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Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Cloud Infrastructure / IaaS

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★★★★☆ 4.5 / 5 on G2 · 4.5 on Capterra (2,500+ G2 reviews)
4.5 / 5
G2 rating [source]
2006
Launched [source]
200+
Services [source]
Free tier
+ pay as you go [source]

Quick facts

CategoryCloud infrastructure (IaaS)
VendorAmazon
Launched2006
Starts atPay as you go; free tier
Best forBroadest, most mature cloud
DeploymentGlobal cloud, 30+ regions
Free planFree tier
IntegrationsVast ecosystem and marketplace
G2 rating4.5 / 5
Capterra rating4.5 / 5

What is AWS?

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the largest and most mature cloud platform, with the broadest range of services, global reach and ecosystem. Launched in 2006 as the pioneer of modern cloud, AWS offers more than 200 services spanning compute (EC2), storage (S3), databases, networking, containers and Kubernetes, serverless (Lambda), analytics, machine learning and AI, and much more, across a global footprint of regions and availability zones. The market leading cloud, used by startups through the largest enterprises and governments, AWS has the deepest service catalogue, biggest ecosystem and most mature platform, making it the default IaaS choice for most organisations. For the broadest, most mature cloud, AWS is the benchmark.

AWS's distinction is being the market leader with the broadest, deepest and most mature cloud. It has more services, regions, features and partners than any rival, so almost any workload can run on AWS, and its vast ecosystem, documentation and talent pool reduce risk. That breadth, maturity and ecosystem leadership make it the safe default, though breadth brings complexity and cost that need managing.

AWS at a glanceAWS is the largest and most mature cloud platform with 200+ services [AWS]. It holds about a 4.5 out of 5 rating on G2 and 4.5 on Capterra, the market leading IaaS.

Who AWS is best for

AWS is best for organisations of all sizes, from startups to the largest enterprises, that want the broadest, most mature cloud with the deepest services, global reach and biggest ecosystem, and have or can build the expertise to use it. It suits almost any workload. It is a weaker fit for teams wanting the simplest, cheapest cloud, where DigitalOcean, Vultr or Hetzner fit, Microsoft centric shops preferring Azure, or those wanting the lowest egress, where Oracle fits.

Key features

The core strengths are 200 plus services including compute (EC2), storage (S3), databases (RDS, DynamoDB, Aurora), networking, containers and Kubernetes (EKS), serverless (Lambda), analytics and AI, across a global footprint. AWS offers the largest marketplace and partner ecosystem, strong security and compliance, and deep tooling. Its breadth, maturity, global reach and ecosystem are its defining advantages.

AWS pricing

AWS is pay as you go, billed by usage across many dimensions, compute by the second or hour, storage per GB, data transfer (egress) per GB, plus a free tier for new customers and many services. Savings Plans and Reserved Instances offer discounts for commitment. Pricing is powerful but complex, and egress and sprawl can be costly, so use cost tools and budgets. Confirm current figures on the AWS pricing page.

Integrations and ecosystem

AWS has the largest cloud ecosystem, with a vast marketplace, partner network, and integrations with virtually every tool, framework and service, plus deep tooling, SDKs and infrastructure as code. Its unmatched ecosystem, which means nearly every tool, vendor and professional works with AWS, is a signature strength and a key reason it leads and lowers adoption risk.

AWS and breadth

Breadth and maturity are the signature strength: with 200 plus services and the most regions, features and partners, AWS can run almost any workload and offers mature, proven building blocks for anything from simple hosting to advanced AI, which no rival fully matches. For organisations that want one cloud that can do everything, this breadth and maturity are the main reason to choose AWS.

Ease of use and support

AWS is powerful and comprehensive, with strong reliability, documentation and a huge talent pool, though its breadth makes it complex and cost management is a real discipline, so it rewards teams with cloud expertise. Its G2 reviews praise breadth, reliability and ecosystem, with complexity and cost management the main considerations.

Is AWS worth it?

For organisations that want the broadest, most mature cloud with the deepest services, global reach and biggest ecosystem, AWS is the benchmark choice for most workloads. The main caution is complexity and cost management, so teams wanting the simplest, cheapest cloud may prefer DigitalOcean or Vultr, Microsoft shops Azure, and the lowest egress Oracle, but for broad, mature cloud infrastructure AWS leads.

Pricing

Free tier

$0
12 months + always free
  • EC2, S3 allowances
  • Many services
  • New customers

Pay as you go

Usage
per second / GB
  • Compute, storage, egress
  • 200+ services
  • Scale on demand

Savings Plans / Reserved

Discounted
commitment
  • 1 or 3 year commit
  • Lower rates
  • Predictable cost

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Broadest, deepest cloud (200+ services)
  • Most mature and reliable
  • Largest ecosystem and talent pool
  • Global reach
  • Proven for any workload

Cons

  • Complex to learn and manage
  • Costs and egress can escalate
  • Requires cloud expertise
  • Pricing has many dimensions

Amazon Web Services (AWS) alternatives

These cloud infrastructure / iaas tools come up most often against Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Microsoft Azure

Enterprise cloud with deep Microsoft ecosystem integration

Google Cloud Platform

Compute, storage, and data/AI cloud infrastructure

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)

High-performance IaaS strong for enterprise databases

Amazon Web Services (AWS) FAQ

What is AWS used for?
AWS is used to run almost any computing workload in the cloud: virtual servers (EC2), storage (S3), databases, networking, containers and Kubernetes, serverless, analytics, machine learning and AI, and more than 200 services, for everything from websites to enterprise systems and AI.
How much does AWS cost?
AWS is pay as you go by usage, billing compute by the second or hour, storage per GB, and data transfer per GB, with a free tier for new customers and discounts via Savings Plans and Reserved Instances. See the AWS pricing page.
Is AWS the biggest cloud provider?
Yes. AWS is the market leading cloud provider, the pioneer of modern cloud with the broadest service catalogue, most regions and biggest ecosystem, used by organisations from startups to the largest enterprises and governments worldwide.
AWS vs Azure, which is better?
AWS has the broadest, most mature services and biggest ecosystem, while Azure suits Microsoft centric enterprises with deep Microsoft integration. AWS suits breadth and maturity; Azure suits organisations invested in Microsoft.
Is AWS hard to use?
AWS is powerful but complex, with a vast service catalogue and many pricing dimensions, so it rewards teams with cloud expertise and disciplined cost management, which is why simpler developer clouds like DigitalOcean appeal to some smaller teams.
Does AWS have a free tier?
Yes. AWS offers a free tier for new customers, including 12 month allowances on services like EC2 and S3 and some always free services, letting teams try and run small workloads at no cost before paying as they go.

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