Following AWS and Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure now offers free egress for customers

Microsoft today announced the removal of data transfer out (DTO) fees for Azure customers wishing to migrate their data to other cloud providers or on-premises data center. This change aligns Microsoft with major competitors Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud, which have already taken steps to facilitate frictionless cloud migration for customers.

Eliminating egress fees ensures Azure customers can easily move workloads to the environments that best suit their needs.

The decision also reflects the principles of the European Data Act, emphasizing data portability and reduced vendor lock-in. Customers globally in any Azure region are eligible for this new program.

Key Highlights:

• Zero-Cost Migration: Azure customers can exit the platform without incurring data transfer fees.
• First 100GB Still Free: The existing policy of free egress for the first 100GB of data per month remains unchanged. If you need to egress more than 100GB/month, please follow these steps to claim your credit. 
• Account Closure Required: Customers must cancel all Azure subscriptions after data migration to receive associated credits.
• Global Initiative: The fee waiver applies to all Azure users worldwide.
• Not all services are supported: Standard charges for Azure services and data transfer out from specialized services including Express Route, Express Route Direct, VPN, Azure Front Door, and Azure Content Delivery Network (CDN) aren’t included in this credit offer. Only egress charges as a result of moving Azure Storage data out of Azure are eligible for free credits as part of this program.

This move solidifies a wider industry trend toward easing the process of switching cloud providers. With increased pressure from regulators and customers, cloud giants are focusing on removing barriers to customer choice.