Compare / AWS
Peter van Doorn
Django on AWS, minus the AWS project
AWS can run anything, which is exactly the problem. Before the first request you pick a service, set up networking, a container registry, a build pipeline, certificates, DNS, secrets and a database.
The short answer. Do it yourself on AWS if you need custom networking, GPUs or multi-region setups. Use Django Cloud if you want AWS's reliability and prices for a Django app, without building the deployment machinery.
Why choose Django Cloud over AWS
- Run it in your own AWS account, or let us run it. On Self-hosted your app runs in your own AWS account: you pay AWS its list price directly and us $10 a month, with no markup on compute. On Fully managed we run a dedicated AWS account for you: $29 a month with a server and a database, and a bigger server or database adds the difference.
- Your own isolated environment, without cold starts. Your app is not squeezed onto servers shared with other customers' apps. It runs in an AWS environment of its own and stays on, so the first visitor after a quiet hour does not wait for a machine to wake up.
- Focused on Django, and nothing else. Static files, migrations before every release, encrypted secrets, rollbacks that warn about database changes and Postgres that connects itself. A generic platform asks you to work these out; we only do Django.
AWS and Django Cloud at a glance
| AWS | Django Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your app runs | Your AWS account | Your AWS account (Self-hosted), the same place |
| Infrastructure prices | AWS list prices | The same AWS list prices, no markup on compute |
| Choosing and wiring services | Yours: compute, networking, registry, build, certificates, DNS, secrets | Done for you |
| Django specifics | Static files, migrations and ALLOWED_HOSTS are yours to solve | Handled on every deploy |
| Day-two work | Rollbacks, alerts, log access and domain setup are yours to build | In the dashboard |
| Custom networking, GPUs, multi-region | Fully possible | Not supported: use AWS directly |
The price of a Lightsail container service
| AWS | Django Cloud Self-hosted | |
|---|---|---|
| Small: 0.5 vCPU, 1 GB, 500 GB transfer included | $15 | $25 ($15 to AWS + $10 to Django Cloud) |
| Medium: 1 vCPU, 2 GB | $40 | $50 |
Django Cloud's Self-hosted plan runs your app on Lightsail containers in your own AWS account, so you pay AWS exactly what you would pay doing it yourself. The $10 buys the deployment layer. New AWS accounts can get credits that may cover the bill; AWS decides who qualifies.
Start for free with AWS Activate credits
On the Self-hosted plan your app runs in your own AWS account, so AWS credits can pay for it. New AWS accounts can get up to $200 in credits, which is the amount most side projects can count on. Startups can also apply for up to $1,000 through AWS Activate, but AWS decides who qualifies and can change the terms.
Apply for AWS Activate creditsOpen an AWS account
When AWS is the better choice
- Any service, any architecture: from Kubernetes to GPUs
- Custom networking, private connectivity and multi-region failover
- Every AWS service available to your app directly
Questions
Is Django Cloud just AWS with a markup?
On Self-hosted you pay AWS its list price directly and Django Cloud $10 a month. The fee pays for the deploy pipeline, Django-aware builds, rollbacks and alerts.
What happens if I stop using Django Cloud?
On Self-hosted your servers and data are in your own AWS account, so they remain yours.
Which AWS service does it use?
Lightsail container services and Lightsail managed Postgres, in your account.
Can AWS credits pay for my Django hosting?
On the Self-hosted plan your app runs in your own AWS account, so AWS credits can cover the AWS bill. New AWS accounts can get up to $200 in credits, and startups can apply for up to $1,000 through AWS Activate. AWS decides who qualifies and can change the terms. You still pay Django Cloud $10 a month, unless we sponsor you: students, open source maintainers, non-profit and scientific projects and AWS Activate startups can apply.
Get your Django project live, the easy way
One command or a git push. We host it for you on AWS, or you keep it in your own AWS account, where AWS credits can cover the AWS bill.
Prices and features were checked in October 2026 against the vendors' own pages (AWS Lightsail pricing), and may have changed since. AWS is a trademark of its owner; Django Cloud is not affiliated with it. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.