AWS, Azure or Google Cloud for Your Business?

What are you really buying with a cloud service?

The cloud is not simply a website hosted on someone else’s server. You are buying a combination of computing resources, a database, file storage, networking, backups, monitoring, access control and security.

For an online store, this could mean an application, a product and order database, image storage, a payment provider connection, a courier API, a CDN and backups. If everything is set up as a single server with no recovery plan, calling it “the cloud” does not make the system reliable.

The practical benefit is that you do not have to buy hardware upfront. You can start with a smaller configuration and add resources for a seasonal campaign, more employees or an increase in orders. This does not automatically mean a low price. Unnecessary services, a test environment left running continuously and a poorly configured database can increase the bill without delivering any value.

When does the cloud make sense for a Bulgarian business?

Cloud infrastructure is a sensible choice when employees and customers need to use the system from different locations. This applies to online stores, CRM and ERP systems, mobile apps, booking platforms and systems used by field teams.

The cloud is also convenient when workloads fluctuate. A store may receive more requests around the holidays, while a booking app may experience heavy traffic at certain times. The architecture should handle peak demand without making you pay for maximum capacity all the time.

For a company with a few computers and a local inventory program, migration is not necessarily the first step. A stable network, reliable backups and replacing outdated software can sometimes have a greater impact. Moving a problematic system to the cloud only moves the problem.

With an ERP covering orders, inventory, invoicing, roles and reports, centralized data makes it easier for the office, warehouse and field teams to work together. You can see this in LiftexPro, ERP for elevator companies, where planning, buildings, technicians and invoicing are part of one system.

How do AWS, Azure and Google Cloud differ?

All three platforms offer virtual servers, managed databases, file storage, networking services, backups, monitoring and security tools. The differences lie in the ecosystem, the way they work, the services available and the experience of the team that will maintain them.

These are guidelines, not rules. A .NET application can run well on AWS, while an analytics system can be built on Azure. Start with your requirements, existing integrations and maintenance capabilities. Otherwise, you risk choosing a powerful service that no one in the company can manage.

Which platform is right for an online store, ERP or application?

Online store

For an online store, fast loading, the product and order database, images, payments, courier integrations and backups are important. For a catalogue with cash on delivery and automatic waybills, a clear architecture with an application, managed database, file storage, CDN, monitoring and separate backups is often sufficient.

It is not sensible to pay constantly for maximum capacity if the load is low most of the time. With online store development, integrations with payment providers, couriers and warehouse systems should be considered when choosing the infrastructure.

ERP and CRM

For ERP and CRM systems, roles, change history, backups and error recovery are the priorities. It is not enough for the system to open in a browser. You need to know who can see invoices, stock levels, contracts, payroll and customer data.

For a customised project, the architecture should follow the company's processes. A custom ERP system can bring together requests, orders, inventory, invoices and reports, but the cloud environment should not add unnecessary complexity.

Mobile Application and Public Platform

A mobile application typically uses an API, database, files, notifications and an admin panel. With many simultaneous users, caching, rate limiting, logs and a recovery plan are important.

Here, automatic scaling may make sense, but only if it is measured and controlled. Without budget alerts and monitoring, automatically adding resources can lead to an unpleasant bill.

How Are Cloud Costs Calculated?

There is no single price for the “cloud”. The bill depends on requests, database size, files, outbound traffic, backups, test environments, log retention periods and the need for uninterrupted operation.

There is no universal measured price range for the cloud infrastructure itself on this page: it is specified in the proposal based on the selected services, load and support responsibilities. Ask for the monthly bill from the cloud provider and the human support costs to be listed separately.

If the project includes development, that is a separate part of the budget. For example, the price for a customised ERP, CRM or other business system is €3,000-€29,300, while the specific cost depends on the modules, integrations, roles, data migration and way of working.

For ongoing checks and updates of a website or system built by us, support costs €100-€350 per month. This is not the same as the cloud bill and should be listed separately in the proposal.

What Usually Goes Wrong During Cloud Migration?

• The old server is transferred without analysing the database, files and dependencies.
• Backups are configured, but no one has checked whether they can be restored.
• Access is given to too many people, without separate roles and multi-factor authentication.
• Test environments remain switched on permanently and accumulate costs.
• Integrations with couriers, payment providers, accounting systems and telephony are tested only after the migration.
• There is no owner for the cloud account, access keys and disaster recovery plan.

With more than one system, it is more reliable to transfer data through an API than to have employees copy information between spreadsheets and programs. API integrations connect websites, online stores, ERP, CRM, payments, couriers and notifications with clear rules defining the source of the data.

How Do You Choose an Architecture and a Partner?

1. 01
   Describe the systems and workload

   List the website, online store, ERP, CRM, mobile applications, databases, files and external services. Add the users, peak periods, documents and processes that must not stop.

2. 02
   Define the security requirements

   Separate the roles and describe which data is sensitive. Specify who has access to invoices, customers, inventory and reports, as well as how long documents and logs must be retained.

3. 03
   Choose an architecture, not just a provider

   Decide which components are needed: application, database, file storage, CDN, backups, monitoring and a test environment. Do not add services that no one can maintain.

4. 04
   Create a migration and rollback plan

   Copy the data to a test environment first. Define the cutover time, the checks to perform after the move, and the conditions under which you will revert to the old setup.

5. 05
   Monitor the system and costs after go-live

   Set up budget alerts, monthly resource reviews, updates and recovery testing. The migration ends when the system goes live, but infrastructure management continues.

What should you ask to see in the proposal?

Ask for an architecture diagram, a list of services, the expected cloud bill and anything that is not included. It should be clear who owns the account, who has administrator access and how you will get your data if you change partners.

Check how backups are made, how long they are retained and when recovery was last tested. Ask for a specific answer about who is notified in the event of an outage, the response time and who approves additional resources during a spike.

Compare the total cost of ownership, not just the cost of the virtual server. This includes migration, development, licences, monitoring, support and your employees’ time. A simpler architecture is often the better business choice.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for a small business: AWS, Azure or Google Cloud?

There is no universal winner. Choose the environment your team can maintain and that integrates well with your existing software, accounting, payment systems and Microsoft products, if you use them.

Is the cloud cheaper than having your own server?

The cloud often avoids a large upfront investment, the cost of backup hardware and some of the work involved in managing infrastructure. With consistently high workloads, owned or dedicated rented infrastructure may be more cost-effective, but you need to include maintenance and disaster recovery costs.

Are data in AWS, Azure and Google Cloud secure?

The platforms offer encryption, identity management, network security and logging. Security also depends on roles, passwords, multi-factor authentication, updates and how the application itself processes data.

Can I move an existing ERP to the cloud?

Yes, but you first need to assess the technology, database, licence, integrations and how users work with the system. Sometimes it makes more sense to partially rework the system than to copy the old server without changes.