Best Amazon EC2 Alternatives 2026

Scalable compute resources with diverse instance types, operating systems, and pricing models. Perfect for demanding applications, offering robust security, high availability, and seamless integration with other AWS services. Ideal for businesses of all sizes.

Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) is a web service that provides resizable computing capacity in the cloud. It is designed to make web-scale cloud computing easier for developers. EC2 offers a variety of instance types, operating systems, and pricing models, enabling users to tailor their compute resources to their specific needs. With EC2, users can launch virtual server instances, configure networking and security, and manage storage.

7
Top Alternatives
10
User Reviews
4.5
Avg. Rating

Recent Reviews

AB
Alice Brown
Software Engineer

"Amazon EC2 has been a game-changer for our development team. The ability to quickly provision and scale resources based..."

BJ
Bob Johnson
System Administrator

"EC2 provides a solid foundation for our infrastructure. Managing instances is relatively straightforward, and the securi..."

CD
Carol Davis
Data Scientist

"For running complex machine learning models, EC2's GPU-accelerated instances are invaluable. The performance is top-notc..."

Amazon EC2

aws.amazon.com

Amazon EC2 offers scalable compute capacity in the cloud. It provides virtual servers with different OS, databases, and more. Pay only for what you use.

Platform Highlights

  • Highly scalable infrastructure
  • Variety of instance types
  • Pay-as-you-go pricing
  • Complex pricing structure
  • Requires technical expertise
Global Rank
#1
Monthly Users
Millions
Founded
2006
Model
Pay-as-you-go
Revenue Share
N/A
Content Policy
N/A
Creator Satisfaction 80%

Based on 12,000+ creator reviews

Amazon EC2 Alternatives

Compare top cloud hosting platforms with detailed reviews and ratings

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1

Google Compute Engine

Recommended Professional

Google Compute Engine provides virtual machines in Google's data centers. Offers different machine types, preemptible instances, and global networking. Ideal for demanding workloads.

Web, Linux, Windows
Paid Option
cloud.google.com
4.4 (0 reviews)
78% recommend
FM
Frank Martinez
Security Engineer

"From a security perspective, GCE offers a robust set of features and controls. The ability to isolate instances in virtu..."

Match Score
90%
2

Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines

Professional

Azure Virtual Machines offers on-demand, scalable computing resources. Supports Windows and Linux, various instance sizes, and integrated Azure services. Great enterprise solution.

Web, Linux, Windows
Paid Option
azure.microsoft.com
4.3 (0 reviews)
76% recommend
AB
Alice Brown
System Administrator

"Azure Virtual Machines have been a game-changer for our infrastructure. The scalability is fantastic, allowing us to eas..."

Match Score
85%
3

DigitalOcean Droplets

Professional

DigitalOcean Droplets are simple, scalable virtual machines. Ideal for developers and small businesses. Offers easy-to-use interface and predictable pricing. Good choice.

Web, Linux
Paid Option
digitalocean.com
4.2 (0 reviews)
74% recommend
AJ
Alice Johnson
Software Engineer

"DigitalOcean Droplets have been a game-changer for my development workflow. The simplicity of deployment combined with t..."

Match Score
70%
4

Vultr Cloud Compute

Professional

Vultr offers cloud compute instances with SSD storage and a global network. Fast deployment, hourly billing, and various operating systems. Perfect for developers.

Web, Linux, Windows
Paid Option
vultr.com
4.1 (0 reviews)
72% recommend
AB
Alice Brown
System Administrator

"Vultr's cloud compute has been a game-changer for our infrastructure. The deployment process is incredibly fast and stra..."

Match Score
65%
5

Linode

Professional

Linode offers cloud servers with SSD storage and a developer-friendly platform. Provides scalable infrastructure, various Linux distributions, and a global presence. Nice.

Web, Linux
Paid Option
linode.com
4.0 (0 reviews)
70% recommend
AJ
Alice Johnson
System Administrator

"Linode has been a game-changer for our infrastructure. The deployment process is incredibly straightforward, and the con..."

