A startup chooses Azure to avoid buying servers and to scale as users grow. Which cloud characteristic describes this?

The consumption-based model (also known as pay-as-you-go) is correct because it directly addresses the startup's desire to avoid upfront server purchases and pay only for the resources they use. This model aligns with their need to scale as user growth dictates, without large initial investments. Elasticity is incorrect because while Azure offers elasticity (the ability to automatically scale resources up or down), it describes a capability within the cloud, not the fundamental financial model of paying for what you use. Geo-redundancy is incorrect as it refers to distributing data across multiple geographical locations for disaster recovery, which is a feature of cloud services, not the core financial characteristic described. Capital expenditure is incorrect because it represents the opposite of what the startup wants; it refers to large, upfront investments in physical assets, which the cloud model helps avoid.