The quick answer
Choose Georgia if you want mountains, walking, wine and an old town you can spend three evenings in. Choose Azerbaijan if you want a polished modern city with a sea front, easy half day trips and a shorter flight from the UAE. Families with young children often find Baku simpler. Couples who want scenery usually prefer Tbilisi and Kazbegi.
Food, and whether it matters to you
Both are good, but Georgian food is the stronger reason to travel. Khachapuri, khinkali and a long supra table with toasts is a cultural experience, not just a meal. Azerbaijani food is closer to Turkish and Persian, with excellent plov and kebabs, and halal is easier to find without asking. Georgia has more pork on menus, so Muslim travellers should check restaurants in advance.
Getting around
Azerbaijan is easier without a driver: Baku is walkable and the day trips to Gabala, Quba and the fire temples are straightforward. Georgia rewards a hired car or a driver, because the road to Kazbegi and the Kakheti wine country is where the country opens up. Mountain roads are seasonal, so check conditions if you are travelling outside summer.
Cost and season
Both are good value against Europe, with Georgia usually cheaper for food and stays. July and August are humid in Baku, which is when locals head to the mountains, and pleasantly warm in the Georgian highlands. If your dates are flexible, late September gives the grape harvest in Georgia and clear, mild weather in both countries.
