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Lambda (AWS Serverless) vs Palo Alto Networks

Lambda (AWS Serverless) logo

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Software

Run code without thinking about servers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Palo Alto Networks logo

Palo Alto Networks

Software

Enterprise cybersecurity platform

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; Palo Alto Networks enterprise-focused pricing model
  • They diverge on capability: Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service, Palo Alto Networks covers Advanced threat prevention.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lambda (AWS Serverless) and Palo Alto Networks actually diverge.

Attributes where Lambda (AWS Serverless) and Palo Alto Networks differ
AttributeLambda (AWS Serverless)Palo Alto Networks
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiCloud, On-premises, Hybrid
Founded20142005

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 Palo Alto Networks

  • Advanced threat prevention
  • Threat detection and response
  • Cloud security
  • Endpoint protection
  • Network security
  • API protection
  • Incident response
  • Threat intelligence

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • 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 Palo Alto Networks
  • API backends behind API Gatewaynot Palo Alto Networks
  • Processing S3, DynamoDB, SQS and Kinesis eventsnot Palo Alto Networks
  • Scheduled jobs without a always-on instancenot Palo Alto Networks
  • Edge compute through Lambda@Edgenot Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks

  • Enterprise network security and threat protectionnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Cloud-native application protectionnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Identity and access securitynot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Security operations and incident responsenot 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

Palo Alto Networks

  • Enterprise-focused pricing model
  • Complex implementation required

Pricing, plan by plan

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

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

Palo Alto Networks

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Threat prevention
    • Detection and response
    • Cloud security

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 Palo Alto Networks if

  • You need advanced threat prevention.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
  • You also want threat detection and response.
Palo Alto Networks review

Questions people ask

Is Lambda (AWS Serverless) or Palo Alto Networks better?
Neither clearly leads. Lambda (AWS Serverless) starts at Free and Palo Alto Networks 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 Palo Alto Networks?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lambda (AWS Serverless) and On request for Palo Alto Networks.
Does Lambda (AWS Serverless) or Palo Alto Networks run on more platforms?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) runs on Web, Api. Palo Alto Networks runs on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
Can I use Lambda (AWS Serverless) for free?
Yes. Lambda (AWS Serverless) has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Palo Alto Networks 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 Palo Alto Networks is typically brought in for.
What can Lambda (AWS Serverless) do that Palo Alto Networks cannot?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service, Event-driven execution, Auto-scaling, Pay-per-use. Palo Alto Networks covers Advanced threat prevention, Threat detection and response, Cloud security, Endpoint protection. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.
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