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Puppet vs Serverless Framework

Puppet logo

Puppet

Cloud

Infrastructure automation for enterprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Serverless Framework logo

Serverless Framework

Cloud

Build and deploy serverless applications on AWS Lambda

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Puppet no pricing published for commercial tiers; requires contacting sales; Serverless Framework exclusive to AWS Lambda - no support for other cloud providers
  • They diverge on capability: Puppet covers Manifests, Serverless Framework covers YAML configuration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Puppet and Serverless Framework actually diverge.

Attributes where Puppet and Serverless Framework differ
AttributePuppetServerless Framework
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Mac, ApiAWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation
Founded2005Unknown

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 Puppet

  • Manifests
  • Modules
  • Classes
  • Variables
  • Facts
  • Puppet Master
  • Hiera
  • Facter

Only in Serverless Framework

  • YAML configuration
  • Single command deployment
  • Extensible plugin ecosystem
  • Multi-language support
  • Unified dashboard
  • Built-in metrics and alerts

What people use each for

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

Puppet

  • Infrastructure automationnot Serverless Framework
  • Configuration managementnot Serverless Framework
  • DevOps at scalenot Serverless Framework
  • Enterprise infrastructurenot Serverless Framework

Serverless Framework

  • Deploying APIs and microservices to AWS Lambdanot Puppet
  • Building event-driven applications with serverless functionsnot Puppet
  • Managing multi-language serverless projectsnot Puppet

Where each one falls short

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

Puppet

  • No pricing published for commercial tiers; requires contacting sales
  • Enterprise and Advanced tiers require custom quote
  • Free tier limited to 25 nodes maximum

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

Puppet

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • Up to 25 nodes
  • Core Commercial$null/custom
    • 25+ nodes
    • Vendor-backed SLAs
    • Training with Certified Engineers
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Web GUI
    • RBAC
    • Multi-environment support
  • Advanced$null/custom
    • AI-powered features
    • Advanced patching
    • Vulnerability remediation

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 Puppet if

  • You need manifests.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
  • You also want modules.
Puppet review

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.
Serverless Framework review

Questions people ask

Is Puppet or Serverless Framework better?
Neither clearly leads. Puppet 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, Puppet or Serverless Framework?
Puppet starts at Free and Serverless Framework at Free.
Does Puppet or Serverless Framework run on more platforms?
Puppet runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api. Serverless Framework runs on AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation.
Can I use Puppet for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Puppet best used for?
Puppet is most often used for infrastructure automation, configuration management, devops at scale, enterprise infrastructure. Of those, infrastructure automation and configuration management are not what Serverless Framework is typically brought in for.
What can Puppet do that Serverless Framework cannot?
Puppet covers Manifests, Modules, Classes, Variables. Serverless Framework covers YAML configuration, Single command deployment, Extensible plugin ecosystem, Multi-language support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Puppet: How much does Puppet cost?

Puppet's Developer tier is free for up to 25 nodes. Commercial, Enterprise, and Advanced tiers require contacting their sales team for a custom quote.

Source
Serverless 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.

Source
Puppet: Is there a free version of Puppet?

Yes, Puppet's Developer tier is free forever for up to 25 nodes of infrastructure.

Source
Serverless 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.

Source
Puppet: What does the Enterprise tier include?

Puppet's Enterprise tier includes web GUI, RBAC, and multi-environment support for organizations managing infrastructure at scale, with pricing available upon request.

Source
Serverless Framework: What does one credit cover?

One credit equals 1 Service Instance, 50,000 Traces, or 4 Million Metrics.

Source
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