Cloud platforms compared: regions, compliance and government offerings
How we compared: we list only what each provider documents on its own website, checked on 4 November 2026. Check vendor means we could not find it documented. We do not compare prices.
How we compared: we list only what each provider documents on its own website, checked on 4 November 2026. Check vendor means we could not find it documented. We do not compare prices. Check each provider's current pricing calculator.
Every provider runs regions on several continents. Start with each provider's own region list and choose the region closest to your users that meets your data residency rules. The columns below record the Australian case: each provider's Australian regions and its assessment under IRAP, the Australian Government's security assessment program. If you are outside Australia, check which certifications or assessments your own regulator recognises.
IRAP assessments cover specific services, not a whole platform. Before you put government data in a service, check that service against the provider's current IRAP scope: Azure IRAP, AWS IRAP, Google Cloud IRAP and Oracle Cloud for Australian Government and Defence.
Features side by side
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| Product | Australian regions | IRAP assessment (Australia) | Where to get IRAP reports (Australia) | Australian government or sovereign offering |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft AzureOrganisations already on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID | Australia East (New South Wales), Australia Southeast (Victoria), Australia Central and Australia Central 2 (Canberra; Central 2 access is restricted) | In-scope services assessed up to PROTECTED across the four Australian regions | Service Trust Portal, Australia IRAP section | Australia Central regions in Canberra, designed for government and critical infrastructure |
| Amazon Web Services (AWS)Teams that want a wide range of services | Sydney and Melbourne | In-scope services in the Sydney and Melbourne Regions assessed at PROTECTED | AWS Artifact | Check vendor |
| Google CloudOrganisations using Google Workspace or Google data and analytics services | Sydney and Melbourne | Google Cloud and Google Workspace assessed against OFFICIAL and PROTECTED controls and found strongly aligned with PROTECTED | Compliance Reports Manager | Check vendor |
| Oracle Cloud InfrastructurePublic sector and Oracle database or applications customers | Sydney and Melbourne (commercial), Canberra (government) | PROTECTED, for IRAP-assessed services in Sydney and Melbourne and for the government cloud | OCI Console compliance documents or your Oracle account representative | Oracle Cloud for Australian Government and Defence: a physically isolated Canberra region for the public sector |
Features as documented by each vendor, checked 4 Nov 2026. Prices change often, so check each vendor's current pricing.
Which one fits
Four Australian regions, including two in Canberra designed for government and critical infrastructure.
Runs a physically isolated Canberra region for Australian public sector customers.
Google's IRAP page covers both Google Cloud and Google Workspace.
How to choose
Start with data location. Pick the region closest to your users that meets your residency rules. If you need a disaster recovery copy in a second region in the same country, check which services run in both regions. For example, all four providers have at least two Australian locations.
Check compliance scope service by service. Assessments and certifications usually cover named services, not a whole platform. In Australia, an IRAP assessment covers named services, and a service missing from the scope list is not covered, even in an Australian region. Elsewhere, check the scope of the certifications your regulator expects.
Match the platform to your skills. Your team's existing skills and licences usually matter more than small feature gaps. Our cloud-to-cloud migration guide and VMware to Azure guide cover the moves.
Frequently asked questions
Which cloud providers have data centres in Australia?
Azure, AWS, Google Cloud and Oracle all document Australian regions. Azure lists four, AWS and Google list Sydney and Melbourne, and Oracle lists Sydney, Melbourne and a Canberra government region.
Is IRAP the same as certification?
No. Azure's IRAP page notes the Certified Cloud Services List closed in July 2020. Agencies now review IRAP assessment reports themselves.
Where do I get a provider's IRAP report?
Microsoft publishes reports in the Service Trust Portal, AWS in AWS Artifact, Google in its Compliance Reports Manager, and Oracle through the OCI Console or your account representative.
Can anyone use Azure Australia Central 2?
No. Microsoft lists access to Australia Central 2 as restricted to specific scenarios such as disaster recovery, and you must request access.
Why are there no prices here?
Cloud pricing depends on service, region and commitment, and it changes. Use each provider's pricing calculator.