Match Score
60%
6

Hetzner Cloud

Professional

Hetzner Cloud offers affordable virtual servers with SSD storage and a simple interface. Fast deployment, hourly billing, and different server locations. It's useful.

Web, Linux
Paid Option
hetzner.com
3.9 (0 reviews)
68% recommend
AJ
Alice Johnson
System Administrator

"Hetzner Cloud has been a game-changer for our infrastructure. The pricing is incredibly competitive, and the performance..."

Match Score
55%
7

OVHcloud VPS

Professional

OVHcloud VPS provides virtual private servers with SSD storage and various operating systems. Offers dedicated resources, scalable infrastructure, and global availability. Powerful.

Web, Linux, Windows
Paid Option
ovhcloud.com
3.8 (0 reviews)
66% recommend
AJ
Alice Johnson
System Administrator

"OVHcloud VPS has been a game-changer for our infrastructure. The scalability is phenomenal, allowing us to easily adjust..."

Match Score
50%
User Reviews

What users say about Amazon EC2

Real experiences from our community of users who have tried Amazon EC2 and its alternatives.

4.5
Average Rating
10
Total Reviews
80%
Would Recommend
AB
Alice Brown
Software Engineer • 1 month ago
Verified User

Amazon EC2 has been a game-changer for our development team. The ability to quickly provision and scale resources based on our needs has significantly improved our efficiency. We've also benefited greatly from the wide variety of instance types available, allowing us to optimize costs for different workloads. The integration with other AWS services is seamless and robust.

Verified Purchase
BJ
Bob Johnson
System Administrator • 1 month ago
Verified User

EC2 provides a solid foundation for our infrastructure. Managing instances is relatively straightforward, and the security features are comprehensive. While the initial setup can be a bit complex, the documentation is thorough and helpful. We appreciate the flexibility it offers in terms of operating systems and software choices. Monitoring tools are great for keeping track of resource utilization.

Verified Purchase
CD
Carol Davis
Data Scientist • 1 month ago
User

For running complex machine learning models, EC2's GPU-accelerated instances are invaluable. The performance is top-notch, allowing us to train models much faster than on our local machines. The ability to easily scale up resources for computationally intensive tasks is a huge advantage. Setting up the environment with necessary libraries can be tricky, but the community support is excellent.

Verified Purchase
DW
David Wilson
DevOps Engineer • 1 month ago
Verified User

EC2 is a powerful tool, but it comes with a steep learning curve. Managing instances at scale requires a good understanding of AWS infrastructure and automation. While the cost can be optimized with reserved instances, it's easy to overspend if you're not careful. The integration with other AWS services like CloudWatch is a definite plus.

Verified Purchase
EG
Eve Garcia
Startup Founder • 1 month ago
User

EC2 has been essential for launching our startup. It allowed us to quickly deploy our application without the need for expensive hardware investments. The pay-as-you-go pricing model is perfect for early-stage companies with limited budgets. However, managing costs effectively requires constant monitoring and optimization efforts. Overall, a great solution for scaling a business.

Verified Purchase
FR
Frank Rodriguez
Security Architect • 1 month ago
Verified User

From a security perspective, EC2 offers robust features for protecting your infrastructure. Security Groups, IAM roles, and encryption options provide a strong foundation for building secure applications. Regularly patching and updating your instances is crucial, but EC2 provides the necessary tools for managing security effectively. The shared responsibility model requires diligence, but offers excellent control.

Verified Purchase
GM
Grace Martinez
Project Manager • 1 month ago
User

EC2 has been instrumental in enabling our team to work efficiently and collaboratively on various projects. The scalability and flexibility offered by EC2 allow us to easily adapt to changing project requirements. The comprehensive documentation and readily available support resources make it easier to troubleshoot any issues that may arise. Overall, a solid and reliable solution for managing compute resources.

Verified Purchase