Route 53 vs Azure DNS vs Cloud DNS — Managed DNS Compared
Compare AWS Route 53, Azure DNS, and Google Cloud DNS for managed DNS hosting. Pricing, features, and reliability.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Amazon Route 53 | Azure DNS | Google Cloud DNS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone cost | $0.50/zone/mo | $0.50/zone/mo | $0.20/zone/mo |
| Domain registration | Yes | No | No (Cloud Domains) |
| Advanced routing | 6 routing policies | Via Traffic Manager | Basic routing |
| Health checks | Built-in | Via Traffic Manager | Not built-in |
Service Details
Amazon Route 53
Highly available DNS with health checks, traffic routing policies, and domain registration built-in.
- Domain registration built-in
- Advanced routing (weighted, latency, geolocation, failover)
- Health checks with DNS failover
- DNSSEC support
- More expensive than competitors
- Health check costs add up
- Complex routing configuration
Azure DNS
Fast DNS hosting on Azure's global network. Supports private DNS zones for VNet name resolution.
- Private DNS zones for VNets
- Azure Traffic Manager for advanced routing
- RBAC via Azure AD
- Alias records for Azure resources
- No domain registration
- Traffic routing requires separate Traffic Manager service
- Health checks separate (Traffic Manager)
Google Cloud DNS
Low-latency, high-availability DNS on Google's global anycast network. Supports public and private zones.
- Cheapest zone hosting ($0.20 vs $0.50)
- Google's anycast network
- Private zones for VPC
- DNSSEC support
- No domain registration
- Fewer routing policies than Route 53
- Less feature-rich than Route 53
When to Use Which
Choose Route 53 for the most complete DNS solution with built-in health checks and routing. Choose Azure DNS for deep Azure AD integration and private DNS. Choose Cloud DNS for the lowest per-zone cost on Google’s network.
DNS costs are usually small but health check costs can add up. CloudExpat helps identify unused hosted zones and unnecessary health checks.
Optimize Your Cloud Costs Across All Providers
CloudExpat works with AWS, Azure, and GCP. Connect in 30 seconds and see where you're overspending.