The cloud migration tools landscape in 2026 is dominated by the three major cloud providers. The right tool depends on the source, the destination, and the data gravity. The tools split into four categories: server migration, database migration, data migration, and application migration.
Table of contents
- The four categories
- Server migration tools
- Database migration tools
- Data migration tools
- Application migration tools
- How to choose
- FAQ
The four categories
The four categories, with the most common use case for each:
- Server migration. Moving the server (the VM) from on-premises to the cloud. AWS Server Migration Service, Azure Migrate, Google Cloud Migrate.
- Database migration. Moving the database from on-premises to the cloud. AWS DMS, Azure Database Migration Service, Google Cloud Database Migration Service.
- Data migration. Moving the data (the files, the objects) from on-premises to the cloud. AWS DataSync, Azure Data Factory, Google Cloud Transfer Appliance.
- Application migration. Moving the application (the code, the containers) from on-premises to the cloud. AWS App2Container, Azure App Service Migration Assistant, Google Cloud Migrate to Containers.
Server migration tools
The server migration tools in 2026, ordered by adoption:
- AWS Server Migration Service (SMS). The leader. Migrates VMware, Hyper-V, and Azure VMs to AWS. Free; the team pays for the storage and the compute of the migrated servers.
- Azure Migrate. The runner-up. Migrates VMware, Hyper-V, AWS EC2, and physical servers to Azure. Free; the team pays for the storage and the compute.
- Google Cloud Migrate. The third. Migrates VMware, AWS EC2, Azure VMs, and physical servers to GCP. Free; the team pays for the storage and the compute.
- CloudEndure (now part of AWS). The live migration tool. The right answer when the team needs to migrate with zero downtime.
Database migration tools
The database migration tools in 2026, ordered by adoption:
- AWS Database Migration Service (DMS). The leader. Migrates Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and more to AWS. Free for 6 months; the team pays for the storage and the compute.
- Azure Database Migration Service. The runner-up. Migrates the same databases to Azure.
- Google Cloud Database Migration Service. The third. Migrates the same databases to GCP.
- Stitch (by Talend). The third-party option. The right answer for the team that wants a vendor-neutral migration tool.
Data migration tools
The data migration tools in 2026, ordered by adoption:
- AWS DataSync. The leader. Migrates NFS, SMB, and S3-compatible data to AWS. The right answer for the team that is migrating file data.
- AWS Snowball / Snowmobile. The physical transport. The right answer for the team that has a large amount of data and a slow network.
- Azure Data Factory. The runner-up. Migrates data to Azure.
- Azure Data Box. The physical transport. The right answer for the team that is migrating to Azure.
- Google Cloud Transfer Appliance. The physical transport. The right answer for the team that is migrating to GCP.
- Google Cloud Storage Transfer Service. The online transfer. The right answer for the team that has a fast network and a moderate amount of data.
Application migration tools
The application migration tools in 2026, ordered by adoption:
- AWS App2Container. The leader. Migrates Java and .NET applications to containers on AWS. The right answer for the team that has a Java or .NET application and wants to containerize it.
- Azure App Service Migration Assistant. The runner-up. Migrates .NET, Java, Python, and Node.js applications to Azure App Service.
- Google Cloud Migrate to Containers. The third. Migrates VMs to containers on GCP.
- Move2Kube. The vendor-neutral option. The right answer for the team that wants a vendor-neutral migration tool.
How to choose
The choice rule: pick the tool that matches the source, the destination, and the team’s existing investment. The team that is on AWS should use AWS tools. The team that is on Azure should use Azure tools.
The right starting point for most teams: the cloud provider’s native migration service, the cloud provider’s native database migration service, and the cloud provider’s native data migration service. The team can add third-party tools as the workload grows.
FAQ
What is the best cloud migration tool in 2026?
The right answer depends on the team. For AWS workloads: AWS Server Migration Service, AWS DMS, AWS DataSync. For Azure workloads: Azure Migrate, Azure Database Migration Service, Azure Data Factory. For GCP workloads: Google Cloud Migrate, Google Cloud Database Migration Service, Google Cloud Transfer Appliance.
What is the difference between server and database migration?
Server migration moves the VM. Database migration moves the database. The two are different; most teams need both.
What is the cheapest way to migrate data to the cloud?
Online transfer (the cloud provider’s data transfer service) is the cheapest for small to moderate amounts of data. Physical transport (Snowball, Data Box, Transfer Appliance) is the cheapest for large amounts of data.
What is the difference between offline and online migration?
Offline migration uses physical transport to move the data. Online migration uses the network. Offline is faster for large data; online is faster for small data.
How long does a cloud migration take?
The migration itself takes 3-12 months for most workloads. The long tail (optimization, cost tuning, security review) takes another 3-6 months.
If you are sizing a cloud migration project, the RunxBuild hosting calculator is the place to model the line items. The migration, the optimization, the long tail - each one is a separate number, and the team’s mental model for the project is the sum of those numbers. The RunxBuild dashboard is where the team sees the post-migration production in one place.