CloudLearn vs Azure Lab Services
Microsoft is retiring Azure Lab Services on June 28, 2027, and new customers could no longer sign up from July 15, 2024. If your classes use it to teach Azure or AWS skills, CloudLearn replaces the lab VMs with ready-made, auto-verified cloud labs and classroom tools. There are no images to build and no cores to request.
Choose CloudLearn if
your courses teach cloud skills (Azure, AWS, Kubernetes) and you want ready-made labs with automatic grading, rosters and due dates, instead of maintaining VM images.
Choose Azure Lab Services if
your classes need general-purpose Windows or Linux desktops for other software. Microsoft points those workloads to Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365 or its listed partner solutions.
Why teams choose CloudLearn
Built for hands-on skills you can prove
Every step verified
Automatic checks inspect the real environment, so completion proves the work happened.
Live in under 2 minutes
A real AWS or Azure environment per learner. No personal cloud account, no billing risk.
Built for classrooms and teams
Sections, CSV rosters, assignments with due dates, and instructor and manager roles.
See progress as it happens
Live session monitoring and progress reports with CSV export.
Your own catalog
A private, org-only catalog and custom labs built for your environment.
Canadian vendor
Built and supported in Canada.
Side by side
CloudLearn vs Azure Lab Services at a glance
| Feature | CloudLearn | Azure Lab Services |
|---|---|---|
| Lab environments | Yes: real AWS and Azure environments, live in under 2 minutes | Dedicated lab VMs built from instructor images, hosted in a subscription Azure Lab Services manages |
| Azure depth | Real Azure subscriptions, plus assessments for AZ-900, AZ-104, AZ-305, AZ-500 and SC-200 | General-purpose VM labs for any course software. No built-in Azure skills curriculum or assessments. |
| Kubernetes & Docker | Yes: live Kubernetes and Docker environments | Not published |
| Team admin & reporting | Seats, admin/manager/instructor roles, assignments with due dates, live session monitoring, progress reports with CSV export | Lab plans with Azure RBAC roles. Labs can be managed from Microsoft Teams or Canvas. |
| Education / classroom tools | Classes and sections, CSV rosters, assignments, instructor roles, private org-only catalog | Designed for administrators, educators and students. Retiring June 28, 2027; no new customers since July 15, 2024. |
| Team price (published) | Contact us for team pricing | Usage-based: hourly price per lab VM size, with storage included |
| Headquarters | Canada | Microsoft (United States) |
Lab environments
CloudLearn
Yes: real AWS and Azure environments, live in under 2 minutes
Azure Lab Services
Azure depth
CloudLearn
Real Azure subscriptions, plus assessments for AZ-900, AZ-104, AZ-305, AZ-500 and SC-200
Azure Lab Services
Kubernetes & Docker
CloudLearn
Yes: live Kubernetes and Docker environments
Azure Lab Services
Team admin & reporting
CloudLearn
Seats, admin/manager/instructor roles, assignments with due dates, live session monitoring, progress reports with CSV export
Azure Lab Services
Education / classroom tools
CloudLearn
Classes and sections, CSV rosters, assignments, instructor roles, private org-only catalog
Azure Lab Services
Team price (published)
CloudLearn
Contact us for team pricing
Azure Lab Services
Headquarters
CloudLearn
Canada
Azure Lab Services
Pricing
What it costs
Azure Lab Services
Usage-based, and retiring June 28, 2027
- Azure Lab Services charges an hourly price based on the lab VM size, with storage included.
- After June 28, 2027 you lose access to lab accounts, lab plans and labs. Images saved to an Azure compute gallery remain.
- Core limits do not transfer to a replacement solution; Microsoft advises requesting capacity early.
From Azure Lab Services's published pricing as of September 23, 2026. Prices as published and subject to change.
CloudLearn
Free labs to start, team pricing on request
- Individuals can start free labs with no credit card.
- Team and education licences are priced per seat or per program. Book a demo for a quote.
Fair is fair
When to choose Azure Lab Services instead
- Choose Microsoft’s recommended paths (Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365 or a listed partner) if your classes need full Windows desktops or specialist software, not cloud skills.
- You need GPU virtual machines or nested virtualization for your coursework.
- You want to reuse your existing custom VM images from an Azure compute gallery.
Where we fit
When CloudLearn is the better fit
- Your courses teach Azure, AWS, Kubernetes or Docker, and you want ready-made labs instead of maintaining VM images.
- You want every lab step checked automatically, so instructors aren’t grading VMs by hand.
- You need classes and sections, CSV rosters, assignments with due dates and live session monitoring.
- You want predictable per-student or per-program pricing instead of VM hours and core-quota requests.
- You want assessments for AZ-900, AZ-104, AZ-305, AZ-500 and SC-200 alongside the labs.
FAQ
CloudLearn vs Azure Lab Services: common questions
When is Azure Lab Services being retired?
Microsoft is retiring Azure Lab Services on June 28, 2027. New customers could not sign up from July 15, 2024. After the retirement date, lab accounts, lab plans and labs are no longer accessible, though images saved to an Azure compute gallery remain.
Is CloudLearn a replacement for Azure Lab Services?
For courses that teach cloud skills, yes. CloudLearn replaces instructor-built VMs with ready-made AWS and Azure labs that launch in under 2 minutes and check each step automatically. For general desktop software labs, Microsoft recommends Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365 or its listed partners.
Do I need to rebuild my lab images?
Not for cloud-skills courses. CloudLearn labs are ready to assign, and CloudLearn can build custom labs for anything specific to your curriculum and keep them in a private, org-only catalog.
Does CloudLearn integrate with Canvas or Teams?
LMS/LTI integration is on the roadmap. Today, instructors manage classes, rosters and assignments in CloudLearn and share lab links with students directly.
How is CloudLearn priced for schools?
Education licences are priced per student or per program, not per VM hour. Book a demo for a quote for your institution.
See the difference in a real cloud environment
Launch a free lab in under 2 minutes, or talk to us about training your team.
Azure Lab Services is a trademark of its respective owner. CloudLearn is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Azure Lab Services. Competitor information comes from publicly available sources as of September 23, 2026 and may have changed since. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we'll correct it.