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Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head

Linode vs AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Linode logo

Linode

Cloud & Infrastructure

Affordable cloud hosting and infrastructure

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
AWS (Amazon Web Services) logo

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Cloud & Infrastructure

The leading cloud computing platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Linode linode.com/pricing returns a 301 redirect to akamai.com/cloud/pricing; the service is now sold as Akamai Cloud; AWS (Amazon Web Services) data transfer in is free and data transfer out is charged, which is the standard source of unexpected bills
  • They diverge on capability: Linode covers Compute instances, AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Linode and AWS (Amazon Web Services) differ
AttributeLinodeAWS (Amazon Web Services)
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliWeb, Api, Cli, Mobile
Founded20032006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud & Infrastructure).

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 Linode

  • Compute instances
  • Object storage
  • Block storage
  • Managed database
  • Load balancers
  • Firewalls
  • Private networks
  • Ansible

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

Both cover

  • Kubernetes
  • Terraform
  • Docker
  • Kubernetes

What people use each for

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

Linode

  • Running Linux virtual machines on hourly billed shared or dedicated CPU plansnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Managed Kubernetes, block storage and object storage on a single cloud accountnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Hosting workloads in a specific one of the listed global regionsnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

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

Where each one falls short

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

Linode

  • linode.com/pricing returns a 301 redirect to akamai.com/cloud/pricing; the service is now sold as Akamai Cloud
  • Charges accrue for any service on the account even when it is powered off, because RAM and network capacity stay reserved; only deleting the service stops billing
  • Network transfer beyond the monthly allotment is billed from $0.005 per GB and the rate varies by region
  • The Akamai Cloud pricing landing page shows no rates and directs visitors to regional pricing pages or sales

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Linode

Free
  • Nanode 1GB$5/month
    • 1GB RAM
    • 1 vCPU
    • 25GB SSD
  • Linode 4GB$20/month
    • 4GB RAM
    • 2 vCPU
    • 80GB SSD

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Linode if

  • You need compute instances.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want object storage.
Linode review

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

Questions people ask

Is Linode or AWS (Amazon Web Services) better?
Neither clearly leads. Linode starts at Free and AWS (Amazon Web Services) at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Linode or AWS (Amazon Web Services)?
Linode starts at Free and AWS (Amazon Web Services) at Free.
Does Linode or AWS (Amazon Web Services) run on more platforms?
Linode runs on Web, Api, Cli. AWS (Amazon Web Services) runs on Web, Api, Cli, Mobile.
Can I use Linode for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Linode best used for?
Linode is most often used for running linux virtual machines on hourly billed shared or dedicated cpu plans, managed kubernetes, block storage and object storage on a single cloud account, hosting workloads in a specific one of the listed global regions. Of those, running linux virtual machines on hourly billed shared or dedicated cpu plans and managed kubernetes, block storage and object storage on a single cloud account are not what AWS (Amazon Web Services) is typically brought in for.
What can Linode do that AWS (Amazon Web Services) cannot?
Linode covers Compute instances, Object storage, Block storage, Managed database. AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers, S3 - Object Storage, RDS - Managed Database, Lambda - Serverless Computing. Both handle Kubernetes, Terraform, Docker, Kubernetes.
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