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AWS (Amazon Web Services) vs Serverless Framework

AWS (Amazon Web Services) logo

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Cloud

The leading cloud computing platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Serverless Framework logo

Serverless Framework

Cloud

Build and deploy serverless applications on AWS Lambda

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; Serverless Framework exclusive to AWS Lambda - no support for other cloud providers
  • They diverge on capability: AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers, Serverless Framework covers YAML configuration.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Serverless Framework differ
AttributeAWS (Amazon Web Services)Serverless Framework
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Api, Cli, MobileAWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation
Founded2006Unknown

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

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 Serverless Framework

  • YAML configuration
  • Single command deployment
  • Extensible plugin ecosystem
  • Multi-language support
  • Unified dashboard
  • Built-in metrics and alerts

What people use each for

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

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

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

Serverless Framework

  • Deploying APIs and microservices to AWS Lambdanot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Building event-driven applications with serverless functionsnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Managing multi-language serverless projectsnot 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

Serverless Framework

  • Exclusive to AWS Lambda - no support for other cloud providers
  • Paid tier requires credit system that can be confusing for budgeting
  • Plugin ecosystem quality varies significantly

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

Serverless Framework

Free
  • FreeFree
    • For organizations with under $2M annual revenue
    • All Framework features included
  • Pay-As-You-Go$4/credit
    • 1 credit = 1 Service Instance or 50K Traces or 4M Metrics
    • Standard rate for larger organizations
  • Reserved Credits$1/credit
    • Discounts up to 74% off (1-year), 77% off (2-year), 80% off (3-year)
    • Additional 10% off for upfront payment

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 Serverless Framework if

  • You need yaml configuration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation.
  • You also want single command deployment.
Serverless Framework review

Questions people ask

Is AWS (Amazon Web Services) or Serverless Framework better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS (Amazon Web Services) starts at Free and Serverless Framework 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 Serverless Framework?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) starts at Free and Serverless Framework at Free.
Does AWS (Amazon Web Services) or Serverless Framework run on more platforms?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) runs on Web, Api, Cli, Mobile. Serverless Framework runs on AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation.
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 Serverless Framework is typically brought in for.
What can AWS (Amazon Web Services) do that Serverless Framework cannot?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers, S3 - Object Storage, RDS - Managed Database, Lambda - Serverless Computing. Serverless Framework covers YAML configuration, Single command deployment, Extensible plugin ecosystem, Multi-language support.

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
Serverless Framework: When do I have to pay for Serverless Framework?

The Serverless Framework CLI v4+ is free for organizations earning under $2 million annually. Organizations earning more must purchase credits at $4 per credit standard rate or reserved credits starting at $1 per credit with volume discounts.

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
Serverless Framework: What cloud providers does Serverless Framework support?

Serverless Framework is exclusive to AWS Lambda. It does not support other cloud providers like Azure or Google Cloud.

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
Serverless Framework: What does one credit cover?

One credit equals 1 Service Instance, 50,000 Traces, or 4 Million Metrics.

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
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