alternatives to Alibaba Cloud?
The highest-ranked Alibaba Cloud alternatives right now are OVHcloud, Vultr and Linode. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Alibaba Cloud vs OVHcloud: what's the difference?
Alibaba Cloud is free with paid plans; OVHcloud is a paid product. Both run on Web.