Cloud · head to head
Pulumi vs Serverless Framework
Pulumi
Cloud
Modern infrastructure as code using programming languages
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Serverless Framework
Cloud
Build and deploy serverless applications on AWS Lambda
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Pulumi the free Individual plan allows one user and one concurrent stack update; Serverless Framework exclusive to AWS Lambda - no support for other cloud providers
- They diverge on capability: Pulumi covers Multi-cloud, Serverless Framework covers YAML configuration.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Pulumi and Serverless Framework actually diverge.
| Attribute | Pulumi | Serverless Framework |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows, Mac, Api | AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation |
| Founded | 2017 | Unknown |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).
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 Pulumi
- Multi-cloud
- State management
- Secrets management
- RBAC
- Stacks
- Automation API
- Policy as Code
- AWS
Only in Serverless Framework
- YAML configuration
- Single command deployment
- Extensible plugin ecosystem
- Unified dashboard
- Built-in metrics and alerts
Both cover
- Multi-language support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Pulumi
- Infrastructure as codenot Serverless Framework
- Cloud resource provisioningnot Serverless Framework
- DevOps automationnot Serverless Framework
- Multi-cloud managementnot Serverless Framework
Serverless Framework
- Deploying APIs and microservices to AWS Lambdanot Pulumi
- Building event-driven applications with serverless functionsnot Pulumi
- Managing multi-language serverless projectsnot Pulumi
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Pulumi
- The free Individual plan allows one user and one concurrent stack update
- The Team plan is $40 per month base including 40 credits, and caps the organisation at 10 users
- SAML/SSO, RBAC, audit logs and drift detection require the Enterprise plan at $400 per month base
- The per-resource rate rises from $0.1825 per resource per month on Team to $0.365 on Enterprise, so upgrading raises the unit price as well as the base fee
- Managed secrets are billed separately at $0.50 per secret per month on Team and $0.75 on Enterprise
- Self-hosting, SCIM user sync, audit log export and 24x7 support are only in Business Critical, which is custom priced with no published rate
- Team includes up to 500 resources and Enterprise up to 2,000, with everything beyond billed on demand as credits
Serverless Framework
- Exclusive to AWS Lambda - no support for other cloud providers
- Paid tier requires credit system that can be confusing for budgeting
- Plugin ecosystem quality varies significantly
Pricing, plan by plan
Pulumi
Free- IndividualFree
- 1 user
- Unlimited projects/stacks
- 500 workflow minutes monthly
- Team$40/month
- Up to 10 users
- Secure collaboration
- CI/CD integration
- Enterprise$400/month
- Unlimited users
- SAML/SSO
- RBAC
- Business Critical$null/custom
- Self-hosting
- Advanced compliance
- SCIM integration
Serverless Framework
Free- FreeFree
- For organizations with under $2M annual revenue
- All Framework features included
- Pay-As-You-Go$4/credit
- 1 credit = 1 Service Instance or 50K Traces or 4M Metrics
- Standard rate for larger organizations
- Reserved Credits$1/credit
- Discounts up to 74% off (1-year), 77% off (2-year), 80% off (3-year)
- Additional 10% off for upfront payment
Which should you pick?
Choose Pulumi if
- You need multi-cloud.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
- You also want state management.
Choose Serverless Framework if
- You need yaml configuration.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation.
- You also want single command deployment.
Questions people ask
- Is Pulumi or Serverless Framework better?
- Neither clearly leads. Pulumi starts at Free and Serverless Framework at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Pulumi or Serverless Framework?
- Pulumi starts at Free and Serverless Framework at Free.
- Does Pulumi or Serverless Framework run on more platforms?
- Pulumi runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api. Serverless Framework runs on AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation.
- Can I use Pulumi for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Pulumi best used for?
- Pulumi is most often used for infrastructure as code, cloud resource provisioning, devops automation, multi-cloud management. Of those, infrastructure as code and cloud resource provisioning are not what Serverless Framework is typically brought in for.
- What can Pulumi do that Serverless Framework cannot?
- Pulumi covers Multi-cloud, State management, Secrets management, RBAC. Serverless Framework covers YAML configuration, Single command deployment, Extensible plugin ecosystem, Unified dashboard. Both handle Multi-language support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Pulumi: How much does Pulumi cost?
Pulumi offers a free Individual tier forever, Team plan at $40/month with 40 credits, and Enterprise at $400/month with 400 credits. Credit usage varies by resource type and workflow needs.
SourceServerless Framework: When do I have to pay for Serverless Framework?
The Serverless Framework CLI v4+ is free for organizations earning under $2 million annually. Organizations earning more must purchase credits at $4 per credit standard rate or reserved credits starting at $1 per credit with volume discounts.
SourcePulumi: What is included in the Pulumi free tier?
The free Individual tier includes 1 user, unlimited projects/stacks, 500 workflow minutes monthly, and 5 million Neo tokens free.
SourceServerless Framework: What cloud providers does Serverless Framework support?
Serverless Framework is exclusive to AWS Lambda. It does not support other cloud providers like Azure or Google Cloud.
SourcePulumi: How are Pulumi credits charged?
1 Pulumi Credit equals $1 USD. Credits are drawn from a shared pool. IaC resources cost $0.1825/month per resource on Team and $0.365 on Enterprise; ESC secrets cost $0.50-$0.75/month; workflow minutes cost $0.01 each.
SourceServerless Framework: What does one credit cover?
One credit equals 1 Service Instance, 50,000 Traces, or 4 Million Metrics.
SourcePulumi: Does Pulumi offer volume discounts?
Yes, the Enterprise tier ($400/month) includes volume discounts and is designed for approximately 2,000 IaC resources.
SourceRelated pages
More on Serverless Framework
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