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Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head

Lambda (AWS Serverless) vs DynamoDB

Lambda (AWS Serverless) logo

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Cloud & Infrastructure

Run code without thinking about servers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DynamoDB logo

DynamoDB

Database & Data Management

Fast, flexible NoSQL database service for any scale

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lambda (AWS Serverless) has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lambda (AWS Serverless) billed on two axes at once, $0.20 per million requests plus $0.0000166667 per GB-second of duration, so memory settings change the bill as much as traffic does; DynamoDB noSQL-only; does not support complex relational queries or SQL joins
  • They diverge on capability: Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service, DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lambda (AWS Serverless) and DynamoDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Lambda (AWS Serverless) and DynamoDB differ
AttributeLambda (AWS Serverless)DynamoDB
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiAWS
CategoryCloud & InfrastructureDatabase & Data Management
Founded20142006

Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), 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 Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Function-as-a-Service
  • Event-driven execution
  • Pay-per-use
  • Multiple languages
  • Concurrency limits
  • Dead Letter Queues
  • Environment variables
  • S3

Only in DynamoDB

  • Single-digit Millisecond Latency
  • Serverless
  • Global Tables
  • Point-in-time Recovery
  • Streams
  • Lambda
  • AppSync
  • Glue

Both cover

  • Auto-scaling
  • API Gateway
  • Encryption
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Event-driven functions without managing serversnot DynamoDB
  • API backends behind API Gatewaynot DynamoDB
  • Processing S3, DynamoDB, SQS and Kinesis eventsnot DynamoDB
  • Scheduled jobs without a always-on instancenot DynamoDB
  • Edge compute through Lambda@Edgenot DynamoDB

DynamoDB

  • High-scale, variable-workload applicationsnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Mobile and IoT device backendsnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Real-time analytics and dashboardsnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Multi-region, globally distributed applicationsnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Where each one falls short

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

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Billed on two axes at once, $0.20 per million requests plus $0.0000166667 per GB-second of duration, so memory settings change the bill as much as traffic does
  • Provisioned concurrency, used to avoid cold starts, is charged separately at $0.0000041667 per GB-second whether or not the function runs
  • Ephemeral storage beyond the included 512 MB is metered
  • Lambda@Edge costs $0.60 per million requests, three times the standard request rate
  • VPC use and cross-region data transfer carry EC2 charges on top

DynamoDB

  • NoSQL-only; does not support complex relational queries or SQL joins
  • Limited query flexibility; requires thinking in terms of keys and indexes rather than ad-hoc queries

Pricing, plan by plan

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 1M free requests/month
    • 400,000 GB-seconds/month
    • Always free

DynamoDB

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the DynamoDB review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Lambda (AWS Serverless) if

  • You need function-as-a-service.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want event-driven execution.
Lambda (AWS Serverless) review

Choose DynamoDB if

  • You need single-digit millisecond latency.
  • You work on AWS.
  • You also want serverless.
DynamoDB review

Questions people ask

Is Lambda (AWS Serverless) or DynamoDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Lambda (AWS Serverless) starts at Free and DynamoDB at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lambda (AWS Serverless) or DynamoDB?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lambda (AWS Serverless) and On request for DynamoDB.
Does Lambda (AWS Serverless) or DynamoDB run on more platforms?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) runs on Web, Api. DynamoDB runs on AWS.
Can I use Lambda (AWS Serverless) for free?
Yes. Lambda (AWS Serverless) has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DynamoDB starts at On request.
What is Lambda (AWS Serverless) best used for?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) is most often used for event-driven functions without managing servers, api backends behind api gateway, processing s3, dynamodb, sqs and kinesis events, scheduled jobs without a always-on instance. Of those, event-driven functions without managing servers and api backends behind api gateway are not what DynamoDB is typically brought in for.
What can Lambda (AWS Serverless) do that DynamoDB cannot?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service, Event-driven execution, Pay-per-use, Multiple languages. DynamoDB covers Single-digit Millisecond Latency, Serverless, Global Tables, Point-in-time Recovery. Both handle Auto-scaling, API Gateway, Encryption, Web support.
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