AWS vs Hetzner: Which One Fits Your Solo Dev Stack?
Free tier limits, real costs for 1-10 users, and honest "not for" warnings. The Solo Dev decision guide for AWS vs Hetzner.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Hetzner edges ahead with a 4.6/5 rating. However, the best choice depends on your team size, budget, and workflow needs. Read on for the full breakdown.
💰 Cost by Team Size
| Team Size | AWS | Hetzner |
|---|---|---|
| Solo (1 user) | $5/mo | $3.29/mo |
| Small (5 users) | $50/mo | $5.39/mo |
| Growing (10 users) | $150/mo | $15.59/mo |
| Free Tier | ✅ 12-month free tier | ❌ No |
Pricing Plans
| Plan | AWS | Hetzner |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Pay-as-you-go | $0/mo | $3.29/mo |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | AWS | Hetzner |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Documentation | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
Pros & Cons
AWS
✅ Pros
- Modern and well-maintained
- Good free tier for solo developers
- Active community
❌ Cons
- Learning curve for advanced features
- Pricing can escalate with team growth
Hetzner
✅ Pros
- Most cost-effective cloud hosting in the market
- Excellent bare metal and VPS performance
- European data centers (GDPR-friendly)
- Transparent pricing — no hidden costs
❌ Cons
- Mostly EU/US regions (no Asia-Pacific)
- Less managed services than AWS/GCP
- Dashboard is functional but not modern
Who Should Use What?
✅ Choose AWS if...
- You are a solo developers
- You are a small startups
- You are a side projects
🚫 Skip if...
- Enterprise with complex compliance needs
✅ Choose Hetzner if...
- You are a budget-conscious developers
- You are a self-hosted projects
- You are a eu-based companies
🚫 Skip if...
- Teams needing global CDN edge presence
- Users wanting fully managed PaaS
🏆 Our Verdict
Both AWS (4.5/5) and Hetzner (4.6/5) are excellent tools in their category. Hetzner takes a slight edge overall, but the best choice ultimately depends on your team's specific needs, budget, and existing tool ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AWS better than Hetzner?
It depends on your needs. AWS excels in some areas while Hetzner has its own strengths. Read our full comparison above to see which tool fits your specific requirements.
How does AWS pricing compare to Hetzner?
AWS starts at Free / $0/mo, while Hetzner starts at $3.29/mo. Both offer different value propositions — check our pricing comparison section for a detailed breakdown.
Can I migrate from AWS to Hetzner?
Yes, most B2B tools offer data import/export features. Hetzner typically provides migration guides and sometimes even dedicated support for switching from AWS.
Which is easier to use, AWS or Hetzner?
Ease of use depends on your team's experience and workflow preferences. We evaluated both tools on usability — see our feature comparison scores above for details.
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