Tips to Save Money in Azure

Last Updated on August 13, 2025 by Arnav Sharma

Azure is a powerful cloud platform that can be used to develop and deploy applications. However, it can be expensive to use if you’re not careful.

Here are some tips to help you reduce the cost of using Azure:

• Automate the Azure Cleanup:

Auto Clean Azure Resources – Using Azure Automation – Lets learn something new (arnav.au)

(PS – this can be used for lab/test environments, as the script cleans up everything)

• Plan and estimate your costs: Know what services you’ll use and how much they’ll cost.

Whether you’re just starting out with Azure or are a seasoned pro, it’s important to know how to estimate and plan your costs. With so many services available, it can be hard to keep track of what you need and how much it will cost. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

• First, take a look at the services you’re using and see if there are any that you don’t need. If there are, get rid of them to save on costs.
• Next, look at the pricing for each service and see if there are any discounts or promotions that you can take advantage of.
• Finally, make sure to estimate your usage so that you don’t end up paying more than you need.

By following these tips, you can make sure that your Azure costs are under control and that you’re getting the most for your money.

• Take advantage of discounts: Use Azure Reserved Instances and Azure Hybrid Benefit.

Azure Reserved Instances and Azure Hybrid Benefit can save you money on your Azure bill. Here’s how to take advantage of them.

Azure Reserved Instances give you a discount on your Azure bill by reserving capacity ahead of time. You can buy RI’s for one or three years, and they’re available in several sizes.

Azure Hybrid Benefit lets you use your on-premises Windows Server licenses to pay for Azure Windows VMs. This can save you up to 40% off the cost of an Azure VM. To get started, visit the Azure RI website and the Azure Hybrid Benefit website.

• Use monitoring and automation: Keep an eye on your costs and automate where possible.

As any business owner knows, costs are a constant concern. Monitoring costs and automating processes can help ease the burden.

Azure provides a variety of tools to help businesses keep an eye on their costs. The Azure Portal gives you an overview of your spending, and you can set up alerts to notify you when costs exceed a certain threshold. Azure also offers a Cost Management API that lets you programmatically track and analyze your costs.

There are many ways to automate tasks in Azure. For example, you can use Azure Automation to create runbooks that automate common tasks such as starting and stopping VMs or backing up databases. You can also use Azure Logic Apps to automate workflows such as sending emails or updating records in a database.

Using monitoring and automation can help you save time and money by keeping your costs under control and automating repetitive tasks.

• Using spot VMs when creating a virtual machine

There are many reasons to use Spot VMs when creating a virtual machine. Here are just a few: 

1. You can save up to 90% on your VM costs. 
2. Spot VMs allow you to use spare computing capacity in Azure. 
3. You can still create highly available applications using Spot VMs. 
4. There is no upfront commitment required when using Spot VMs. 
5. You can scale your applications quickly and easily using Spot VMs.

• Take advantage of the Azure free account for testing and training

The Azure free account gives you access to all the features of the platform. This includes access to training and support from Microsoft. You also get $200 worth of credit to use for your first month. After that, you can choose to pay as you go or upgrade to a paid account.

If you’re not sure if Azure is right for you, the free account is a great way to test it out. You can get a feel for how the platform works and what it has to offer.

Following these tips can save you money on your Azure bill. Azure is a powerful tool, and by being mindful of how you use it, you can keep your costs down. Be sure to keep an eye on your Azure consumption and usage patterns so that you can make adjustments as needed.