Software · head to head
Amazon Aurora vs Amazon RDS
Amazon Aurora
Software
MySQL and PostgreSQL-compatible relational database built for the cloud
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Amazon RDS
Software
Set up, operate, and scale a relational database in the cloud
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Amazon Aurora has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Amazon Aurora aurora requires AWS ecosystem knowledge and integration with other AWS services; Amazon RDS no super-user access or direct host connectivity limits advanced customization
- They diverge on capability: Amazon Aurora covers MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible, Amazon RDS covers Multiple DB Engines.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Amazon Aurora and Amazon RDS actually diverge.
| Attribute | Amazon Aurora | Amazon RDS |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | usage-based | Unknown |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | AWS Cloud | AWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-region |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2006).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Amazon Aurora
- MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible
- 5x MySQL Performance
- Auto-scaling Storage
- Global Database
- Serverless v2
- Multi-master
- Fault Tolerant
- AWS Lambda
Only in Amazon RDS
- Multiple DB Engines
- Automated Backups
- Multi-AZ Deployment
- Read Replicas
- Encryption
- Performance Insights
- Automatic Scaling
- MySQL
Both cover
- Web support
- Aws support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Amazon Aurora
- Transaction processing
- Data storage
- Application backend
- Reporting
- Data analytics
Amazon RDS
- Transaction processing
- Data storage
- Application backend
- Reporting
- Data analytics
Both are used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting, data analytics, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Amazon Aurora
- Aurora requires AWS ecosystem knowledge and integration with other AWS services
- Pricing can become expensive with high-traffic applications using many read replicas
- Limited support for non-relational data types compared to NoSQL alternatives
Amazon RDS
- No super-user access or direct host connectivity limits advanced customization
- Pricing unpredictable and expensive compared to GCP alternatives with equivalent features
- Limited access to system procedures and tables requiring advanced permissions
- No Oracle RAC (Real Application Clusters) support for high-availability Oracle deployments
Pricing, plan by plan
Amazon Aurora
Free- Serverless v2$0.12/hour
- Auto-scaling
- Pay per ACU
- Instant scaling
- Provisioned$29/month
- Dedicated instances
- Predictable performance
- Reserved capacity
Amazon RDS
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Amazon RDS review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Amazon Aurora if
- You need mysql/postgresql compatible.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS Cloud.
- You also want 5x mysql performance.
Choose Amazon RDS if
- You need multiple db engines.
- You work on AWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-region.
- You also want automated backups.
Questions people ask
- Is Amazon Aurora or Amazon RDS better?
- Neither clearly leads. Amazon Aurora starts at Free and Amazon RDS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Amazon Aurora or Amazon RDS?
- Amazon Aurora has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Amazon Aurora and On request for Amazon RDS.
- Does Amazon Aurora or Amazon RDS run on more platforms?
- Amazon Aurora runs on AWS Cloud. Amazon RDS runs on AWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-region.
- Can I use Amazon Aurora for free?
- Yes. Amazon Aurora has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Amazon RDS starts at On request.
- What is Amazon Aurora best used for?
- Amazon Aurora is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting.
- What can Amazon Aurora do that Amazon RDS cannot?
- Amazon Aurora covers MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible, 5x MySQL Performance, Auto-scaling Storage, Global Database. Amazon RDS covers Multiple DB Engines, Automated Backups, Multi-AZ Deployment, Read Replicas. Both handle Web support, Aws support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Amazon Aurora: Is Amazon Aurora compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL?
Yes, Amazon Aurora offers MySQL and PostgreSQL compatibility with full compatibility to their open-source counterparts, allowing you to migrate existing databases with standard tools.
SourceAmazon RDS: What databases does Amazon RDS support?
Amazon RDS supports Amazon Aurora, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle Database, and Microsoft SQL Server as managed database engines.
SourceAmazon Aurora: What uptime SLA does Amazon Aurora provide?
Aurora is designed for up to 99.99% single-region uptime and 99.999% multi-region uptime with automatic failover.
SourceAmazon RDS: Does Amazon RDS handle backups automatically?
Yes. Amazon RDS automates backup configuration, backing up your database and transaction logs. Blue/Green Deployments allow safer updates by mirroring production in staging before applying changes.
SourceAmazon Aurora: How much does Amazon Aurora cost?
Aurora uses serverless, usage-based pricing where you pay only for consumed capacity. Typical pricing ranges from $50-70 per month for minimal setups to $400-600 per month for small production clusters.
SourceAmazon RDS: How does Amazon RDS Proxy improve performance?
Amazon RDS Proxy is a managed database proxy that makes applications more scalable by reducing database connection overhead, more resilient to database failures, and more secure through built-in authentication.
SourceAmazon Aurora: Can Amazon Aurora scale automatically?
Yes, Aurora automatically scales to match workload demands without performance degradation, supporting both read and write scaling.
SourceAmazon RDS: Does Amazon RDS provide read replicas?
Yes. Amazon RDS supports read replicas across availability zones and regions, enabling horizontal scaling of read capacity while maintaining a single write primary.
SourceAmazon Aurora: How many read replicas does Aurora support?
Aurora supports up to 15 low-latency read replicas for distributing read traffic across your application.
SourceAmazon RDS: Can I access the host directly via SSH or Remote Desktop?
No. Amazon RDS does not allow direct host access via SSH, Telnet, or Windows Remote Desktop Connection. Database access is limited to database clients and management console.
Source