AWS Lambda vs DigitalOcean Functions: Serverless Showdown

Note: Pricing and product information are correct as of September 5, 2024, and subject to change

It can be challenging to deal with the complexities of managing servers, scaling infrastructure, and maintaining uptime—all while trying to build and deploy applications quickly. This constant balancing act often leads to frustration, wasted time, and unnecessary overhead. Serverless functions eliminate the need to manage servers, allowing developers to focus on deploying applications with ease.

For example, a developer working on a cloud-based image-sharing app can use serverless functions to simplify image processing. When a user uploads a photo, a serverless function is triggered to resize the image for different devices automatically. This Function-as-a-Service (FaaS) model scales effortlessly, allowing the app to handle anything from a few to thousands of uploads without the developer needing to manage servers. The serverless function manages cloud application performance, increases cloud ROI by reducing server management costs, and lets you focus on building the features that matter. In this serverless showdown, we’ll explore how the two serverless platforms—AWS Lambda and DigitalOcean Functions- compare in terms of their pricing strategies and features, helping you determine the right fit for your development needs.

Summary

1. Serverless functions allow developers to focus purely on writing code without worrying about managing infrastructure. This model helps ensure your application handles varying workloads, improving efficiency and reducing server management costs.

2. Though AWS Lambda offers an impressive range of features, including wide language support, deep integration with other AWS services, and global scalability through Lambda@Edge, it comes with its complexities, including a steep learning curve for those unfamiliar with the AWS ecosystem. The complex pricing model might lead to unexpected costs due to additional charges for data transfers, API Gateway, and other AWS services, making cost management more challenging.

3. DigitalOcean Functions offers a flexible and efficient serverless computing solution that allows developers to run code on demand and automatically scale to meet fluctuating workload demands.

What is a serverless function?

A serverless function is a single-purpose, stateless piece of code that is executed in response to an event without the need to manage the underlying physical infrastructure. In a serverless computing environment, developers can focus on writing code while the cloud provider provides, scales, and maintains the servers required to run that code. Serverless functions are short-lived and designed to handle specific tasks, such as processing data streams, handling HTTP requests, or performing backend logic.

Overview of DigitalOcean Functions

DigitalOcean Functions offers a powerful serverless computing solution that integrates with applications, allowing you to combine long-running servers and on-demand functions in a unified workflow. This makes it easy to extend your existing applications with new serverless functionalities. DigitalOcean Functions integrate with Managed Databases, providing secure connections and reliable infrastructure while helping to ensure data integrity during app creation. It supports common languages like Node.js, Python, Go, and PHP development. Integrating with DigitalOcean’s App Platform allows for easy deployment and automatic scaling for your core application while enabling serverless execution for event-driven tasks, helping to ensure your entire system remains responsive to user demand.

Overview of AWS Lambda

AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service designed to run code in response to various events, removing the need for developers to manage servers or infrastructure. AWS Lambda natively supports various programming languages, including Java, Python, Node.js, Go, C#, PowerShell, and Ruby. It offers performance optimization options, such as adjusting function memory size and using Provisioned Concurrency to meet high-demand scenarios with low latency. Lambda@Edge runs code globally in response to Amazon CloudFront events, which enables lower latency and personalized content delivery for end users.

AWS Lambda integrates with other AWS services, allowing you to add custom logic to AWS resources like Amazon S3, Amazon DynamoDB, and Amazon Kinesis. While AWS Lambda and Amazon RDS Proxy provide fully managed connection pools for relational databases, it is important to consider that fully using its capabilities may require more in-depth knowledge of AWS’s ecosystem, which might be a challenge for developers unfamiliar with AWS services.

Comparing AWS Lambda vs DigitalOcean Serverless Functions

When choosing between AWS Lambda and DigitalOcean Serverless Functions, key factors include pricing models, ease of deployment, language support, and integration with other provider services. Exploring both platforms can help you find the best fit for your application needs, ensuring cost-efficiency, flexibility, and smoother workflows.

