Azure Container Instances (ACI)

Microsoft is offering "managed containers" that are simple to use, and could be also managed by Kubernetes and used in many other combinations. This is half-way between VMs and cloud functions, could be quite useful.
Azure Container Instances | Microsoft Azure
"Easily run containers on Azure without managing servers"

This may be the simplest to use  application of ACI:
Azure Linux Web Apps (PaaS) are deployed as managed containers,
and have all integration and auto-scaling and load balancing.
App Service - Web App for Containers | Microsoft Azure

Very informative podcast interview with Microsoft insider:
Container Instances with Gabe Monroy | Software Engineering Daily

Pricing Overview - How Azure pricing works | Microsoft Azure
App Service: from $0.013/h, VM: from $0.011/h.
So managing instances (VMs or containers in VM) including load balancing is $0.002/h
that is 18% difference, from $1.44/month.

Heroku, a part of SalesForce, was always selling only containers
but prices on Azure ware better last time I compared.
Cloud Application Platform | Heroku