Softwr

Cloud · head to head

AWS (Amazon Web Services) vs Kubernetes

AWS (Amazon Web Services) logo

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Cloud

The leading cloud computing platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kubernetes logo

Kubernetes

Technology

Production-grade container orchestration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AWS (Amazon Web Services) data transfer in is free and data transfer out is charged, which is the standard source of unexpected bills; Kubernetes complex initial setup and configuration with multiple interdependent components
  • They diverge on capability: AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers, Kubernetes covers Container orchestration.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Kubernetes differ
AttributeAWS (Amazon Web Services)Kubernetes
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Api, Cli, MobileLinux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryCloudTechnology
Founded20062014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 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

Only in Kubernetes

  • Container orchestration
  • Automatic scaling
  • Self-healing
  • Service discovery
  • Load balancing
  • Storage orchestration
  • Automated rollouts
  • Secret management

Both cover

  • Docker

What people use each for

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

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

  • Web hostingnot Kubernetes
  • Data storagenot Kubernetes
  • Machine learningnot Kubernetes
  • Big data analyticsnot Kubernetes
  • Application developmentnot Kubernetes

Kubernetes

  • Microservices deploymentnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Cloud-native applicationsnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • CI/CD pipelinesnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Multi-cloud deploymentsnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Edge computingnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

Kubernetes

  • Complex initial setup and configuration with multiple interdependent components
  • Significant resource requirements for both hardware infrastructure and specialized human expertise
  • Expensive specialized talent in Kubernetes domain; hiring costs prohibitive for many organizations
  • New security challenges around container isolation and network security requiring robust measures
  • Requires continuous maintenance and updates to stay current with releases and security patches

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Kubernetes

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Kubernetes review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Kubernetes if

  • You need container orchestration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want automatic scaling.
Kubernetes review

Questions people ask

Is AWS (Amazon Web Services) or Kubernetes better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS (Amazon Web Services) starts at Free and Kubernetes at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AWS (Amazon Web Services) or Kubernetes?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) starts at Free and Kubernetes at Free.
Does AWS (Amazon Web Services) or Kubernetes run on more platforms?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) runs on Web, Api, Cli, Mobile. Kubernetes runs on Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use AWS (Amazon Web Services) for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is AWS (Amazon Web Services) best used for?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) is most often used for web hosting, data storage, machine learning, big data analytics. Of those, web hosting and data storage are not what Kubernetes is typically brought in for.
What can AWS (Amazon Web Services) do that Kubernetes cannot?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers, S3 - Object Storage, RDS - Managed Database, Lambda - Serverless Computing. Kubernetes covers Container orchestration, Automatic scaling, Self-healing, Service discovery. Both handle Docker.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AWS (Amazon Web Services): What are AWS's payment options and pricing models?

AWS offers four pricing approaches: pay-as-you-go (you pay only for what you use), flat-rate plans combining multiple services into one monthly price without overages, Savings Plans offering discounts on compute and machine learning with 1- or 3-year commitments, and volume-based tiered pricing where costs decrease as usage increases.

Source
Kubernetes: What is Kubernetes used for?

Kubernetes is a container orchestration platform that automates deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications across clusters of machines.

Source
AWS (Amazon Web Services): Are there contracts, termination fees, or commitments required for AWS?

No long-term contracts are required for AWS services. No termination fees apply once you stop using the service. Savings Plans provide optional 1- or 3-year commitments with discounted hourly rates, but you can revert to pay-as-you-go pricing anytime.

Source
Kubernetes: Is Kubernetes free?

Yes, Kubernetes is free, open-source software maintained by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. However, running Kubernetes clusters requires infrastructure investment.

Source
AWS (Amazon Web Services): Does AWS offer a free tier?

AWS provides a free tier that offers hands-on experience with AWS products at no charge. The free tier allows new customers to try eligible services before committing to paid usage.

Source
Kubernetes: How hard is it to learn Kubernetes?

Kubernetes has a steep learning curve. It requires deep knowledge of containerization, networking, and distributed systems. Teams without prior container experience should expect significant training time.

Source
AWS (Amazon Web Services): How do I estimate my AWS costs?

AWS provides the AWS Pricing Calculator and Cost Explorer tool to estimate costs for single or multiple services. AWS also offers cost optimization recommendations, performance reporting, and budget alerts to help track and control spending.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on AWS (Amazon Web Services)

More on Kubernetes

Keep looking

Other head to heads