Pricing and cost efficiency

AWS Lambda’s pricing is structured around actual usage, meaning you are charged based on the compute time your functions consume and the number of requests they handle. The free tier provides 1 million requests and 400,000 GB seconds per month. Further costs are measured in milliseconds for compute time and per million requests. This pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pricing model is intended to be flexible, with charges applied only for the resources used.

In addition to the above charges, AWS Lambda may incur additional costs related to data transfer and the use of other AWS services. Data transferred “in” and “out” of your Lambda functions from outside the executing region will be charged at Amazon EC2 data transfer rates, commonly called egress costs. Using AWS services like Amazon S3, AWS LightSail, or other resources in conjunction with Lambda may lead to additional charges based on the usage, such as read/write requests or VPC-related fees.

DigitalOcean Functions offers a straightforward pricing model. Like AWS Lambda, with a PAYG structure, you only pay for the resources you consume, making it easy to manage budgets and scale as needed. A free tier of 90,000 per GB-seconds of compute per month per account makes it easy to get started without incurring immediate costs. For any usage beyond the free tier, you will be charged $0.0000185 per GB-second for additional memory and runtime.

While AWS Lambda offers a more generous free tier than DigitalOcean Functions, the additional costs with AWS Lambda can quickly add up, leading to AWS bill shock. While there are many strategies for AWS cost optimization, the AWS pricing is still complex, with various factors like availability zones, data transfer rates, and additional service charges making it difficult to predict costs accurately. In contrast, DigitalOcean Functions provides a predictable, straightforward, and cost-effective pricing structure, helping you avoid unexpected expenses that can quickly add up in the long run.

Monitoring and logging integration

In AWS Lambda, logging integration might feel somewhat disjointed. After a function is executed, its output is logged to Amazon CloudWatch Logs, which requires users to navigate separately to the CloudWatch console to view and analyze these logs. This separation between function execution and log management might complicate the process, as developers must switch between the Lambda console and CloudWatch to track and debug issues. Although AWS CloudWatch provides logging capabilities, the lack of tighter integration within the Lambda console itself means that users experience additional steps to monitor and manage function logs effectively.

DigitalOcean Functions provides a more integrated logging experience, where logs are accessible directly from the DigitalOcean dashboard. This integration allows for a more cohesive workflow, enabling users to view and manage logs within the same environment where they deploy and monitor their functions. This approach offers a simplified logging experience, reducing the need to switch between different tools and simplifying the monitoring and debugging processes. And now, with DigitalOcean Managed OpenSearch, logs management is made even easier by enabling users to easily forward their logs with just a few clicks from other DigitalOcean databases, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, Kafka, and MongoDB.

Language support

AWS Lambda offers extensive language support, allowing developers to build serverless functions in Java, Python, Node.js, Go, C#, PowerShell, and Ruby. This broad range of native runtimes caters to various application needs, from web services and data processing to complex backend tasks. AWS Lambda simplifies deployment by automatically managing the infrastructure and scaling, helping to ensure that applications built in these languages are executed efficiently without worrying about provisioning or maintaining servers.

DigitalOcean Functions natively supports Node.js, Python, Go, and PHP, enabling developers to build and deploy applications using these popular languages quickly. Additionally, DigitalOcean offers flexibility for those working with other languages by using custom runtimes through Docker containers. This capability allows developers to package their applications in any language or framework and deploy them within the DigitalOcean environment (with just a few clicks), helping to ensure integration and scalability.

Though AWS Lambda supports a broader set of languages than DigitalOcean, DigitalOcean’s ability to use Docker containers or custom runtime at no extra cost provides a versatile solution for supporting other languages. In contrast, AWS’s complex ecosystem may come with higher associated costs and the potential risk of vendor lock-in, making DigitalOcean a flexible and cost-effective option for developers seeking language support outside AWS’s native offerings.

Handling HTTP requests

AWS Lambda uses Amazon API Gateway to process HTTP requests. API Gateway serves as an intermediary, routing traffic to Lambda functions, handling scaling, and managing various complexities such as authentication, rate limiting, and caching. When an HTTP request is received, API Gateway triggers the corresponding Lambda function, passes the request data, and waits for the function’s response. It then returns the function’s output to the client, ensuring that tasks like traffic management, security, and performance optimization are handled in the background.

