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Lambda (AWS Serverless) vs Express.js

Lambda (AWS Serverless) logo

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Software

Run code without thinking about servers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
E

Express.js

Software

Fast, unopinionated, minimalist web framework for Node.js

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; Express.js governed by the OpenJS Foundation with no vendor or paid tier, per expressjs.com; as open source software it has no pricing to compare

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Lambda (AWS Serverless) and Express.js differ
AttributeLambda (AWS Serverless)Express.js
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb
Founded2014Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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
  • Auto-scaling
  • Pay-per-use
  • Multiple languages
  • Concurrency limits
  • Dead Letter Queues
  • Environment variables

Only in Express.js

Nothing recorded that Lambda (AWS Serverless) does not also cover.

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 Express.js
  • API backends behind API Gatewaynot Express.js
  • Processing S3, DynamoDB, SQS and Kinesis eventsnot Express.js
  • Scheduled jobs without a always-on instancenot Express.js
  • Edge compute through Lambda@Edgenot Express.js

Express.js

No use cases recorded yet. See the Express.js review.

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

Express.js

  • Governed by the OpenJS Foundation with no vendor or paid tier, per expressjs.com; as open source software it has no pricing to compare
  • Express.js provides only a thin layer of fundamental routing features by its own description, requiring separate middleware modules for functionality like body parsing, sessions or authentication

Pricing, plan by plan

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

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

Express.js

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Express.js 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 Express.js if

Nothing in the data separates Express.js from Lambda (AWS Serverless) on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Express.js review

Questions people ask

Is Lambda (AWS Serverless) or Express.js better?
Neither clearly leads. Lambda (AWS Serverless) starts at Free and Express.js 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 Express.js?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lambda (AWS Serverless) and On request for Express.js.
Does Lambda (AWS Serverless) or Express.js run on more platforms?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) runs on Web, Api. Express.js runs on Web.
Can I use Lambda (AWS Serverless) for free?
Yes. Lambda (AWS Serverless) has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Express.js 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 Express.js is typically brought in for.
What can Lambda (AWS Serverless) do that Express.js cannot?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service, Event-driven execution, Auto-scaling, Pay-per-use.
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