BYOIP (Bring Your Own IP) — Complete Guide to Using Your Own IPs in the Cloud Your Own IPs in the Cloud
Stop paying $3.60/IP/month for cloud-assigned IPv4 addresses. Bring your own IP blocks to AWS, Azure, GCP, or OVHcloud and save up to 86% while keeping full control over your IP reputation and vendor independence.
What is BYOIP (Bring Your Own IP)?
BYOIP (Bring Your Own IP) is a cloud networking feature that allows organizations to import their own public IPv4 or IPv6 address ranges into cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP. Instead of using IP addresses assigned by your cloud provider, you advertise your own registered IP prefixes through the provider's autonomous system — giving you the ability to use familiar, reputation-established addresses across any cloud environment. This capability is particularly valuable for organizations migrating from on-premises infrastructure, managing IP-dependent allowlists, or looking to dramatically reduce the cost of public IPv4 addresses in the cloud.
How BYOIP Works
BYOIP leverages the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to re-advertise your IP prefixes through a cloud provider's autonomous system number (ASN). First, you prove ownership of your IP block through your Regional Internet Registry (RIR) — such as ARIN, RIPE NCC, or APNIC. Next, you create a Route Origin Authorization (ROA) that explicitly permits the cloud provider's ASN to announce your prefix. The provider then validates your authorization, provisions the address range in their network, and begins advertising the route via BGP. Traffic destined for your IPs is routed into the provider's network, where you can assign them to instances, load balancers, and other resources just like native cloud IPs.
BYOIP vs Cloud-Assigned IP Addresses
| Aspect | Cloud IP | BYOIP |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Provider-owned — released when service ends | You own the IPs — portable across any provider |
| Monthly Cost (/24) | $921.60/month ($3.60/IP × 256) | $128–$256/month (leased IPs amortized) |
| Vendor Lock-in | High — IP changes if you switch providers | None — same IPs work across all clouds |
| IP Reputation | Shared pool — unknown history, potential blacklists | Your own reputation — fully controlled history |
| Migration Flexibility | IPs change on migration — DNS/firewall updates needed | Seamless migration — IPs stay the same |
| Control | Limited — provider manages allocation and routing | Full control — you decide routing, allocation, and policy |
Why Use BYOIP?
BYOIP unlocks significant cost, operational, and strategic advantages for cloud infrastructure.
Cost Savings of 75–86%
Since February 2024, AWS charges $0.005 per public IPv4 address per hour ($3.60/month). Azure and GCP have followed with similar pricing. By bringing your own leased or owned IPs, you eliminate this recurring charge entirely — saving up to 86% compared to native cloud IPv4 costs. For a /22 block (1,024 IPs), that's over $44,000 saved annually.
IP Reputation Continuity
Cloud-assigned IPs come from shared pools with unknown histories. Previous tenants may have used them for spam, causing deliverability issues or blocklist entries. With BYOIP, you maintain the same IP addresses across providers, preserving your established reputation for email delivery, API allowlists, and security trust relationships.
Vendor Independence
When your services are tied to provider-assigned IPs, switching clouds means updating every DNS record, firewall rule, and client allowlist. BYOIP eliminates vendor lock-in — you can move between AWS, Azure, GCP, or any BYOIP-supporting provider without changing a single IP address, giving you true multi-cloud freedom.
Seamless Migration
Migrating from on-premises to cloud, or between cloud providers, typically requires IP address changes that disrupt services. BYOIP enables zero-downtime migration by keeping your existing IPs. Clients, partners, and systems that rely on IP-based access continue working without reconfiguration.
Compliance & Data Sovereignty
Certain industries and regulations require organizations to maintain control over their IP address space. BYOIP ensures you retain ownership and governance of your network identity, satisfying compliance requirements for financial services, healthcare, government, and other regulated sectors.
Geographic Flexibility
With BYOIP, you can advertise your IP blocks in any supported region of your chosen cloud provider. This enables geographic load balancing, disaster recovery across regions, and the ability to serve traffic closer to your users — all with consistent IP addresses that simplify global network management.
BYOIP Provider Comparison
Compare how major cloud providers support BYOIP — including minimum prefix sizes, setup processes, costs, and potential savings.
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AWS was the first major cloud to introduce BYOIP and offers the most mature implementation. It supports both IPv4 and IPv6, allows advertising in all commercial regions, and integrates natively with VPC, EC2, ELB, and other AWS services. Authorization is handled via an X.509 certificate added to your RIR RDAP record.
Microsoft Azure
Azure supports BYOIP through its Custom IP Prefix resource. The process involves creating a signed authorization message and validating ownership through your RIR. Once provisioned, your IPs can be used with Azure Virtual Machines, Load Balancers, and other networking resources. Azure supports both global and regional deployment of BYOIP prefixes.
Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
GCP supports BYOIP through its Public Advertised Prefix feature. Google verifies IP ownership through your Regional Internet Registry records and requires a Route Origin Authorization (ROA) targeting their ASN. GCP's BYOIP integrates with Compute Engine, Cloud Load Balancing, and Cloud NAT, with support across all GCP regions.
