Microsoft Majorana 1 vs QuEra Aquila Specs, Pricing & Performance [2026]
Quick Verdict
Microsoft Majorana 1 uses Topological while QuEra Aquila uses Neutral Atom technology. QuEra Aquila offers more physical qubits (256 qubits).
Specification Comparison
| Metric | Microsoft Majorana 1 | QuEra Aquila |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Qubits | 8 | 256 ✓ |
| Technology | Topological | Neutral Atom |
| 2Q Gate Fidelity | — | 99.50% ✓ |
| 1Q Gate Fidelity | — | — |
| Readout Fidelity | — | 99.00% ✓ |
| Quantum Volume | — | — |
| CLOPS | — | 10 ✓ |
| T1 (Relaxation) | — | 5 ms ✓ |
| T2 (Dephasing) | — | 1.5 ms ✓ |
| 1Q Gate Time | — | — |
| 2Q Gate Time | — | 500 µs ✓ |
| Connectivity | Linear (deg 2) | Custom |
| Max Circuit Depth | — | 100 ✓ |
| Max Shots | — | 1,000 ✓ |
| Dynamic Circuits | No | No |
| Error Mitigation | No | No |
| Cloud Platforms | 0 platforms | 2 platforms |
Green bold values with a checkmark indicate the better result for each metric.
Pricing Comparison
Example: 10-qubit, 50-depth circuit, 1,000 shots — estimated cost on cheapest platform: Microsoft Majorana 1: N/A vs QuEra Aquila: $10.30
Topological Microsoft Majorana 1
Neutral Atom QuEra Aquila
| Platform | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Best Amazon Braket | $0.0100/shot | Available |
| qBraid | $0.0100/shot | Available |
Topological vs Neutral Atom: Technology Tradeoffs
- Advantage
- Topological protection could dramatically reduce the error rate per physical qubit, potentially enabling fault-tolerant quantum computing with far fewer physical qubits than other approaches.
- Challenge
- The technology is still in early experimental stages. Majorana zero modes have only recently been demonstrated in simplified devices. Implementing two-qubit gates between topological qubits and scaling the architecture remain unsolved engineering challenges.
- Gate Speed
- Not yet characterized at scale
- Fidelity
- Not yet characterized at scale
- Advantage
- Large qubit counts (100–10,000+ atoms in reconfigurable arrays), programmable connectivity via atom repositioning, and operation at room temperature (atoms laser-cooled to µK). Naturally suited to analog quantum simulation.
- Challenge
- Gate fidelities are lower than trapped-ion systems, coherence times are shorter, and mid-circuit measurement and classical feedback are still maturing. Rydberg blockade errors limit 2-qubit gate fidelity.
- Gate Speed
- 0.1 µs – 1 ms per gate
- Fidelity
- 98–99.5% for 2-qubit gates
Use Case Recommendations
More qubits (256 qubits) allows encoding larger problem instances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Microsoft Majorana 1 and QuEra Aquila?
Microsoft Majorana 1 uses Topological while QuEra Aquila uses Neutral Atom technology. QuEra Aquila offers more physical qubits (256 qubits). These QPUs use fundamentally different qubit technologies: Topological vs Neutral Atom.
Which is better for quantum chemistry, Microsoft Majorana 1 or QuEra Aquila?
For quantum chemistry, gate fidelity is the most critical metric. Compare the 2Q gate fidelity figures in the spec table above to determine which QPU is better suited for your chemistry workload.
How do the prices compare between Microsoft Majorana 1 and QuEra Aquila?
Microsoft Majorana 1 is available from no public cloud access. QuEra Aquila is available from $0.0100/shot on Amazon Braket. Note that pricing models differ — per-shot pricing is directly comparable while AQT and HQC models depend on circuit structure.
Which QPU has better connectivity, Microsoft Majorana 1 or QuEra Aquila?
Microsoft Majorana 1 uses Linear connectivity (degree 2) while QuEra Aquila uses Custom connectivity (degree N/A).
What are the coherence times for Microsoft Majorana 1 vs QuEra Aquila?
QuEra Aquila: T1=5 ms, T2=1.5 ms.
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