When I Got Azure-Billed Into Oblivion
True story: I once spun up a small Azure App Service + SQL Database for a side project. I thought I had everything on the "Free" or "Basic" tiers. A few weeks later, I got hit with a £400 bill. Turned out the SQL instance wasn’t on the cheapest tier like I assumed, and I had accidentally enabled geo-redundancy on something I didn’t even need.
Microsoft was kind enough to refund it — “one-time courtesy” because I’m such a great customer or whatever — but I learned my lesson.
Even when you try to be careful, Azure’s pricing complexity is like playing Minesweeper with your wallet.
The Real Numbers: Azure vs Hetzner
Let’s compare the two setups I’ve used for simple blog/P.O.C. apps:
🟦 Azure Setup (UK Region)
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App Service (B1 - Basic Tier): ~£11.26/month
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SQL Database (Basic Tier, 5 DTUs): ~£3.60/month
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Storage (1 GB): ~£0.20/month
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Outbound Bandwidth: First 5 GB free, then £0.07/GB
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Total (before you blink wrong): ~£15–20/month, with hidden landmines
🔥 Hetzner Setup (Germany Region)
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CX22 VPS (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 40 GB SSD): €4.15/month (~£3.50)
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Extra Volume (40 GB): €1.60/month (~£1.35)
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PostgreSQL (self-hosted, Docker): Free
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Docker, Traefik/Caddy, custom setup: Free tools, one-time config
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Total: ~£5/month, flat rate, no surprises
So What’s More Performant?
Let’s be honest — Azure App Service and Basic SQL aren’t exactly race cars.
In practice:
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Hetzner CX22 with Docker and PostgreSQL running locally often feels snappier than Azure’s Basic tiers.
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Response times are lower, cold starts don’t suck as much, and I’m not paying extra for IOPS.
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It’s my server, my rules — I can optimize NGINX, tweak caching, add swap, and run everything tighter.
The only downside? I have to maintain it myself. But thanks to tools like Docker Compose and some good bash scripts (and AI helping with those too), the ops overhead is tiny — and honestly kind of fun.
Why Azure Is Still Great
To be clear, this isn’t me hating on Azure. If I was running a SaaS, dealing with compliance, needing global scale, or working with a team — Azure would be my go-to.
It shines when:
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You need auto-scaling, integrated monitoring, and guaranteed uptime.
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You're part of a company with Azure credits or a budget to absorb the cost.
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You don’t want to deal with server maintenance, patching, or upgrades.
But for a personal blog? For small POCs? For indie projects where cost and control matter?
No thanks.
Wrapping Up
Azure is like a five-star hotel with valet parking, room service, and spa access.
Hetzner is like buying your own cabin in the woods — no frills, but yours to do whatever you want with.
And me?
I’ll take the cabin. With Docker. And AI butlers.
Disclaimer: This post was generated through AI prompts based on the content of my real discussions with Chatgpt to add some initial content to the blog. A more sophisticated “Lorem ipsum” in the era of AI one could say.