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AWS Lambda vs Cloudflare Workers
Short answer: Pick AWS Lambda if you want pay-per-use serverless functions; pick Cloudflare Workers if you want edge-native serverless functions. AWS Lambda is paid; Cloudflare Workers has a free plan.
AWS LambdaRun code without managing servers, billed per request
Cloudflare WorkersServerless code on Cloudflare's global networkWhich to pick
Pick AWS Lambda if you want…
- Pay-per-use serverless functions
- Integrations with Amazon S3, Amazon DynamoDB or Amazon Kinesis (on AWS Lambda's list, not Cloudflare Workers')
Pick Cloudflare Workers if you want…
- Edge-native serverless functions
- A free plan to start with
- Integrations with JavaScript, TypeScript or Python (on Cloudflare Workers' list, not AWS Lambda's)
Side by side
- What it is
- AWS Lambda:AWS Lambda runs code without managing servers, charging only for compute time used.
- Cloudflare Workers:Cloudflare Workers lets you run serverless functions globally on Cloudflare’s edge network in JavaScript, TypeScript, Python or Rust.
- Best for
- AWS Lambda:Pay-per-use serverless functions
- Cloudflare Workers:Edge-native serverless functions
- Who it’s for
- AWS Lambda:Developers building event-driven, web, or isolated compute workloads.
- Cloudflare Workers:Developers building APIs, web apps, or edge logic who need low-latency, globally distributed compute.
- Pricing
- AWS Lambda:Paid
- Cloudflare Workers:Freemium
- Free plan or trial
- AWS Lambda:—
- Cloudflare Workers:Free plan (Free)
- Plans
- AWS Lambda:—
- Cloudflare Workers:Free $0
- Works with
- AWS Lambda:Amazon S3, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon Kinesis, Apache Kafka, Amazon SQS, Amazon DynamoDB Streams, Express, Hono
- Cloudflare Workers:JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Rust
AWS Lambda features
- Event Functions. Run code triggered by over 220 AWS services with automatic scaling and pay-per-use billing.
- Web Functions. Deploy standard Node.js HTTP servers globally with multi-region routing and active CPU billing.
- MicroVMs. Execute code in isolated sandboxes with state retention and lifecycle control.
- Managed Instances. Dedicated EC2-backed capacity for compute-intensive jobs with longer timeouts.
- Durable Functions. Orchestrate long-running, multi-step workflows with built-in branching and retries.
- Real-time Processing. Process streaming data from Kinesis, Kafka, SQS, and DynamoDB Streams with sub-second latency.
Cloudflare Workers features
- Global deployment. Deploy code to 330+ cities instantly, reducing latency for users worldwide.
- No cold starts. Functions start instantly without pre-warming, improving response times.
- Infinite concurrency. Scale automatically to handle any number of simultaneous requests.
- Pay-for-usage pricing. Only pay for CPU time and requests; no idle charges.
- Local development runtime. Test functions locally with the open-source workerd runtime before deploying.
AWS Lambda vs Cloudflare Workers FAQ
What is the difference between AWS Lambda and Cloudflare Workers?+
Cloudflare Workers: Runs serverless code on Cloudflare’s edge network, focused on global low-latency edge execution.
Should I use AWS Lambda or Cloudflare Workers?+
Pick AWS Lambda if you want pay-per-use serverless functions or integrations with Amazon S3, Amazon DynamoDB or Amazon Kinesis (on AWS Lambda's list, not Cloudflare Workers'). Pick Cloudflare Workers if you want edge-native serverless functions, a free plan to start with or integrations with JavaScript, TypeScript or Python (on Cloudflare Workers' list, not AWS Lambda's).
Is AWS Lambda or Cloudflare Workers free?+
AWS Lambda is paid. Cloudflare Workers has a free plan and paid plans.
Do AWS Lambda and Cloudflare Workers integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: AWS Lambda lists Amazon S3, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon Kinesis, Apache Kafka and 5 more; Cloudflare Workers lists JavaScript, TypeScript, Python and Rust.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.