AWS Amplify
7.2/10AWS Amplify is a pay-as-you-go platform from Amazon Web Services for hosting web apps from Git and building full-stack backends on AWS.
Data last updated November 2026 · Our methodology
Overview
AWS Amplify is Amazon Web Services' toolkit for front-end and full-stack developers. It has two parts. Amplify Hosting is a Git-connected CI/CD and hosting service for static sites, single-page apps and server-side rendered frameworks such as Next.js and Nuxt, served through the CloudFront CDN. Amplify Gen 2 is a TypeScript, code-first way to define backends. It provisions Cognito for authentication, AppSync with DynamoDB for data, S3 for storage and Lambda for functions inside your own AWS account, and you can extend it with any AWS resource through the CDK. Each developer gets a cloud sandbox, Git branches map to environments, and pull requests can get preview deployments. It suits developers, startups and SaaS teams that already use AWS or plan to, and want hosting and backend services under one AWS bill and one IAM model. There are no seats or plans. You pay for build minutes ($0.01 per minute on the standard instance), CDN storage, data transfer out ($0.15 per GB), SSR requests and SSR compute. The free tier covers 1,000 build minutes, 15 GB of transfer and 500,000 requests a month for 12 months. Backend services are billed at their own AWS rates, and the optional WAF integration costs $15 a month per app. Amplify connects to GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and CodeCommit and works with CloudWatch alarms and AWS WAF. AWS commits to 99.95% uptime with service credits. The main limitation is complexity. Reviewers report a steep learning curve and IAM setup that is harder than on Vercel or Netlify. There are Next.js gaps, such as no on-demand ISR and no Edge API routes. Bills can be hard to predict and can grow from resources left running.
Our Rating
Who AWS Amplify is best for
Best software for DevelopersGood fit
Built for front-end and full-stack developers, with a TypeScript backend, framework libraries and Git-based CI/CD, though it takes AWS knowledge.
Compliance programs including SOC, PCI, ISO and HIPAA, WAF integration and IAM controls suit organisations standardised on AWS.
Wildcard subdomains, Cognito auth and real-time AppSync data support multi-tenant SaaS apps on AWS.
No seat fees and a 12-month free tier help early teams, but reports of surprise charges call for watching billing closely.
Less suited
Setup and IAM complexity make it harder for non-technical small teams than simpler hosts.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- No per-seat fees: team access is free and you pay only for builds, storage, transfer and SSR usage.
- Gen 2 lets developers define Cognito auth, AppSync and DynamoDB data and Lambda functions in TypeScript, then extend them with any AWS resource through the CDK.
- Git branches map to environments, pull requests can get preview deployments, and deployments are atomic.
- AWS publishes a 99.95% monthly uptime SLA with tiered service credits.
- Amplify is in scope for SOC, PCI, ISO, HIPAA, HITRUST and other AWS compliance programs, and integrates with AWS WAF.
Cons
- Reviewers on G2 and Capterra say the learning curve is steep and debugging complex apps is hard.
- Comparison articles say IAM setup and configuration are much heavier than on Vercel or Netlify.
- Next.js support has documented gaps: no on-demand ISR, no Edge API routes, a 5.72 MB response size cap and a 220 MB build output limit for SSR apps.
- Bills spread across many AWS services are hard to predict, and some users report unexpected charges from resources left running.
- Some reviewers find Gen 2 restrictive when an app strays from its expected path, and the Gen 1 versus Gen 2 split confuses them.
Key Features
AWS Amplify Pricing
Free Tier
- No per-seat pricing
- Valid for 12 months
- 5 GB CDN storage per month
- 500,000 SSR requests per month
- 15 GB data transfer out per month
- 100 GB-hours SSR compute per month
- 1,000 standard build minutes per month
- Free public SSL certificates and multiple sites per project
Pay as you go
- Same price in all regions
- No per-seat charges for team members
- Standard, Large and XLarge build instances
- Usage-based billing with no monthly minimum
- Backend services (Cognito, AppSync, DynamoDB, Lambda, S3) billed at their own AWS rates
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. For 12 months the free tier includes 1,000 standard build minutes, 5 GB of CDN storage, 15 GB of data transfer out, 500,000 SSR requests and 100 GB-hours of SSR compute each month. New AWS customers can also get up to $200 in Free Tier credits.
No. AWS says Amplify has no per-seat pricing. You pay only for usage such as build minutes, storage, data transfer and SSR compute, plus any backend AWS services you use.
It supports Next.js and Nuxt, Astro and SvelteKit through community adapters, SPAs such as React, Angular, Vue, Ionic and Ember, and static site generators such as Gatsby, Hugo, Jekyll and Eleventy. It connects to GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and AWS CodeCommit. SSR apps need Node.js 20 or later.
AWS commits to 99.95% monthly uptime per region. The credit is 10% of charges below that level, 25% below 99.0% and 100% below 95.0%. You have to request credits through AWS Support.
Amplify is assessed under AWS compliance programs including SOC, PCI, ISO, HIPAA, C5, HITRUST CSF and FINMA, and you can download the audit reports from AWS Artifact. Security follows the AWS shared responsibility model.
Yes. Amplify integrates directly with AWS WAF for rules such as IP blocking, geo-blocking and rate limiting. It costs $15 a month per app plus normal AWS WAF charges.
Yes. AWS sets per-region quotas on apps and concurrent builds. New accounts start with lower quotas that AWS raises automatically as usage grows, and you can request an increase.
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See AWS Amplify in the listAWS Amplify is #8 in Hosting & Infrastructure by our score.
