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Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head

Amazon RDS vs AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Amazon RDS logo

Amazon RDS

Cloud & Infrastructure

Set up, operate, and scale a relational database in the cloud

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
AWS (Amazon Web Services) logo

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Cloud & Infrastructure

The leading cloud computing platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only AWS (Amazon Web Services) has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Amazon RDS no super-user access or direct host connectivity limits advanced customization; AWS (Amazon Web Services) data transfer in is free and data transfer out is charged, which is the standard source of unexpected bills
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon RDS covers Multiple DB Engines, AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon RDS and AWS (Amazon Web Services) actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon RDS and AWS (Amazon Web Services) differ
AttributeAmazon RDSAWS (Amazon Web Services)
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsAWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-regionWeb, Api, Cli, Mobile
CategoryUnknownCloud & Infrastructure

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), 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 RDS

  • Multiple DB Engines
  • Automated Backups
  • Multi-AZ Deployment
  • Read Replicas
  • Encryption
  • Performance Insights
  • Automatic Scaling
  • MySQL

Only in AWS (Amazon Web Services)

  • EC2 - Virtual Servers
  • S3 - Object Storage
  • RDS - Managed Database
  • Lambda - Serverless Computing
  • CloudFront - CDN
  • VPC - Virtual Network
  • IAM - Access Management
  • CloudWatch - Monitoring

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Amazon RDS

  • Transaction processingnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Data storage
  • Application backendnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Reportingnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Data analyticsnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

  • Web hostingnot Amazon RDS
  • Data storage
  • Machine learningnot Amazon RDS
  • Big data analyticsnot Amazon RDS
  • Application developmentnot Amazon RDS

Both are used for data storage, 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 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

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

  • Data transfer in is free and data transfer out is charged, which is the standard source of unexpected bills
  • Discounts require one or three year Savings Plan commitments rather than being automatic
  • Every service is priced separately, so a working architecture has no single published cost
  • The free tier is a promotional allowance rather than an ongoing free plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon RDS

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Amazon RDS review.

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Free
  • AWS Free TierFree
    • EC2 750 hours/month
    • 5GB S3 storage
    • 20GB data transfer
  • Pay-As-You-GoFree
    • No upfront payment
    • No long-term commitments
    • Pay only for what you use

Which should you pick?

Choose Amazon RDS if

  • You need multiple db engines.
  • You work on AWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-region.
  • You also want automated backups.
Amazon RDS review

Choose AWS (Amazon Web Services) if

  • You need ec2 - virtual servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli, Mobile.
  • You also want s3 - object storage.
AWS (Amazon Web Services) review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon RDS or AWS (Amazon Web Services) better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon RDS starts at On request and AWS (Amazon Web Services) at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon RDS or AWS (Amazon Web Services)?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Amazon RDS and Free for AWS (Amazon Web Services).
Does Amazon RDS or AWS (Amazon Web Services) run on more platforms?
Amazon RDS runs on AWS Cloud, Multi-AZ, Multi-region. AWS (Amazon Web Services) runs on Web, Api, Cli, Mobile.
Can I use AWS (Amazon Web Services) for free?
Yes. AWS (Amazon Web Services) has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Amazon RDS starts at On request.
What is Amazon RDS best used for?
Amazon RDS is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting. Of those, transaction processing and application backend are not what AWS (Amazon Web Services) is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon RDS do that AWS (Amazon Web Services) cannot?
Amazon RDS covers Multiple DB Engines, Automated Backups, Multi-AZ Deployment, Read Replicas. AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers, S3 - Object Storage, RDS - Managed Database, Lambda - Serverless Computing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amazon 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.

Source
Amazon 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.

Source
Amazon 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.

Source
Amazon 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.

Source
Amazon 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
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