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Public Cloud vs Private Cloud vs Hybrid Cloud

What’s Right for the Future?

Just over a decade ago, cloud computing was merely a buzzword. Today, it has become the backbone of digital infrastructure. The range of cloud models now available – public, private, and hybrid – has transformed how businesses of all sizes operate: agile, flexible, and efficient. Yet, one crucial question remains for many organisations: which cloud model is the right fit for their needs? Each cloud model brings distinct benefits and challenges. The best choice will depend not only on current business priorities, but also on the organisation’s vision for a future in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. There is no denying that the hybrid model has gained immense popularity over the last few years. Let’s examine the strengths and trade-offs of each of these models.  

Public Cloud: Cost Effective, Scalable, and Secure

The public cloud computing model is the most utilised and popular model thus far. In this model, computing resources such as servers, storage, databases, applications, and software, are delivered over the internet by third-party providers. These resources are hosted in large-scale data centres owned and operated by these companies. Amazon Web Services (AWS) currently leads the pack with a 30% market shared followed by Microsoft Azure at 21%, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) at 12% market share1. In addition, there are several other companies that offer public cloud services.   With the public cloud model, companies do not need to own or maintain the physical infrastructure, and can access the services on a pay-as-you-go basis, only paying for what they use. The shared infrastructure is the main defining feature of the public cloud. Multiple organisations, known as ‘tenants’, use the same computing resources, though each user’s data and applications are securely separated. This shared model allows cloud providers to offer scalability, allowing businesses to increase or decrease resources as needed with minimal delay. Other benefits of the public cloud include high availability and resilience along with the added advantage of robust security features offered by the public cloud providers. In addition, public cloud services often include cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence tools, big data analytics platforms, and global content delivery networks, which might otherwise be cost-prohibitive for smaller organisations.   However, there are challenges to the public cloud model as well. Data sovereignty laws, compliance requirements, and potential vendor lock-in can complicate the adoption of public cloud for sectors such as finance and healthcare. Still, for many organisations, the public cloud represents a flexible, cost-effective route to innovation and digital transformation. 

Private Cloud: Security, Greater Control, and Better Compliance

Private cloud refers to cloud infrastructure used exclusively by one organisation. It can be hosted on-site, within an organisation’s own data centre, or externally through a third-party provider, but the defining feature is that the computing resources are not shared with other organisations. Hence, private cloud environments offer a more controlled and secure setup.   For organisations in certain sectors like finance, healthcare, or government, the private cloud is beneficial as they can maintain full oversight of where their data resides, how it is accessed, and who has control over it. This makes it easier to comply with industry regulations and national or international data protection laws. With dedicated resources and workloads in a private cloud environment, performance is typically optimised. Organisations are also seamlessly able to customise the infrastructure, deploy bespoke security protocols, and tailor the system to meet internal performance benchmarks.  However, the private cloud comes with its own set of challenges. Building and maintaining a private cloud requires significant investment, in terms of hardware and skilled resources. In addition, it may lack the near-instant scalability of public cloud services, making it less flexible for rapidly changing business demands. Nevertheless, for organisations where security, compliance, and control are non-negotiable, the private cloud remains a reliable and strategic option in an increasingly digital world. 

Is Hybrid Cloud the Right Choice for Your Company?

The hybrid cloud model combines elements of both public and private cloud environments, allowing data and applications to be shared between them. It enables organisations to run workloads across multiple platforms, where they can maintain on-premise infrastructure for some operations while using public cloud services for others. In addition, it also allows organisations to shift workloads between public and private clouds depending on the organisational needs. This approach relies on integration and orchestration technologies to ensure seamless communication between environments. With hybrid cloud, organisations can retain better and tighter control over their data by keeping critical or sensitive information within a private cloud, while taking advantage of the scalability and efficiency of the public cloud model for less sensitive tasks, such as running large-scale applications. Thus, hybrid cloud presents a unified system where resources can be allocated dynamically, depending on business needs, regulatory requirements, or technical considerations. Overall, the benefits that hybrid cloud allows companies is a balance between security, performance, and flexibility. 

The hybrid cloud model is fast gaining popularity among global organisations. According to research, the global hybrid cloud market is expected to exceed $430 billion by 2030 from over $158 billion in 2025, growing at a robust CAGR of 22%2. Flexera’s State of the Cloud 2025 report reveals that 70% of organisations have adopted hybrid cloud strategies3. And in fact, Gartner predicts that by 2027, 90% of organisations will have adopted the hybrid cloud model4. This rapid adoption underscores the hybrid cloud’s growing role as the foundation for modern, flexible, and resilient IT infrastructures. 

Choosing the Best Option: Public Cloud vs. Private Cloud vs. Hybrid Cloud

Despite the benefits of all types of cloud computing models, choosing the right cloud approach is hardly a one-size-fits-all decision. It depends on the organisation’s size, needs, industry requirements, market requirements, challenges, and many other factors. For instance, the public cloud may be the best choice for start-ups or small organisations as it offers scalability and agility with little overhead. On the other hand, regulated sectors or compliance requirements may warrant heavy utilisation of the private cloud environment. The hybrid cloud model balances modernisation and legacy support, even across regions and teams, and is perhaps more suited for large organisations. 

Understanding how each model works helps ensure smoother implementation and long-term success. In the end, all three models, public, private, and hybrid, exist because they each serve distinct and valuable roles.