In a public cloud computing environment, you can instantly create as many servers and then remove as many servers as you want. You just aren't so sure whether each of those servers are really going to do everything you need. Public cloud are owned and operated by third-party service providers. It is a pay-per-use computing platform that allows instant available infrastructure within minutes.

The pros are that you pay only for what you use (metered), and you can spin up and own your virtual machines with a click of a button. Initial CAPEX is lower (in the beginning).

The benefit is how cloud's automated platform allows for immediate scalability and security in a reliable and high-performance environment. The cloud allows you to build how you want but it is also important to note that all customers on public clouds share the same infrastructure pool with limited configurations, security protections and availability variances, as these factors are wholly managed and supported by the service provider.

The downsides are the sharing of resources with multiple companies, which can also bring with it, inherent risks. It's also important to fully understand what type of applications you plan to serve into a Public Cloud. Depending on bandwidth, you can also see very large spikes in your overall monthly bill due to your traffic. This cost can exceed a similar setup vs a Private Cloud