Cloud computing vs on-prem: which is better for security and cost?

Cloud computing cuts upfront costs, enables rapid scaling, provides managed security, and supports frequent updates, but costs can rise at scale and shared resources add risks if not managed well. On-premises systems offer complete control and isolation - for strict security or compliance - but require a larger upfront spend and constant maintenance. For most organisations, the cloud delivers faster, more reliable upgrades; on-premises is suitable for high-security, critical compliance, or long-term workloads that rarely change.