
Beyond Price: What Really Matters When Selecting a Cloud Service Provider?
May 27, 2025
It takes more than simply prices to select a cloud service provider. While cost is a key factor, businesses need to check a provider’s reliability, security, compliance, performance and customer support. Ignoring these factors may result in unplanned downtime, security breaches or legal problems.
This helps organizations make well-informed selections that meet their goals by taking into consideration what really matters when choosing a cloud provider.
Businesses in Kenya and Africa in general require scalable, affordable and localised cloud solutions. This is where Angani, a leading cloud service provider in East Africa, offers bespoke solutions tailored for the region’s unique challenges.
1. Security & Compliance: Protecting Your Data
Security Standards and Certifications
- ISO 27001 and Kenya DPA compliance ensure that a CSP follows strict security practices.
- Angani ensures data encryption at rest and in transit to protect sensitive data and preventing unauthorized access.
- Zero-trust architecture add extra layers of security.
- Automated security monitoring detects and prevents threats before they cause disruptions.
- Data sovereignty: Businesses can store their data in compliance with regional and industry regulations.
Regulatory Compliance
Many African businesses face compliance challenges due to gradual changes of data protection laws. Angani’s locally hosted cloud services ensure compliance with Kenyan Data Protection Act, giving businesses peace of mind when handling sensitive customer data.
2. Performance & Reliability

Uptime & SLAs (Service Level Agreements)
- The golden standard is 99.9% uptime, equating to just 8.75 hours of downtime per year. Angani offers 99.98% uptime with reliable cloud infrastructure built for African businesses.
- CSPs should offer transparent SLAs, detailing uptime guarantees and compensation for failures.
- Data centers in Kenya ensure that businesses experience minimal latency and high-speed connectivity.
- Proactive system monitoring ensures quick detection and resolution of performance issues.
Latency & Data Center Locations
- The closer a data center is to end users, the lower the latency.
- Look for Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to speed up content distribution globally.
- Edge computing can further reduce latency for real-time applications.
Unlike global providers with distant data centers, Angani’s localized infrastructure ensures that businesses in Kenya and East Africa get lowest latency, high-speed cloud access, critical for industries like banks, fintech, healthcare and e-commerce.
3. Scalability & Flexibility
Elasticity & Seamless Auto-Scaling for Growing Businesses
- The ability to scale up or down automatically based on demand ensures optimal resource usage.
- Flat pricing ensure predictable costs.
- Managed services ensure smooth deployment and maintenance of applications.
Business Continuity with Disaster Recovery Solutions
- Automated backups and disaster recovery services minimize the risk of data loss.
- Geo-redundant storage options ensure your data remains accessible even in case of regional disruptions.
4. Pricing Models & Cost Transparency: Avoiding Hidden Fees
Understanding and Flexible Pricing Models
- Pay-as-you-go (PAYG): Charges based on actual usage. Cuts out the need for high upfront investments.
- Reserved Instances: Discounted rates for long-term commitments.
- Flat Pricing: Fixed rates for unlimited usage ensures predictable cost and best value for money.
- Transparent billing with no hidden fees ensures businesses can plan their cloud expenses effectively.
Avoiding Hidden Costs
- No unexpected egress fees for data transfers within Kenya.
- Local hosting means lower bandwidth costs compared to international providers.
- Customizable plans ensure businesses only pay for the resources they need.
5. Support & Customer Service: Getting Help When You Need It

24/7 Support from Experts Who Understand Your Needs
- Angani provides dedicated support teams based in Kenya, ensuring quick response times.
- No need to wait for international call centers, get fast and localized help when needed.
- Consultative support to help businesses optimize their cloud infrastructure.
Technical Documentation & Community Support
- A strong knowledge base and active community forums can save troubleshooting time and helps businesses manage their cloud services effectively.
- Angani’s cloud solutions provide best practices for industry-specific challenges.
6. AI & Data Analytics-Ready
- Big Data processing and Open Source AI LLMs & tools are available for businesses looking to leverage insights.
- Machine learning capabilities enable predictive analytics for better decision-making.
At Angani, we’re powering the next wave of AI in Africa, giving businesses the infrastructure they need to train, deploy and scale AI applications without the headache of costly hardware.
Choosing the Right Cloud Provider
Security, dependability, local knowledge, performance, scalability and support must all be carefully considered when choosing a cloud service provider.
With Angani’s secure, scalable and affordable cloud solutions, businesses in East Africa can utilize technology without the challenges of dealing with international providers.
Contact Angani today and experience cloud solutions built for your business needs.