Amazon Lightsail Pricing: A Detailed Guide

Amazon Lightsail is an excellent option for developers and small businesses needing virtual servers. It’s easier to use than Amazon’s more advanced EC2 instances and offers predictable pricing. Here’s a detailed breakdown of Lightsail’s pricing to help you determine if it’s the right choice for your needs.

Instances

Lightsail offers various instance types with different combinations of compute power, memory, and storage. Pricing is on a monthly basis but also supports hourly billing. Instance prices start at $3.50 per month for basic configurations.

512 MB RAM, 1 vCPU, 20 GB SSD: $3.50/month
1 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 40 GB SSD: $5.00/month
2 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 60 GB SSD: $10.00/month
4 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 80 GB SSD: $20.00/month
8 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, 160 GB SSD: $40.00/month

The prices include a certain amount of data transfer: 1 TB for all plans. Additional data transfer costs $0.09 per GB.

Bundles

Lightsail also offers pre-configured application stacks. Pricing here includes the cost of the bundle as well as the virtual server it runs on. Some popular bundles include WordPress, LAMP, and Node.js. The price mirrors that of the instances, so smaller configurations are cheaper.

LAMP Stack: Similar prices and configurations as the regular instances.
WordPress: Pricing matches the instance selection. Starting at $3.50 per month.
Node.js: Prices start at $3.50 per month.

For these bundles, the cost doesn’t increase, but the pre-packaged nature does simplify deployment.

Data Transfer

Each instance comes with a predefined data transfer allowance. Exceeding this will incur extra charges. The first TB is included in your monthly cost. Beyond that, $0.09 per GB will be billed.

Static IPs

Static IPs are free to use. However, each account is limited to a maximum of five static IPs. If you exceed that, you’ll need to request an increase, which might incur additional costs.

Block Storage

Lightsail offers block storage at $0.10 per GB per month. Unlike the instance storage, this can be detached and moved between instances. It’s also useful for databases or applications needing persistent storage.

Snapshots

Snapshots allow you to create backups of your instances. This is particularly useful for disaster recovery. Lightsail charges $0.05 per GB per month for snapshot storage. Creating and managing snapshots through the UI is straightforward, so you don’t need extensive technical knowledge.

Databases

Managed databases also come with predictable pricing. Managed database plans start at $15.00 per month for 1 GB of RAM and 10 GB storage. Higher configurations have higher prices.

Standard Configuration: $15.00/month for 1 GB Ram, 10 GB SSD.
Intermediate: $30.00/month for 2 GB RAM, 20 GB SSD.
High Performance: $75.00/month for 4 GB RAM, 40 GB SSD.

Each database instance includes a free daily backup option. Additional storage for automated backups is billed at $0.10 per GB per month.

Other Services

Lightsail also provides other services such as containerized applications and content delivery networks. Container services start at $7.00 per month. Each service package includes 512 MB memory, 0.25 vCPU, and 1 GB storage. Additional configurations are available for higher prices.

The CDN service starts at $2.50 per month for 50 GB data transfer. Additional data transfer beyond 50 GB is charged at $0.09 per GB.

Comparing to EC2

For light applications, Lightsail is often cheaper and easier to manage than EC2. However, if you need advanced features like custom networking or high availability, EC2 might be more cost-effective. EC2 offers a pay-as-you-go model which can sometimes lead to unpredictable bills.

In summary, Lightsail provides straightforward and predictable pricing suitable for many small to medium applications. Its simplified setup makes it accessible even if you’re not deeply technical. By knowing your requirements and the fees involved, you can make an informed decision for your next project.