Cloud migration cost for 5–100 server estates
Enterprise migration guides talk about $10M budgets. Here is what it actually costs when you have 10 servers, 5 TB of data, and 25 staff. Three real-world scenarios with break-even timelines.
What it costs at three SMB sizes
Scenario A
Micro-business
5 srv · 1 TB · 10 users
Total project cost
$15K – $45K
Monthly cloud / on-prem
$800–$3K vs $1K–$4K
Break-even
8–18 months
Strategy
Lift-and-shift
AWS Lightsail or Azure SMB tier, simple, managed, predictable pricing.
Scenario B
Small Business
15 srv · 5 TB · 25 users
Total project cost
$40K – $120K
Monthly cloud / on-prem
$3K–$7K vs $4K–$9K
Break-even
12–24 months
Strategy
Mixed (lift-and-shift + replatform for databases)
AWS or Azure depending on existing software stack. Consider an MSP.
Scenario C
Mid-Market
50 srv · 20 TB · 100 users
Total project cost
$150K – $450K
Monthly cloud / on-prem
$12K–$35K vs $20K–$50K
Break-even
18–36 months
Strategy
Mixed (60% rehost, 30% replatform, 10% retire)
Engage a mid-market cloud migration partner. AWS MAP or Azure FastTrack credits available.
Cost per server, by workload
The most-searched data point. SMB workload types and what they cost to move at lift-and-shift and replatform tiers.
| Workload | Lift-and-shift | Replatform |
|---|---|---|
| File / web server | $2K–$5K | $5K–$15K |
| Database server | $3K–$10K | $10K–$30K |
| Email / Exchange | $3K–$8K | $5K–$12K (move to M365) |
| Backup / archive | $1K–$3K | $3K–$8K |
| App / VM (general) | $2K–$6K | $6K–$18K |
How to cut SMB migration cost
Use simplified tiers
AWS Lightsail and Azure SMB tier are 30-50% cheaper than the full platforms for under 30 workloads.
Free migration tools
AWS Application Migration Service, Azure Migrate, Google Cloud Migrate. All free. No reason to pay for tooling.
Apply for credits
AWS MAP and Azure FastTrack do qualify some SMBs. Apply via a partner before scoping the project.
Right-size before commit
Audit utilisation. Most on-prem servers run at 15-30%. Don't replicate over-provisioning into cloud.
Move email to M365 / Workspace
Native cloud SaaS replaces self-hosted Exchange. $6-$22/user/month vs full Exchange licensing and maintenance.
MSP vs DIY break-point
Above ~30 workloads, an MSP is usually cheaper net of internal engineering time burned on the project.
SMB migration questions
Q. How much does cloud migration cost for a small business with 10 servers?
A 10-server small business migration to cloud typically costs $25K-$80K all-in. This includes lift-and-shift labour ($30K-$60K), data egress on 5-10 TB (~$500-$900), parallel running for 4-6 months ($8K-$15K), and basic retraining ($5K-$10K). Monthly cloud cost post-migration runs $1,500-$5,000 vs $2,500-$7,000 on-premise. Break-even typically 12-20 months.
Q. Can I migrate to the cloud myself or do I need a consultant?
Self-migration is realistic for under 20 workloads if your team has cloud skills. Free tools (AWS Application Migration Service, Azure Migrate, Google Cloud Migrate) handle the actual move. Above 30 workloads or with database / AD complexity, an MSP is usually cheaper net of internal engineering time. MSP-led 10-50 server migrations typically run $20K-$80K in fees, but eliminate 4-8 months of internal team disruption.
Q. What is the cheapest cloud provider for small business?
AWS Lightsail and Azure SMB tier are the cheapest entry points for small businesses, offering simpler pricing and lower entry costs than the full AWS or Azure platforms. For Microsoft-heavy small businesses (Windows Server, SQL Server, Microsoft 365), Azure with Hybrid Benefit is usually cheapest. For Linux-heavy or container-first, GCP often wins on raw compute price.
Q. Is cloud cheaper than buying new on-premise servers for a small business?
Usually yes, especially when factoring in the avoided hardware refresh ($3K-$10K per server every 5-7 years), data centre / closet space, power, cooling, and the 15-30% of IT staff time currently spent on infra maintenance. The catch: cloud cost compounds monthly, so over 5+ years it can exceed on-premise CapEx for very stable workloads with low growth.