What is the difference between Netlify and AWS Amplify?

Netlify is best for Jamstack sites and static/hybrid web projects, while AWS Amplify is best for AWS developers wanting fast frontend hosting. Netlify starts at Free and AWS Amplify starts at Free.

Is Netlify or AWS Amplify cheaper?

Netlify starts at Free and is free. AWS Amplify starts at Free with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to AWS Amplify?

Both Netlify and AWS Amplify offer free tiers.

Netlify vs AWS Amplify (2026)

At a glance

	Netlify	AWS Amplify
Best for	Jamstack sites and static/hybrid web projects	AWS developers wanting fast frontend hosting
Starting price	Free	Free
Free tier	✓	✓
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	✓	✓
Open source	—	—
API	—	✓
Auth	—	✓
CI/CD	—	✓
Forms	✓	—
Git Deploy	✓	—
Hosting	—	✓
Identity	✓	—
Serverless Functions	✓	—
Split Testing	✓	—

Netlify

Strengths

Generous free tier
Framework-agnostic — works with any static site generator
Built-in forms, identity, and serverless functions
Deploy previews for every branch

Weaknesses

Build times can be slow
Serverless functions have cold start issues
Less integrated than Vercel for Next.js
Support responsiveness varies by plan

Try Netlify → Full review

AWS Amplify

Strengths

Built-in CI/CD pipelines automate testing and deployment on every push
Includes Auth as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows
Generous free tier — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Includes api alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
Developer-oriented tooling may not suit non-technical team members
Costs can spike unexpectedly during traffic surges if limits aren't configured
Mobile experience lags behind the desktop version in features and polish

Try AWS Amplify → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Both Netlify and AWS Amplify are free. You can try both without spending a dollar.

Feature gaps: Netlify offers Forms, Git Deploy and Identity that AWS Amplify lacks. AWS Amplify brings API, Auth and CI/CD that Netlify does not have.

Team fit: Both tools target any size teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.

Where each tool shines: Netlify's biggest strengths are: generous free tier. framework-agnostic — works with any static site generator. AWS Amplify's biggest strengths are: built-in ci/cd pipelines automate testing and deployment on every push. includes auth as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows.

Watch out for: With Netlify, users commonly note that build times can be slow. With AWS Amplify, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.

Choose Netlify if...

You need a tool built for jamstack sites and static/hybrid web projects
You specifically need Forms and Git Deploy
You care about framework-agnostic — works with any static site generator

Choose AWS Amplify if...

You need a tool built for aws developers wanting fast frontend hosting
You specifically need API and Auth
You care about includes auth as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows
The free tier works for you: generous free tier