Compare / AWS EC2
Peter van Doorn
Django on EC2, without being the sysadmin
An EC2 instance is a blank Linux server. Getting Django onto it means installing Python, Gunicorn and Nginx, issuing certificates, setting up Postgres and backups, writing a deploy script, and patching it for as long as it lives.
The short answer. Use EC2 directly if you want full control of the operating system or run things that are not a container. Use Django Cloud if you just want your Django app running in your own AWS account, with the server work taken care of.
Why choose Django Cloud over AWS EC2
- 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 EC2 and Django Cloud at a glance
| AWS EC2 | Django Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your app runs | Your AWS account | Your AWS account (Self-hosted), the same place |
| What you manage | The operating system, security patches, Nginx, Gunicorn, TLS, Postgres, backups, deploy scripts | Your Django code and settings: the rest is handled |
| Deploying | SSH, a script or a CI pipeline you build | One command, or push to GitHub, with rollbacks |
| Scaling | Load balancer, auto scaling group and health checks to set up | Instances and autoscaling on traffic spikes, set up for you |
| Data transfer | 100 GB a month free across AWS, then per-GB charges; public IPv4 addresses are charged | 500 GB a month included with each Lightsail container service |
| Operating system access | Full root access | None: your app runs in a container |
What the AWS bill looks like
| AWS EC2 | Django Cloud Self-hosted | |
|---|---|---|
| A small server | EC2 per-hour pricing plus storage, IPv4 address and data transfer: several line items to add up | $17 ($7 Nano + $10), in one predictable line |
| 1 GB of memory, 0.5 vCPU | Depends on instance type, storage and region | $25 ($15 Small + $10) |
EC2 prices vary by instance type, region and what you attach, so check the AWS calculator for your case. The Lightsail container prices we use are fixed per size and include data transfer.
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 EC2 is the better choice
- Root access and any software, not just containers
- Hundreds of instance types, including GPUs and very large machines
- Deep integration with the rest of AWS: VPCs, private networking and more
Questions
Is Django Cloud built on EC2?
No. It uses Lightsail container services and Lightsail managed Postgres in your AWS account.
Will I lose control by not using EC2?
You give up root access to the server. Your account, your data and your bill stay yours, and you can still use the rest of AWS next to your app.
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 EC2 on-demand pricing, AWS Lightsail pricing), and may have changed since. AWS EC2 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.