Azure Virtual Network
Virtual private servers (VPS) providers
Virtual private cloud (VPC) software
Web hosting providers
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
Take the quiz to check if Azure Virtual Network and its alternatives fit your requirements.
Completely free
Free TrialFree version
Small
Medium
Large
- Professional services (engineering, legal, consulting, etc.)
- Banking and insurance
- Real estate and property management
What is Azure Virtual Network
Azure Virtual Network (Azure VNet) is a virtual private cloud networking service within Microsoft Azure used to create isolated networks, subnets, routing, and security controls for cloud workloads. It targets IT, cloud infrastructure, and security teams building applications on Azure that require private IP addressing, network segmentation, and controlled connectivity. The service integrates with Azure-native security and connectivity features such as network security groups, VPN/ExpressRoute connectivity, and private endpoints to access platform services without public exposure.
Deep Azure service integration
Azure VNet integrates directly with Azure compute, managed databases, and platform services through features like private endpoints and service endpoints. This reduces the need to expose services to the public internet and supports common enterprise network patterns. It also aligns with Azure identity, policy, and monitoring tooling used by organizations standardizing on Azure.
Enterprise connectivity options
Azure VNet supports site-to-site VPN, point-to-site VPN, and dedicated private connectivity via ExpressRoute. These options help connect on-premises networks and branch locations to Azure with different performance and cost profiles. The platform also supports hub-and-spoke and peering designs for multi-network architectures.
Granular network segmentation controls
The service provides subnetting, user-defined routes, and security controls such as Network Security Groups and Azure Firewall integration. These capabilities support micro-segmentation and least-privilege network access for multi-tier applications. Compared with typical web hosting providers, it offers more control over routing and security boundaries for complex deployments.
Not a hosting product
Azure VNet is a networking layer and does not provide domains, shared hosting, or turnkey website management on its own. Users still need to select and operate compute and application services (for example, virtual machines, containers, or app platforms). Organizations looking for simplified web hosting workflows may find it more complex than traditional hosting providers.
Complexity for small teams
Designing subnets, routing, DNS, and security rules requires networking expertise and ongoing governance. Misconfiguration can lead to connectivity issues or unintended exposure. Smaller teams may need additional tooling or managed services to reach the operational simplicity offered by some VPS-focused platforms.
Costs depend on add-ons
While the core VNet construct is not priced like a standalone hosting plan, common requirements can add cost through components such as NAT Gateway, Azure Firewall, VPN Gateway, ExpressRoute, and traffic processing. Pricing varies by region and throughput tiers, making budgeting less predictable than fixed-price hosting bundles. Data transfer and gateway charges can become material in multi-network or hybrid scenarios.
Plan & Pricing
Pricing model: Pay-as-you-go (usage-based)
Free tier/trial: Virtual Network core service is free of charge; Microsoft offers an Azure free account (Get $200 credit for 30 days) and 55+ always-free services. See examples below.
Example costs (official Microsoft pricing pages; region/currency shown on source pages is China/CNY for numeric examples):
- Virtual Network (core): Free (no charge to create/configure VNETs). Key note: Intra-VNET data transfer is free. (Official pricing page).
- VNET Peering (within same region): Inbound data transfer: ¥0.06572 / GB; Outbound data transfer: ¥0.06572 / GB. (China pricing page example).
- Global VNET Peering: Inbound: ¥0.1638 / GB; Outbound: ¥0.1638 / GB (zonal structure; example shown for China regions).
- Virtual Network TAP: (metered) — numeric values depend on region (see official pricing page).
- NAT Gateway (example, China pricing): ¥0.458 per gateway per hour; Data processed: ¥0.458 per GB.
- VPN Gateway (example, China North 3 region, zone-resilient SKUs shown): VpnGw1AZ ¥1.34 / hour; VpnGw2AZ ¥3.43 / hour; VpnGw3AZ ¥8.78 / hour; VpnGw4AZ ¥14.69 / hour; VpnGw5AZ ¥25.57 / hour. (VPN Gateway is charged while provisioned; data transfer billed separately).
- Azure Virtual Network Manager: billed per hour (either $/hour per subscription managed or $/hour per virtual network managed) — specific numeric rates are shown when region/currency are selected on the official pricing page.
Discount/options: Contact Azure sales or use the Azure Pricing Calculator for region- and agreement-specific pricing. Enterprise/volume/commitment pricing and program-based rates apply per Microsoft purchasing documentation.
Notes & caveats: Numeric example values above are taken from Microsoft Azure official pricing pages (China site pages where numeric CNY examples are displayed). The global/US pricing pages typically require selecting Region/Currency on the Microsoft pricing site to display numeric USD amounts; actual USD rates depend on chosen region, currency, and agreement.
Seller details
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond, Washington, United States
1975
Public
https://www.microsoft.com/
https://x.com/Microsoft
https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/
