Azure OpenAI Service (AOAI) is the recommended path for organizations that want OpenAI models hosted inside their existing Azure tenant. It's a great fit if you're all-in on OpenAI and already in Azure. Plugsky is the alternative for teams that want model choice, GCC data residency, and predictable pricing.
When to keep Azure OpenAI
Azure OpenAI is the right choice if:
- You are 100% committed to OpenAI models (no open-source, no plugsky-frontier)
- You have heavy Azure-native integration (Entra ID, Defender, Sentinel, etc.)
- You are an Azure-only shop and want to minimize vendor count
- You need PTUs (provisioned throughput units) for guaranteed latency
When to consider Plugsky
Plugsky is a better fit if you need any of:
- Model choice — 18+ models including plugsky-frontier, plugsky-arabic, plugsky-reasoning (not just OpenAI)
- GCC data residency — me-central-1 (UAE) for PDPL/DIFC/SAMA compliance
- Sovereign deployment — air-gapped, customer-managed keys, customer data center
- Predictable cost — flat monthly, no per-token meter, no PTU sizing
- Multi-cloud portability — same control plane in AWS, Azure, GCP, or on-prem
Feature comparison
| Capability | Plugsky | Other |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI models | ✓ (via plugsky-frontier, plugsky-pro) | ✓ (native) |
| Other model providers | ✓ (NVIDIA, plugsky-arabic, open-source) | ✗ |
| GCC data residency | ✓ (me-central-1) | ✗ (US/EU only) |
| Air-gapped sovereign | ✓ | ✗ |
| Customer-managed keys (BYOK) | ✓ (any KMS) | ✓ (Azure Key Vault) |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly | Per-token + PTU sizing |
| Self-serve from | $20/mo unlimited | ~$30+/mo + token cost |
| Multi-cloud deployment | ✓ (AWS, Azure, GCP, on-prem) | Azure only |
| Arabic-native model | ✓ | ✗ |
| Migrating from | 1-line base_url change | — (native) |
Migration path
You don't have to leave Azure. Plugsky runs inside Azure via a private endpoint — your data stays in your Azure tenant, your Azure policies still apply, and you get model choice on top.
- Sign up for Plugsky (free trial, $5 / 7 days)
- Deploy a Plugsky private endpoint in your Azure subscription via the Azure Marketplace or our Terraform module
- Point your existing AOAI client at the private endpoint (same base_url change pattern)
- Run plugsky-pro alongside gpt-4o for 4-6 weeks
- Migrate workloads that benefit from model choice to Plugsky; keep AOAI where you need Azure-native integration
Frequently asked questions
Can Plugsky run inside my Azure tenant?
Yes. Plugsky ships an Azure Marketplace offer and a Terraform module. The control plane runs in your subscription, your VNet, your policies.
Do I have to leave Azure?
No. Most teams run Plugsky alongside AOAI for 4-6 weeks during the transition, then consolidate workloads on whichever fits better.
What about PTU?
Plugsky doesn't use PTUs — flat monthly pricing means unlimited usage on every model in your tier. For very-high-volume guaranteed-latency workloads, we offer reserved capacity contracts.
Is there a Terraform module?
Yes — for Azure, AWS, GCP, and on-prem. Plus a Helm chart for Kubernetes deployments.