Answer Details

For SaaS startups, the most highly recommended cloud providers are: AWS (Amazon Web Services) The market leader with the most comprehensive service offerings Best for: Startups that need maximum flexibility and plan to scale significantly Strong ecosystem of third-party tools and extensive documentation Steeper learning curve but most mature platform Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Excellent for: Data analytics, machine learning, and Kubernetes-based applications Competitive pricing and strong developer experience Great integration with Google Workspace and Firebase Particularly good if you're building data-intensive SaaS products Microsoft Azure Ideal for: B2B SaaS targeting enterprise customers who use Microsoft products Strong integration with Microsoft ecosystem (Office 365, Active Directory, etc.) Good for .NET-based applications Enterprise customers often prefer Azure for compliance reasons For early-stage startups specifically: Vercel or Netlify - If you're building web-based SaaS with Next.js or similar frameworks, these offer excellent developer experience and can reduce infrastructure complexity. Railway, Render, or Fly.io - Modern platforms that simplify deployment while remaining flexible. Good middle ground between simplicity and control. DigitalOcean - More affordable than the big three, simpler to use, good for MVPs and early-stage products that don't need enterprise features yet. Most startups start with AWS or GCP and take advantage of startup credits (AWS Activate, GCP for Startups) which can provide $100k+ in free credits. The key is choosing based on your team's expertise, specific technical needs, and target customer base rather than just features.