Scaleway vs UpCloud

Both Scaleway and UpCloud are European-built, GDPR-compliant solutions in the cloud hosting & iaas space. This comparison breaks down their features, pricing, compliance posture, and data residency so you can make an informed choice for your team.

Quick Overview

Scaleway

Headquarters: Paris, FR
Pricing: From €7/mo (usage-based)
Open Source: No

UpCloud

Headquarters: Helsinki, FI
Pricing: From €5/mo (usage-based)
Open Source: No

Key Differences

On pricing, UpCloud is the more affordable option. Scaleway uses usage-based pricing starting at €7/month while upCloud uses usage-based pricing starting at €5/month, though pricing alone shouldn't drive your decision — feature fit and compliance needs matter more.
Data residency differs: Scaleway hosts data in France, Netherlands, Poland, while UpCloud hosts in Finland, Germany, Netherlands, GB, Spain, Poland. If your organisation requires data to stay in a specific EU country, this distinction matters for compliance.
Scaleway holds ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications, providing third-party assurance of its security practices. UpCloud does not currently hold these certifications, which may matter if your organisation requires them for vendor approval.
Scaleway was founded in 1999, giving it a 12-year head start over UpCloud (founded 2011). More time in market often means a larger user community and more mature integrations, though newer entrants may offer more modern architectures.
Each product has unique strengths: Scaleway offers Virtual instances and Bare metal servers, while UpCloud provides High-performance cloud servers and MaxIOPS storage technology. Your choice depends on which capabilities matter most for your workflow.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Scaleway	UpCloud
Name	Scaleway	UpCloud
Pricing	From €7/mo (usage-based)	From €5/mo (usage-based)
Free Tier
GDPR
ISO 27001
Open Source
Headquarters	Paris, FR	Helsinki, FI
Data Centers	FR, NL, PL	FI, DE, NL, GB, ES, PL
Virtual instances
Bare metal servers
GPU instances
Managed Kubernetes
Serverless functions
Object storage
Managed databases
Transactional email
IoT Hub
AI inference endpoints
High-performance cloud servers
MaxIOPS storage technology
Load balancers
SDN networking
100% uptime SLA
API and CLI tools
Customizable server configurations

Pricing Comparison

Scaleway

From €7/mo (usage-based)

pay-as-you-go

UpCloud

From €5/mo (usage-based)

pay-as-you-go

Compliance Comparison

Scaleway

GDPRISO 27001SOC 2DPA

UpCloud

GDPRDPA

Get Started

Try Scaleway

European multi-cloud infrastructure provider

Visit Scaleway

Try UpCloud

High-performance European cloud infrastructure

Visit UpCloud

How to Choose

Your procurement requires ISO 27001 certification

Choose Scaleway

You need enterprise-grade support and stability

Choose Scaleway

You prefer a nimble provider with personalised support

Choose UpCloud

Scaleway vs UpCloud — FAQ

What is the main difference between Scaleway and UpCloud?

Both Scaleway and UpCloud are European cloud hosting & iaas solutions with full GDPR compliance. The key differences lie in their approach: Scaleway is headquartered in France while UpCloud is based in Finland. Scaleway is headquartered in Paris, France, while UpCloud is based in Helsinki, Finland. Your choice should depend on your specific requirements for features, pricing, and data residency.

Which is more affordable, Scaleway or UpCloud?

Scaleway uses usage-based pricing starting at €7/month, while upCloud uses usage-based pricing starting at €5/month. Both use pay-as-you-go pricing, so compare the tiers that match your team size and feature needs.

Are both Scaleway and UpCloud GDPR compliant?

Yes. Both Scaleway and UpCloud are European companies that store data within the EU/EEA and offer Data Processing Agreements. Neither is subject to the US CLOUD Act or FISA surveillance. Additionally, Scaleway holds ISO 27001 certification. For GDPR purposes, either option eliminates the legal risks associated with using US-based services.