Software · head to head
Hetzner Cloud vs Lambda (AWS Serverless)
Lambda (AWS Serverless)
Software
Run code without thinking about servers
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable; 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
- They diverge on capability: Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Hetzner Cloud and Lambda (AWS Serverless) actually diverge.
| Attribute | Hetzner Cloud | Lambda (AWS Serverless) |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Api, Cli | Web, Api |
| Founded | 1997 | 2014 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), 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 Hetzner Cloud
- Cloud servers
- Block storage
- Object storage
- Load balancers
- Networks
- Firewalls
- Floating IPs
- Backups
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
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Hetzner Cloud
- Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
- European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
- Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
- Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
Lambda (AWS Serverless)
- Event-driven functions without managing serversnot Hetzner Cloud
- API backends behind API Gatewaynot Hetzner Cloud
- Processing S3, DynamoDB, SQS and Kinesis eventsnot Hetzner Cloud
- Scheduled jobs without a always-on instancenot Hetzner Cloud
- Edge compute through Lambda@Edgenot Hetzner Cloud
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Hetzner Cloud
- Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
- The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
- Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
- The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
- Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Hetzner Cloud
Free- CX11$3.29/month
- 1 vCPU
- 1GB RAM
- 25GB SSD
- CX21$6.59/month
- 2 vCPU
- 4GB RAM
- 40GB SSD
Lambda (AWS Serverless)
Free- Free TierFree
- 1M free requests/month
- 400,000 GB-seconds/month
- Always free
Which should you pick?
Choose Hetzner Cloud if
- You need cloud servers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api, Cli.
- You also want block storage.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Hetzner Cloud or Lambda (AWS Serverless) better?
- Neither clearly leads. Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and Lambda (AWS Serverless) at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Hetzner Cloud or Lambda (AWS Serverless)?
- Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and Lambda (AWS Serverless) at Free.
- Does Hetzner Cloud or Lambda (AWS Serverless) run on more platforms?
- Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli. Lambda (AWS Serverless) runs on Web, Api.
- Can I use Hetzner Cloud for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Hetzner Cloud best used for?
- Hetzner Cloud is most often used for low-cost virtual servers for development and testing, european hosting with data held in germany or finland, workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic matters, self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalers. Of those, low-cost virtual servers for development and testing and european hosting with data held in germany or finland are not what Lambda (AWS Serverless) is typically brought in for.
- What can Hetzner Cloud do that Lambda (AWS Serverless) cannot?
- Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service, Event-driven execution, Auto-scaling, Pay-per-use. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.