Cloud migration services move your applications, data, and infrastructure from on-premises servers or one cloud to another, such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. In 2026 a typical cloud migration costs $10,000 to $150,000 depending on scope and takes 6 weeks to 6 months. Most projects use one of the six migration strategies (the 6 Rs) to balance speed, cost, and long term value.
This guide covers what cloud migration services include, the 6 migration types, real costs, timelines, the process, on-premises to cloud migration, and how to choose a provider. The figures come from Codioo delivery data across production cloud migrations.
Cloud migration at a glance in 2026
- $10,000 to $150,000: typical cost of a cloud migration, by scope and number of applications.
- 6 weeks to 6 months: timeline from assessment to a fully migrated, optimized environment.
- 6 strategies (the 6 Rs): rehost, replatform, refactor, repurchase, retain, retire.
- 20 to 40 percent: common infrastructure and licensing cost reduction after a well planned migration.
What are cloud migration services?
Cloud migration services are the end to end work of planning and moving your systems to the cloud, then optimizing them to run well and cost less. A provider assesses your current setup, chooses the right strategy per application, moves data and workloads with minimal downtime, and tunes the new environment for cost, performance, and security. Services usually cover on-premises to cloud, cloud to cloud, and data center exit projects across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
What are the 6 types of cloud migration (the 6 Rs)?
There are six cloud migration strategies, known as the 6 Rs, and most migrations mix several. The right choice per application balances speed, cost, and how much long term value you want from the cloud.
| Strategy | What it means | Best for | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rehost (lift and shift) | Move as is to the cloud, no code changes | Fast migration, quick data center exit | Low |
| Replatform | Small optimizations during the move (managed DB, autoscaling) | Some cloud benefit without a rewrite | Medium |
| Refactor | Re architect the app to be cloud native | Long term scale, microservices, big savings | High |
| Repurchase | Move to a SaaS product instead of hosting | Legacy apps with a good SaaS replacement | Low |
| Retain | Keep on-premises for now | Apps not ready or not worth moving yet | None |
| Retire | Decommission apps you no longer need | Reducing scope and cost before migrating | Low |
How much do cloud migration services cost?
Cloud migration services cost $10,000 to $150,000 in 2026, driven by the number of applications, the strategy per app, and data volume. A simple lift and shift of a few workloads sits at the low end. A refactor to cloud native architecture with many applications sits at the top. On top of the project cost, plan for ongoing cloud hosting, which is usually lower than on-premises once optimized. The cost drivers are application count and complexity, data volume, downtime tolerance, and how much re architecting you choose.
| Migration type | Scope | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Rehost (lift and shift) | A few workloads moved as is | $10,000 to $40,000 |
| Replatform | Moderate apps with optimizations | $30,000 to $80,000 |
| Refactor to cloud native | Re architecture, many apps | $80,000 to $150,000 and up |
| On-premises to cloud (full) | Data center exit, mixed strategies | $40,000 to $150,000 |
For how cloud fits a wider software or AI budget, see our AI development cost guide.
How long does a cloud migration take?
A cloud migration takes 6 weeks to 6 months, depending on how many applications move and the strategy. A lift and shift of a few workloads can finish in 4 to 8 weeks. A full data center exit with re architecting runs 3 to 6 months. Most of the time goes into assessment, dependency mapping, and testing, not the data move itself. A phased migration, one workload at a time, is the safest way to keep downtime near zero.
What is the cloud migration process?
The cloud migration process has five stages: assess, plan, pilot, migrate, and optimize.
- Assess: inventory your applications, dependencies, and data, then pick a strategy per app.
- Plan: design the target cloud architecture, security, and a phased migration order.
- Pilot: migrate one low risk workload first to validate the approach.
- Migrate: move workloads in phases with data sync and rollback plans to keep downtime low.
- Optimize: right size resources, cut waste, and tune for cost, performance, and security.
How does on-premises to cloud migration work?
On-premises to cloud migration moves workloads from your own servers to a cloud provider, usually AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. It starts with an assessment of what you run today, then a strategy per application, then a phased move with data replication so the old and new systems stay in sync until cutover. The goal is a clean data center exit with minimal downtime and a cloud environment that costs less and scales on demand. This is the most common migration type and the one with the fastest payback for teams stuck on aging hardware.
What are the benefits of cloud migration?
Cloud migration lowers infrastructure and licensing cost, scales on demand, and improves reliability and security. Teams typically cut infrastructure and licensing spend by 20 to 40 percent after optimization, stop paying for idle capacity, and gain managed backups, autoscaling, and stronger security controls. The cloud also speeds up new projects, since teams can spin up resources in minutes instead of buying hardware.
How to choose a cloud migration company
Choose a cloud migration company on certified expertise and proven delivery. Use this checklist.
- Cloud certifications: AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud certified engineers.
- Migration track record: real data center exits and workloads moved, with references.
- Assessment first: they map dependencies and pick a strategy per app, not one size fits all.
- Zero downtime approach: phased migration with data sync and rollback plans.
- Cost optimization: they tune the environment after the move, not just lift and shift.
- Clear pricing: a fixed scope and quote, not open ended hours.
"The biggest cloud migration mistake is a straight lift and shift with no optimization afterward. Teams move to the cloud, keep the same oversized servers, and end up paying more. Assess first, migrate in phases, then right size, that is where the savings come from."
Codioo Engineering Team
Frequently asked questions
How much do cloud migration services cost?
$10,000 to $150,000 in 2026, depending on the number of applications and the strategy, from a simple lift and shift to a full refactor to cloud native.
How long does a cloud migration take?
6 weeks to 6 months. A lift and shift of a few workloads takes 4 to 8 weeks; a full data center exit with re architecting takes 3 to 6 months.
What are the 6 Rs of cloud migration?
Rehost, replatform, refactor, repurchase, retain, and retire. Each app gets the strategy that best balances speed, cost, and long term value.
How do you migrate from on-premises to the cloud without downtime?
Move in phases with data replication so old and new systems stay in sync until cutover, and keep a rollback plan for each workload.
Which cloud is best for migration: AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud?
All three are strong. The best fit depends on your existing stack, licensing, and team skills. A good provider recommends based on your workloads, not a single vendor.
How much can cloud migration save?
Teams commonly cut infrastructure and licensing costs by 20 to 40 percent after a well planned migration and optimization, plus they stop paying for idle capacity.
Updated July 2026. Cloud pricing and tooling change quickly, so treat these figures as current 2026 benchmarks.
Codioo delivers cloud migration and DevOps services across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, from on-premises to cloud moves to cloud native refactoring, with a phased, zero downtime approach. See our cloud and DevOps services or book a free migration assessment.