Quick answer: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud are the three largest cloud infrastructure providers. According to Synergy Research Group, they held about 28%, 20% and 15% of worldwide cloud infrastructure spending in the second quarter of 2026. The rest of our original 2023 list still matters for particular needs: IBM Cloud and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure for enterprises, Salesforce for cloud software, Rackspace for managed cloud and DigitalOcean for developers. Two entries have changed: VMware now belongs to Broadcom, and Alibaba Cloud is a Chinese provider, not an American one.
We first published this list in 2023. In October 2026 we checked each company against its latest results and announcements and against independent market-share data. Size figures are dated, because cloud revenues grow quickly and change every quarter. The list keeps its original order, which is not a strict ranking.
What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing gives you on-demand access to shared computing resources, such as servers, storage, databases, applications and services, over the internet. Instead of buying and maintaining your own hardware, you rent what you need and usually pay for what you use.
Main benefits:
- Scalability: you can add or remove computing capacity quickly without buying new hardware.
- Flexibility: applications and data can be reached from anywhere with an internet connection.
- Cost control: you avoid large upfront hardware costs and pay for usage, although costs need monitoring as usage grows.
- Reliability: large providers run redundant systems across several data centres, though outages still happen.
The three main service models:
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): you rent virtual servers, storage and networking.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS): you rent a ready-made platform to build, test and run your own applications.
- Software as a Service (SaaS): you use finished applications hosted by the provider, such as email, collaboration tools or customer relationship management (CRM) software.
For a small-business view of the savings, see our guide on ways cloud technology can save your business money.
Market share at a glance
| Provider | Share of worldwide cloud infrastructure spending, Q2 2026 | Latest size figure from the company |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Web Services | About 28% | AWS revenue $128.7 billion in 2025 |
| Microsoft Azure | About 20% | Azure revenue passed $100 billion in the year to 30 June 2026 |
| Google Cloud | About 15% | Annual revenue run rate above $70 billion at the end of 2025 |
Market shares are Synergy Research Group estimates for cloud infrastructure services (IaaS, PaaS and hosted private cloud) for April to June 2026. Synergy put total spending at $143.4 billion for that quarter, up 43% on a year earlier.
The ten companies
1. Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AWS is still the largest cloud provider and has led the market since its early years. It offers compute, storage, databases, analytics, machine learning and hundreds of other services, with pricing options that include pay-as-you-go, reserved capacity and discounted spare capacity (Spot Instances). Customers manage resources through the AWS Management Console, the AWS command-line interface and infrastructure-as-code tools such as AWS CloudFormation. Amazon reported AWS revenue of $128.7 billion for 2025, up 20%, and AWS grew 24% in the fourth quarter of 2025. Synergy notes that Amazon’s share has slipped from a little over 32% in 2021 to just under 30%, as Microsoft and Google grow faster.
2. Microsoft Azure
Azure is the second-largest provider. It offers a similar range of compute, storage, database and analytics services and works closely with Microsoft products such as Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365, which makes it a common choice for enterprises that already use Microsoft software. On its July 2026 earnings call, Microsoft said Azure revenue had passed $100 billion for the financial year to 30 June 2026, up 41%.
3. Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
Google Cloud is the third-largest provider. It is known for data analytics, machine learning and AI services, and for its support of open-source technologies such as Kubernetes, which Google originally developed. On Alphabet’s earnings call for the fourth quarter of 2025, Google said cloud revenue had grown 48% year on year, giving an annual run rate of more than $70 billion, and that its backlog of contracted cloud work had reached $240 billion.
4. IBM Cloud
IBM Cloud is aimed at large enterprises, especially in regulated industries, and focuses on hybrid cloud, where companies combine their own data centres with public cloud. Its tools include the IBM Cloud console and command-line interface and the IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service.
5. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)
OCI is Oracle’s public cloud. It offers compute, storage, databases and analytics, and it is a natural fit for companies that already run Oracle databases and business applications. Its management tools include the OCI console, command-line interface and the Container Engine for Kubernetes. Synergy has noted Oracle’s share inching higher in recent quarters.
6. Salesforce
Salesforce is different from the providers above: it is mainly a Software as a Service company. Its cloud products cover customer relationship management, sales, service and marketing automation, and developers can build on its platform using the Salesforce command-line interface. It belongs on a cloud list because businesses use it entirely over the internet, but it does not compete with AWS or Azure for renting servers.
7. Rackspace Technology
Rackspace is a managed cloud company. Rather than competing with the hyperscalers, it helps businesses run workloads on AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and private clouds, and is known for hands-on support. In December 2022, a ransomware attack took down its Hosted Exchange email service; Rackspace said the business brought in about $30 million a year, and Rackspace offered affected customers help moving their mailboxes to Microsoft 365. The incident is a reminder to ask any managed provider about backups and recovery.
8. DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean targets developers, start-ups and small businesses with simple, predictable cloud services: virtual servers (which it calls Droplets), managed databases, storage and managed Kubernetes. It is known for straightforward pricing and documentation, and it is managed through a web console and an API.
9. Alibaba Cloud
Alibaba Cloud is the cloud computing arm of China’s Alibaba Group. It is not a US company, but it operates internationally and is a common choice for businesses expanding in China and the wider Asia-Pacific region. It offers compute, storage, databases and analytics, managed through the Alibaba Cloud console and command-line interface.
10. VMware (now part of Broadcom)
VMware is known for virtualisation and hybrid cloud software that lets companies run the same workloads in their own data centres and in the cloud, using tools such as VMware vCenter and VMware Cloud Director. Broadcom completed its acquisition of VMware on 22 November 2023. Broadcom has since reorganised VMware’s products and licensing, so check the current offering and terms directly with Broadcom before you plan around them.
How to choose a cloud provider
- Start with your existing software. Microsoft shops often find Azure easier; Oracle database users may prefer OCI.
- Check where data is stored. If you are in India or handle Indian users’ data, check which regions the provider offers in India and any data-localisation rules for your sector.
- Model the full cost. Data transfer (egress) charges, support plans and idle resources can add up.
- Decide how much help you need. A managed provider such as Rackspace costs more but runs the infrastructure for you.
- Plan for security and outages. Use backups, multiple availability zones and strong access controls. Our list of major US cybersecurity companies covers vendors that secure cloud workloads.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the biggest cloud computing company in the world?
Amazon Web Services. Synergy Research Group estimated its share of worldwide cloud infrastructure spending at about 28% in the second quarter of 2026, ahead of Microsoft at 20% and Google at 15%.
Is Alibaba Cloud an American company?
No. It is part of China’s Alibaba Group. It appeared in our original list because it competes globally with US providers.
Who owns VMware now?
Broadcom, which completed its acquisition of VMware on 22 November 2023.
What is the difference between IaaS, PaaS and SaaS?
IaaS rents you raw infrastructure such as servers and storage; PaaS gives you a platform to build and run your own apps; SaaS gives you finished software, such as email or CRM, that you simply use.
Checked in October 2026 against Synergy Research Group’s Q2 2026 cloud market data, Amazon’s 2025 annual results, Microsoft’s fiscal 2026 results, Alphabet’s Q4 2025 earnings call, Rackspace’s 2022 incident statements and VMware’s November 2023 SEC filing.