OVHcloud
OVHcloud supports BYOIP through a Letter of Authorization (LOA) and ROA-based process. While the setup takes longer than hyperscalers, OVHcloud offers competitive pricing and is a strong option for European organizations seeking data sovereignty. BYOIP blocks can be used across OVHcloud Bare Metal, Public Cloud, and Hosted Private Cloud services.
| Feature | AWS | Azure | GCP | OVHcloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min Prefix | /24 | /24 | /24 | /24 |
| Target ASN | AS16509 | AS8075 | AS396982 | AS16276 |
| ROA Required | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Authorization Method | X.509 Certificate | Signed Message | RIR Verification | LOA + ROA |
| Setup Time | ~24 hours | ~48 hours | ~24 hours | ~72 hours |
| Native IPv4 Cost | $3.60/IP/mo | $3.60/IP/mo | $2.88/IP/mo | €2–4/IP/mo |
| Leased IP Support | Yes (with RIR records) | Yes (with RIR records) | Yes (with RIR records) | Yes (with LOA) |
| Multi-Region | All commercial regions | All regions | All regions | EU / NA / APAC |
| IPv6 BYOIP | Yes (/48) | Yes (/48) | Yes (/48) | Yes (/48) |
BYOIP Cost Analysis
See how much you can save by bringing your own IPs to the cloud.
Starting February 1, 2024, AWS introduced a charge of $0.005 per public IPv4 address per hour — equivalent to $3.60 per IP per month or $43.20 per year. Azure and GCP have implemented similar pricing tiers. This new cost structure makes cloud-assigned IPv4 addresses significantly expensive at scale. For organizations using hundreds or thousands of public IPs, the annual bill can reach tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. BYOIP eliminates this charge entirely: you only pay the cost of leasing or owning your IP block, which typically ranges from $0.50 to $1.00 per IP per month — an 75–86% reduction in IPv4 costs.
/24 Block (256 IPs)
/22 Block (1,024 IPs)
/20 Block (4,096 IPs)
BYOIP Requirements
What you need before you can bring your own IPs to a cloud provider.
Minimum Prefix Size (/24)
All major cloud providers require a minimum prefix size of /24 (256 IP addresses) for BYOIP. This is the smallest block that can be announced via BGP on the public internet without being filtered by most networks. Smaller blocks like /25 or /28 are not supported for BYOIP and cannot be advertised globally.
RIR Registration
Your IP address block must be registered with a Regional Internet Registry (RIR) such as ARIN, RIPE NCC, APNIC, LACNIC, or AFRINIC. The registration records must clearly reflect your organization as the rightful holder. If you're leasing IPs, the registration must include appropriate authorization for your use of the block.
Route Origin Authorization (ROA)
A ROA is a cryptographic statement published in the RPKI (Resource Public Key Infrastructure) that authorizes a specific ASN to originate your IP prefix. You must create a ROA targeting your chosen cloud provider's ASN (e.g., AS16509 for AWS). The ROA should specify the exact prefix length and have a validity period covering your intended usage timeframe.
Provider-Specific Authorization
Each cloud provider has its own authorization mechanism beyond the ROA. AWS requires an X.509 certificate added to your RIR RDAP record. Azure uses a signed authorization message. GCP verifies through RIR records directly. OVHcloud requires a Letter of Authorization (LOA). These steps prove to the provider that you consent to your prefix being advertised through their network.
How to Set Up BYOIP
A step-by-step overview of the BYOIP onboarding process.
Obtain IPv4 Address Space
Acquire a /24 or larger IPv4 block through purchase or lease from a reputable IPv4 broker like IPv4Center. Ensure the block is properly registered with a Regional Internet Registry (RIR) and has clean reputation history with no blocklist entries.
Create Route Origin Authorization (ROA)
Log in to your RIR's portal and create a ROA for your IP prefix. The ROA must authorize the target cloud provider's ASN (e.g., AS16509 for AWS, AS8075 for Azure). Set the maximum prefix length to match your block size and allow sufficient validity period.
Complete Provider Authorization
Follow your chosen provider's specific authorization process. For AWS, generate and upload an X.509 certificate to your RIR RDAP record. For Azure, create a signed message. For GCP, update your RIR records. For OVHcloud, submit a Letter of Authorization alongside your ROA.
Provision & Advertise the Prefix
Use the provider's console or CLI to import your IP prefix and begin BGP advertisement. AWS uses the EC2 BYOIP API, Azure uses Custom IP Prefix resources, and GCP uses Public Advertised Prefixes. The provider validates your ROA and authorization before starting to advertise your route.
Assign & Use Your IPs
Once the prefix is advertised and fully propagated (typically 15–30 minutes after provisioning), allocate individual IPs from your block to cloud resources — EC2 instances, load balancers, NAT gateways, or any service that supports public IP assignment. Your IPs now function identically to native cloud IPs.
BYOIP Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about bringing your own IPs to the cloud.
What exactly is BYOIP (Bring Your Own IP)?
What is the minimum prefix size required for BYOIP?
Can I use leased IPv4 addresses for BYOIP?
How much can I save with BYOIP compared to cloud-assigned IPs?
Can I use the same BYOIP block across multiple cloud providers?
How long does it take to set up BYOIP?
Is there any downtime during BYOIP migration?
Do I need to own the IPv4 addresses, or can I lease them for BYOIP?
Ready to Start with BYOIP?
IPv4Center helps you source clean, RIR-registered IPv4 blocks and guides you through the BYOIP onboarding process for AWS, Azure, GCP, and OVHcloud. Get expert support from IP acquisition to cloud provisioning.