Two Different Approaches to Cloud Cost Optimization
CloudHealth (also known as VMware CloudHealth, now part of Broadcom) is one of the original enterprise FinOps platforms. It has been a go-to solution for large organizations that need multi-cloud governance, policy-driven cost management, chargeback/showback reporting, and executive-level visibility across AWS, Azure, and GCP.
SpendZero takes a different approach. Built for engineering and DevOps teams, SpendZero focuses on fast cloud waste detection across AWS and GCP with 37+ automated checks, one-click remediation actions, and a free scan you can run in 5 minutes — no sales call, no enterprise contract, no weeks of onboarding.
Whether you are evaluating CloudHealth vs SpendZero or looking for a CloudHealth competitor, both tools solve cloud cost problems but serve different audiences and workflows. This finops tool comparison gives you an honest breakdown so you can decide which approach fits your team. For a broader comparison that includes Spot.io and Kubecost, see our full cloud cost tool comparison.
Two Tools, Two Philosophies
A quick look at what each tool focuses on and who it is built for.
SpendZero
Engineering-led multi-cloud cost optimization. 37+ automated waste detection checks across 25+ cloud services on AWS and GCP, one-click actions to fix waste, and a free scan in 5 minutes. Built for DevOps and platform teams that want results fast. Learn more about SpendZero.
CloudHealth (VMware/Broadcom)
Enterprise FinOps platform with multi-cloud governance, policy-driven cost management, chargeback/showback, and executive reporting. Supports AWS, Azure, and GCP. Built for large organizations with dedicated FinOps teams and complex governance requirements. Learn more at cloudhealthtech.com.
SpendZero vs CloudHealth: Head-to-Head
A side-by-side look at what each tool offers across the capabilities that matter most for cloud cost optimization.
| Feature | SpendZero | CloudHealth |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Time | 5 minutes | Hours / Days |
| AWS Waste Detection | 37+ automated checks | Policy-based recommendations |
| Multi-Cloud Support | AWS & GCP (Azure coming) | AWS, Azure, GCP |
| Kubernetes Support | Yes | Limited |
| One-Click Actions | Yes | No (reporting only) |
| Rightsizing | EC2, RDS, ElastiCache, Redshift | EC2, RDS |
| Storage Optimization | EBS, S3, Snapshots | Limited |
| Budget & Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Anomaly Detection | Yes | Yes |
| Governance & Policies | Basic | Advanced |
| Self-Serve Access | Yes (free scan) | No (sales-led) |
| Pricing | Free scan + affordable | Enterprise pricing ($$$) |
| Managed Service Option | Yes (SquareOps) | No |
When CloudHealth is the Better Choice
CloudHealth is a mature, enterprise-grade FinOps platform with strengths that SpendZero does not match today. If any of the following describe your organization, CloudHealth may be the better fit.
Dedicated FinOps Team
If your organization has a dedicated FinOps team that manages cloud spending across business units, CloudHealth's policy engine, custom perspectives, and executive reporting are built for that workflow. The platform is designed for FinOps practitioners, not individual engineers.
Multi-Cloud Governance
CloudHealth supports AWS, Azure, and GCP with unified governance across all three. If you operate across all three cloud providers and need a single pane of glass for cost governance, CloudHealth has a broader advantage. SpendZero supports AWS and GCP today, with Azure support coming soon.
Complex Chargeback/Showback
If you need to allocate costs across business units, departments, or teams with complex tagging rules and custom perspectives, CloudHealth's chargeback and showback capabilities are mature and well-proven at enterprise scale.
Policy-Driven Cost Management
CloudHealth's governance and policy engine is its core strength. If you need automated policy enforcement, compliance rules, and governance workflows across large cloud environments, CloudHealth has more advanced capabilities than SpendZero's current offering.
When SpendZero is the Better Choice
SpendZero is built for a different use case than CloudHealth. If any of the following describe your team, SpendZero is likely the better fit.