DigitalOcean Functions offers direct HTTP endpoints for each function. Every function has a unique URL, allowing users to send HTTP requests directly without needing an intermediary service like API Gateway. This simplifies the process, as developers can invoke functions and handle HTTP requests without worrying about the complexities of an additional service layer.

While Amazon API Gateway is powerful, this setup can introduce additional configuration steps and costs, especially when managing multiple APIs or complex workflows. By handling HTTP requests natively, DigitalOcean Functions often provides a more simplified and cost-effective solution than AWS Lambda for many users. There’s no need for extra configuration or management of an external gateway, simplifying development and reducing the risk of additional costs. This direct integration enables developers to focus on building their applications without the overhead of managing APIs through a separate service, making DigitalOcean Functions more accessible and budget-friendly for many use cases.

Support plans

When issues occur with your cloud infrastructure, timely support from your provider impacts your ability to minimize downtime and avoid extended disruptions. If you use Amazon Web Services (AWS), consider the support response times associated with different support plans. Factors like the availability of Technical Account Managers (TAMs) can help you evaluate which cloud provider offers the best alignment with your business’s support needs and uptime requirements.

DigitalOcean support

DigitalOcean support is known for its accessible and affordable support options, catering specifically to developers, startups, and small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

DigitalOcean provides free support to all customers, regardless of their subscription tier.

AWS support

AWS provides a range of support plans, from the free basic plan to the premium enterprise plan, each offering different access levels, response times, and pricing. While the higher-tier plans include benefits such as dedicated Technical Account Managers (TAMs) and faster response times, they require a considerable financial commitment.

The AWS support tiers and their pricing are as follows:

• Basic support plan: Free but limited to account and billing support

• Developer support plan: $29 per month or 3% of your AWS monthly charges (whichever is higher)

• Business support plan: $100 per month or 10% of your AWS monthly charges (up to $10,000)

• Enterprise On-Ramp Support Plan: Starts at $5,500 per month or 10% of your AWS monthly charges

• Enterprise Support Plan: Starts at $15,000 per month or a higher percentage of your AWS monthly charges

AWS does not provide approximate response times for its support plans. In contrast, DigitalOcean offers several benefits, including average response times, average resolution times, and email support, all while offering affordable prices. A direct Slack channel for communication (available in the Premium Support Plan) facilitates quicker responses from a team of dedicated technical advisors. DigitalOcean’s accessible, cost-effective, and dedicated support is tailored to the specific needs of SMBs, startups, and developers. It is an excellent choice for developers and businesses with limited budgets or those seeking a more responsive and personalized support experience.

Scale your code, slash your costs—Go serverless with DigitalOcean!

DigitalOcean Functions simplifies your development process by offering a managed serverless computing environment that lets you focus on coding rather than infrastructure management. With DigitalOcean Functions, you can run your code on demand, automatically scale based on fluctuating workloads, and only pay for the compute time you use. This efficient setup allows you to quickly build, deploy, and manage applications without the hassle of provisioning or managing servers.

Key features:

• Unified experience for serverfull and serverless: Build applications that combine long-running servers and on-demand functions with an integrated workflow, making extending existing applications with new serverless functionalities easy.

• Integration with Managed Databases: Effortlessly add Managed Databases during app creation to further simplify the database management process. Secure connections between your applications and databases with trusted sources, helping to ensure data integrity and reliability.

• Functions developer console: Test and develop your functions locally using your preferred editors and IDEs. Live-preview your functions before committing to GitHub or GitLab and seamlessly deploy them to production.

• Support for common languages and runtimes: Enjoy out-of-the-box support for popular runtimes like Node.js, Python, Go, and PHP. Benefit from automatic patches and updates that help keep your execution environment stable and secure.

• Build APIs: Quickly create and integrate APIs into your website or app without learning new languages or frameworks. Leverage sample apps to jumpstart your development process.

Sign up for a hassle-free, serverless experience by exploring DigitalOcean’s offerings today!