AWS Lambda vs Amazon S3

Serverless computing that makes you feel like a wizard—until you get hit with cold starts and vendor lock-in meets the internet's universal storage closet: infinitely scalable, but watch out for those surprise bills. Here's our take.

AWS Lambda

Nice Pick

Serverless computing that makes you feel like a wizard—until you get hit with cold starts and vendor lock-in.

Pros

• No server management—just upload code and it runs automatically
• Auto-scales from zero to thousands of concurrent executions
• Pay-per-use pricing model (you only pay for compute time)
• Integrates seamlessly with other AWS services like S3 and API Gateway

Cons

• Cold starts can cause unpredictable latency spikes
• Vendor lock-in with AWS ecosystem makes migration painful
• Limited execution time and memory constraints (up to 15 minutes)

Amazon S3

The internet's universal storage closet: infinitely scalable, but watch out for those surprise bills.

Pros

• 11 nines of durability means your data is basically immortal
• Seamless integration with the entire AWS ecosystem
• Static website hosting that's dead simple to set up

Cons

• Costs can spiral if you forget to clean up old versions or misconfigure lifecycle policies
• Complex permission model (IAM) that's a headache for beginners

The Verdict

Use AWS Lambda if: You want no server management—just upload code and it runs automatically and can live with cold starts can cause unpredictable latency spikes.

Use Amazon S3 if: You prioritize 11 nines of durability means your data is basically immortal over what AWS Lambda offers.

The Bottom Line

AWS Lambda wins

Serverless computing that makes you feel like a wizard—until you get hit with cold starts and vendor lock-in.