Engineering Teams Wanting Fast Results
SpendZero is designed for DevOps and platform engineers who want to find and fix cloud waste today, not next quarter. Connect your AWS account in 5 minutes, get a full waste report with 37+ checks, and start fixing issues with one-click actions. No weeks of onboarding or sales cycles.
AWS & GCP Infrastructure
If your cloud infrastructure runs on AWS and GCP, SpendZero provides deeper waste detection than CloudHealth with 37+ automated checks across 25+ cloud services — including EC2, RDS, EBS, ElastiCache, Redshift, Lambda, NAT Gateway, and more.
Need Actions, Not Just Reports
CloudHealth tells you what to optimize. SpendZero lets you do it. One-click actions let you terminate idle resources, rightsize instances, delete unattached volumes, and clean up orphaned snapshots directly from the dashboard. No copy-pasting resource IDs into the AWS console.
Free Scan Without a Sales Cycle
SpendZero offers a free cloud waste scan — no credit card, no demo call, no enterprise contract. See exactly what you are wasting across your AWS accounts before committing to anything. CloudHealth requires going through an enterprise sales process to even get started.
Want a Managed Service Option
SpendZero is backed by SquareOps managed services. If you want experts to handle the optimization for you — implementing recommendations, managing reserved instances, and continuously monitoring your spend — that option is built into the SpendZero ecosystem. CloudHealth is a self-service platform only.
Key Differences at a Glance
Here are the most important differences between SpendZero and CloudHealth that typically drive the decision.
Setup & Pricing
SpendZero takes 5 minutes with self-serve onboarding and a free scan — no sales cycle. CloudHealth requires hours/days of setup plus enterprise contracts with significant annual commitments.
SpendZero AdvantageActions vs Reports
SpendZero offers one-click actions to fix waste directly from the dashboard. CloudHealth provides reports, policies, and recommendations but does not execute changes for you.
SpendZero AdvantageRightsizing
SpendZero rightsizes EC2, RDS, ElastiCache, and Redshift. CloudHealth covers EC2 and RDS rightsizing. SpendZero is built for DevOps and platform engineers; CloudHealth targets FinOps teams and finance stakeholders.
SpendZero AdvantageMulti-Cloud
CloudHealth supports AWS, Azure, and GCP with years of multi-cloud maturity. SpendZero supports AWS and GCP today, with Azure coming soon. CloudHealth has the advantage for organizations that also need Azure coverage.
CloudHealth StrengthGovernance
CloudHealth has advanced governance, policy enforcement, and chargeback/showback features designed for enterprise FinOps workflows. SpendZero offers basic governance capabilities — this is CloudHealth's core strength.
CloudHealth StrengthManaged Service
SpendZero is backed by SquareOps managed FinOps services for hands-on optimization. CloudHealth is a self-service platform only — you implement everything yourself.
SpendZero AdvantageSee How SpendZero Compares to CloudHealth — On Your Own Infrastructure
Run a free scan and see what SpendZero finds in your cloud accounts. Compare it to what CloudHealth surfaces. No sales call required.
Start Free ScanSpendZero vs CloudHealth: The Bottom Line
CloudHealth and SpendZero are both valuable cloud cost optimization tools that serve different audiences. CloudHealth is an enterprise FinOps platform — it excels at governance, policy enforcement, chargeback/showback, and multi-cloud cost management across AWS, Azure, and GCP. It is built for organizations with dedicated FinOps teams.
SpendZero is an engineering-first tool — it is built for DevOps and platform teams that want to find and fix cloud waste fast. With 37+ automated checks, one-click remediation actions, and a 5-minute setup, SpendZero delivers results without enterprise overhead. It covers AWS and GCP today with deeper waste detection across 25+ services including storage, database, and network.
If you have a dedicated FinOps team and need complex governance workflows across three cloud providers, CloudHealth is the stronger choice. If you are an engineering team that wants actionable waste detection with fast time-to-value, SpendZero is the better fit.
Either way, you can start a free SpendZero scan in 5 minutes and compare the results to what CloudHealth surfaces — no commitment required.
