The Top 10 Alternatives to AWS EC2
As effective as Amazon’s AWS EC2 may be, its pricing structure is unfortunately too expensive for many people that are just starting to build their website and attract traffic. Luckily, there are plenty of other alternatives that provide just as much functionality, without substantial increases in pricing also. Whether you’re interested in building a site with WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla!, these AWS alternatives to AWS EC2 will have your site up and running in no time.
1. Digital Ocean
Digital Ocean is perhaps one of the most well known alternatives to Amazon’s cloud hosting service. In fact, many developers have opted to move away from Amazon in favor of Digital Ocean. Aside from being a cheaper alternative, Digital Ocean has also established itself as being considerably more efficient as well. For those that are particularly price-conscious, Digital Ocean is currently offering a promotional opportunity where new users get up to $10 in free credit.
2. Vultr
For those that find Digital Ocean’s offers still too expensive, Vultr is the next best alternative to the two big names in cloud hosting. In addition to being competitively priced, Vultr also prides itself on offering cross-platform functionality. Vultr’s services are designed to be compatible with both Windows and Linux-based systems. Anyone that is on the fence about Vultr’s services can sign up now to get up to $50 in credit for 60 days.
3. VPS.Net
VPS.Net is a little different from the others in this list. While we’ve primarily focused on pricing as the main difference between these services, VPS.Net is actually more focused on accessibility. While VPS.Net is still competitively priced compared to Amazon’s services, VPS.Net’s real strength lies in its user interface design and intuitive functionality. VPS.Net is particularly recommended for beginners that do not have much underlying experience in working with cloud hosting providers.
4. LeaseWeb
Unlike the other cloud hosting providers, LeaseWeb is not cheaper than its main competitor, Amazon. Instead, LeaseWeb offers a more expensive service that makes up for its higher price point with greater functionality. Users that sign up with LeaseWeb can enjoy greater download speeds and a larger amount of traffic support. LeaseWeb is particularly recommended for experienced users that need to address the growing demands of their website. As a site’s traffic builds, they’ll want to look into moving away from Amazon in favor of a service that provides more for a slight increase in price.
5. Linode
Linode used to be one of Digital Ocean’s primary competitors, but shifts in the market have led Linode to be increasingly isolated. Of course, Linode does still provide some useful features to users that have decided to stick with it. Unlike many of the others on this list, Linode offers users a load balancing feature, to ensure that their infrastructure remains stable regardless of incoming traffic. It is worth mentioning though that Linode is only recommended for Linux users, so their services aren’t really for everyone.
6. CloudWays
CloudWays is unique among those on this list in that they also offer managerial services. Unlike the other cloud hosting providers listed here, CloudWays works with users to help them manage their systems across Google, Digital Ocean, and Amazon. As a result of this cross-functionality, CloudWays is particularly useful for users that have had issues in the past trying to keep track of their various providers.
7. Cloudwith.me
Similar to CloudWays, Cloudwith.me works with users to provide them with a managed data center services option. Unlike CloudWays, which works with a range of cloud hosting providers, Cloudwith.me is specifically interested in helping users to work with Amazon. As a result of this specialized focus, Cloudwith.me is primarily geared towards users that do most of their business through Amazon and need a managed services option for that specific sector. Users that regularly mix and match service providers will want to look elsewhere, but those that only work with Amazon will get the most value out of Cloudwith.me’s competitive pricing and improved features.
8. XenPower
For those in Europe, XenPower is perhaps the most competitively priced alternative to Amazon currently available. Although their services are cheap even by international standards, XenPower’s primary focus is on providing a reliable and stable cloud hosting service to the European market.
9. Atlantic.net
Atlantic.net is comparable to Digital Ocean in terms of scalability and pricing, but they lack the accessibility of Digital Ocean. If Atlantic.net’s offerings are enough for your site’s current needs, then they’re an effective option to both Digital Ocean and Amazon. Of course, if they’re not, then it’s probably a better idea to simply go with Digital Ocean.
10. Codero
Codero is another competitively priced cloud-based hosting service that separates itself from most of the others on this list simply by supporting Windows-based systems. While most providers are based on Linux, Codero has also built-in support for Windows and reseller SEO services in order to ensure that it can work with a wider audience.
Although negotiating with Amazon for discounts can be an unique and thrilling experience, it’s oftentimes easier to simply look at what their competitors are offering. In this case, we’ve outlined some of the best alternatives out there for cloud-based hosting services. Whether you’re a new user interested in building a site from the ground up, or an experienced veteran that is looking to expand their operations with greater functionality, there is sure to be something on this list for everyone to take advantage of. As always, the most important thing to do when researching options is to experiment with their promotional opportunities and see which one is the most reliable.