[Actual Survey of 32 Companies] Top 3 Conditions for Choosing Cloud Cost Reduction Resellers: "Reduction Rate, Minimum Fee, Credit Check"

LEI,inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo), which provides the cloud cost reduction service "CloudCut," conducted a survey on what companies "valued" when selecting a cloud cost reduction reseller. Among the 32 companies that responded, "cost reduction rate" was the most frequent answer, followed by "minimum usage fee" and "credit check." This is actual data in the absence of official selection criteria for resellers. (This survey is based on responses from companies that inquired with us. The nature of the sample is described in the survey overview below.)

Top 3 Selection Conditions Revealed by 32 Companies

What is a "Cloud Reseller (Billing Agent)" in the first place?

Cloud service contracts are often made not only directly with manufacturers but also through partners and resellers (billing agents). Resellers consolidate the contract touchpoints for multiple companies, enabling them to secure volume discounts that would be difficult to obtain individually, and then pass on a portion of these savings to customers.

From the user's perspective, the cloud environment and configuration remain the same, with only the contract and billing contact point changing. This option, which allows for cost reduction without much effort, has been gaining attention in recent years.

The "Cloud Server Business," a Giant Market the World is Watching

Cloud computing is a core and strategic business area for Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. AWS, in particular, is a pillar supporting Amazon's operating profit, and each company continues to invest heavily.

Furthermore, players like NVIDIA (DGX Cloud) and xAI/X (Colossus), led by Elon Musk, are entering the large-scale cloud/computing infrastructure market, attracting attention and driving market expansion. The global public cloud market is dominated by AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, which together hold approximately 70% of the global market share (by vendor) (according to Canalys).

The "entry point" to this massive market is the choice of which reseller to entrust with contracts and billing. This is where each company's decision-making criteria come into play.

The Domestic Cloud Market and Cloud Resellers

In Japan, AWS holds the largest share of cloud usage, followed by Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. On the other hand, the number of resellers handling billing for these clouds is limited to about a dozen major players, most of whom are large or publicly traded companies.

For reference, the highest tier of AWS partner certification, Premier Tier (Consulting Partner), consists of only about 15 companies nationwide (according to AWS public materials and their Japan investment plan for 2023-2027). This indicates that the top-tier providers are limited to a dozen or so companies, with a concentration among large corporations.

As a result, the use of resellers tends to be concentrated among large and publicly traded companies, creating a "blank space" with limited options for small and medium-sized enterprises and startups.

The "Hidden Risk" of Resellers: Advance Payment Cash Flow

Many resellers operate on a "reimbursement business" model where they first pay the cloud usage fees incurred by customers and then collect the full amount from customers via a consolidated invoice at the end of the following month.

Because they bear the usage fees upfront, resellers must carefully conduct credit checks on their customers. This is also why "credit checks" are mentioned as a selection criterion, as discussed later.

[Main Topic] The "Top 3 Selection Conditions" Valued by the 32 Responding Companies

We asked 32 companies that inquired with us in June 2026 and provided responses about what they valued when selecting a reseller. The survey results showed the following three conditions were mentioned most frequently. We have organized these as "frequently mentioned conditions" rather than providing precise rankings or percentages.

Based on responses from 32 companies that inquired with us (our survey, n=32)

1. Cost Reduction Rate The most frequently mentioned condition was the reduction rate, i.e., how much costs can be lowered. CloudCut achieves a reduction of up to 20% without changing the environment or configuration (※).

2. Minimum Usage Fee Some resellers have a high minimum monthly usage fee, making them inaccessible to companies below a certain scale. CloudCut supports usage starting from ¥300,000 per month, making it accessible to companies in the hundreds of thousands of yen range.

3. Creditworthiness Given the advance payment business model, creditworthiness is unavoidable. CloudCut conducts assessments based on global standards. As these standards differ from those of domestic resellers, they may be able to accommodate certain cases.

※ "Up to 20% reduction" refers to the maximum reduction rate achieved in past implementation cases by the provider of CloudCut. Actual reduction rates vary depending on usage scale, contract period, and current service configuration.

"Other Unspoken Opinions" Revealed in the Survey and Clarification of Premises

Beyond the top three conditions, several other unspoken opinions emerged from the responses.

One was regarding support. Many responses indicated that "minimum support is sufficient." CloudCut specializes in billing agency services while also offering Japanese language contract and billing support at no additional charge. While some resellers may charge extra for support, providing a Japanese-language contact point as standard enhances usability.

Another point concerned sales interactions. Some companies cited experiences of "unnecessary proposals or excessive sales pitches." CloudCut specializes in billing agency services and has a policy of not making additional proposals or engaging in upselling. They provide only the necessary cost reduction simply.

It should be noted that this survey reflects the needs of the 32 companies that inquired with us. In the broader market, there are also companies that prioritize operational support and extensive technical assistance. The results of this survey should be understood as reflecting the tendencies of those whose primary objective is cost reduction.

Value Proposition of Cloud Cost Reduction Service "CloudCut"

Cloud Cost Reduction Service "CloudCut"

CloudCut is a service that reduces costs by optimizing the "commercial flow" of cloud contracts and billing, without altering the environment or configuration.

▶︎ Zero Configuration Changes, No Downtime — Your current cloud environment and configuration remain unchanged. Implementation is possible simply by switching the contract and billing contact point (※ Depending on the migration method, this may not always apply).

▶︎ Up to 20% Reduction (Combination of Multiple Mechanisms) — We compress costs without strain by combining multiple mechanisms such as volume discounts.

▶︎ Japanese Yen and Invoice Payment Available — You can use the service with payments in Japanese Yen and via invoice, without worrying about exchange rates or overseas remittance procedures.

▶︎ No Minimum Contract Period, Zero Initial Costs — Start without long-term commitments or initial fees.

▼CloudCut Service Site https://cloudcut.lei-inc.jp/

Survey Overview - Survey Name: Actual Survey on Selection Criteria for Cloud Cost Reduction Resellers - Survey Period: June 2026 - Survey Target: 32 companies that inquired with us in June 2026 and provided responses (our survey, n=32) - Survey Method: Aggregation of responses from inquiries and interviews - Survey Organizer: LEI,inc. CloudCut Division

※ The sample population for this survey consists of companies that inquired with us. In the overall market, there are also companies that prioritize operational support and extensive technical assistance.

Future Developments

We will continue to grasp the actual needs of companies seeking cloud cost reductions and expand our support through CloudCut so that more companies, including SMEs and startups, can have cost reduction options. We believe this will serve as a foundation for providing companies with decision-making material they can trust when selecting resellers, in the absence of official criteria.

About LEI,inc.

Company Name: LEI,inc.

Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Business Description: Provision of cloud cost reduction service "CloudCut"

URL: https://lei-inc.jp/

Inquiries Regarding This Matter

LEI,inc. CloudCut Division Inquiry Form: https://cloudcut.lei-inc.jp/contact Email: [email protected]