Azure NC A100 v4 instances give you access to NVIDIA A100 80GB GPUs inside Microsoft's global cloud infrastructure, with all the compliance certifications and managed services that come with it. Thunder Compute offers the same A100 hardware at a lower on-demand rate, with persistent storage included and no quota approval process.
This comparison covers Azure NC A100 v4 pricing, the full cost picture including storage and egress, and which workloads belong on each platform.
Key takeaways:
- Thunder Compute A100 80GB: $1.09/hr, about 4x cheaper than Azure NC A100 v4 at $4.41/hr.
- Thunder Compute persistent volumes start at $0.05/GB/mo and charges no egress fees. Azure Premium SSD is $0.18/GB/month and egress costs $0.087/GB after 100GB.
- Azure requires quota approval for N-series instances. Thunder Compute offers instant access.
- Azure bills per second with a 1-minute minimum. Thunder Compute bills per minute. Both are similar for jobs over 60 seconds.
- Azure Spot A100 averages around $1.15/hr but can be interrupted with less than 30 seconds notice.
Azure NC A100 v4 GPU Pricing
The NC A100 v4 series is Azure's primary offering for A100 80GB workloads. All variants use the same GPU; the SKU determines how many GPUs and vCPUs are allocated per VM.
| SKU | GPUs | GPU Memory | vCPUs | RAM | On-demand $/hr (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard_NC24ads_A100_v4 | 1 × A100 | 80GB | 24 | 220GB | $4.41 |
| Standard_NC48ads_A100_v4 | 2 × A100 | 80GB each | 48 | 440GB | $8.82 |
| Standard_NC96ads_A100_v4 | 4 × A100 | 80GB each | 96 | 880GB | $17.64 |
| Thunder Compute A100 | 1–8 × A100 | 80GB each | 6–120 | 64–960GB | $1.09–$8.72 |
Azure also offers Spot pricing for NC A100 v4 instances averaging around $1.15/hr for the single-GPU SKU, though Spot instances can be reclaimed with less than 30 seconds notice, making them unsuitable for training runs without robust checkpointing.
Full Cost Comparison: Azure vs Thunder Compute
Beyond the GPU hourly rate, Azure adds several separate line items that compound quickly.
| Cost Item | Azure NC A100 v4 | Thunder Compute A100 |
|---|---|---|
| GPU on-demand (1x A100) | $4.41/hr | $1.09/hr |
| Persistent storage | Premium SSD $0.18/GB/month | $0.05/GB/month for snapshots |
| Data egress | $0.087/GB after 100GB/month | None |
| Billing | Per second, 1-minute minimum | Per minute |
| Quota required | Yes (N-series, file a request) | No |
| 100 GPU-hr cost (compute only) | $441 | $109 |
Azure GPU VM Quotas and Setup
New Azure subscriptions start with zero N-series vCPU quota. To launch any A100 instance, you must file a quota increase request through the Azure portal, specifying region, VM family, and vCPU count. Approval times vary from a few hours to several days depending on demand and account age.
Once quota is approved, additional configuration is required: networking and NSG rules, storage attachment, SSH key management, and driver setup unless you use an Azure marketplace ML image. The Azure Machine Learning Studio can simplify some of this, but adds its own layer of services and pricing.
Thunder Compute has no quota system. Create an account, add a payment method, and launch an instance in under a minute. The VS Code, Cursor, and Windsurf extensions connect directly to the running instance, so there is no SSH setup or CUDA driver configuration required.
Developer Experience
Azure offers VS Code Remote-SSH and Azure Machine Learning Studio for IDE access. Both require additional setup and assume familiarity with cloud networking. The Azure Resource Manager API provides full programmatic control, and the ecosystem integrations for teams using Azure Active Directory, Azure Blob Storage, or Azure DevOps are significant advantages.
Thunder Compute's one-click VS Code, Cursor, and Windsurf extensions mean zero setup time between account creation and writing code on a remote GPU. Persistent storage is automatic; your installed packages and working directory are exactly as you left them on every restart.
When to Choose Each Provider
Azure NC A100 makes sense for:
- Teams already in the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Workloads that require Azure Active Directory integration.
- Compliance certifications such as FedRAMP or HIPAA.
- Setups that need Azure's networking and managed services.
Thunder Compute is the better choice for:
- The lowest on-demand A100 rate with no commitment or quota friction.
- Per-minute billing, no egress fees, and immediate IDE access.
- The most value for development, fine-tuning, and experimentation workflows.
Last Thoughts on Azure NC A100 vs Thunder Compute
For a single A100 80GB, Thunder Compute costs $332 less per 100 GPU-hours and requires no quota approval or storage configuration. Azure still makes sense inside a Microsoft-heavy infrastructure stack, but for most A100 training and inference workloads, Thunder Compute is the faster and more cost-effective starting point.
FAQ
How much cheaper is Thunder Compute compared to Azure NC A100?
Thunder Compute A100 80GB is $1.09/hr versus Azure Standard NC24ads A100 v4 at $4.41/hr, making Thunder Compute about 4x cheaper. For 100 GPU-hours, that is $109 versus $441.
What is the billing difference between Azure and Thunder Compute?
Azure VMs bill per second with a 1-minute minimum; a 61-second job is billed for 61 seconds. Thunder Compute bills per minute. Despite per-second billing, Azure VMs are never cheaper.
Do I need GPU quota approval for Thunder Compute?
No. Thunder Compute accounts provision instantly with no quota tickets. Azure new subscriptions start with 0 N-series vCPUs and require a quota increase request before any A100 or H100 instance can be launched.
How does persistent storage compare between Azure and Thunder Compute?
Thunder Compute snapshots cost $0.05/GB/month. Azure Premium SSD costs $0.18/GB/month billed separately, with incremental snapshots at additional cost.
Is Azure Spot pricing worth it for A100 GPU training?
Azure Spot A100 averages around $1.15/hr, cheaper than on-demand but still above Thunder Compute's $1.09/hr. Spot instances can be reclaimed with less than 30 seconds notice, making them unsuitable for training runs without robust checkpointing.
Does Thunder Compute charge data egress fees?
No. Thunder Compute does not charge for data egress. Azure charges $0.087/GB from US regions after the first 100GB per month.
What Azure GPU VMs are available for A100 workloads?
Azure NC A100 v4 series offers Standard_NC24ads_A100_v4 (1 GPU), Standard_NC48ads_A100_v4 (2 GPUs), and Standard_NC96ads_A100_v4 (4 GPUs). All use A100 80GB GPUs at $4.41/GPU-hr on-demand in US regions.