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Amazon Lightsail vs Google Cloud comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 15, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Amazon Lightsail
Ranking in PaaS Clouds
10th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Google Cloud
Ranking in PaaS Clouds
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
74
Ranking in other categories
Infrastructure as a Service Clouds (IaaS) (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the PaaS Clouds category, the mindshare of Amazon Lightsail is 1.4%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Google Cloud is 7.3%, up from 6.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
PaaS Clouds
 

Featured Reviews

Vitor Gabriel Reis Lux Barboza - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides preconfigured templates for common setups and allows for easy configuration of firewall settings directly from the console
There were templates for Ubuntu, for instance, that I used. I used it if I remember, going to 20.04, I guess. It was ready, and I just used the template and it worked well. There is a template for Windows Server, but I didn't test them. Also, the configurations over the firewall in the console work very good for the purpose that we need to isolate it from the internet but allow the connection from specific IP addresses in specific ports. So the filtering in the Lightsail Firewall works good. And I am able to isolate the virtual machine well from the internet in order to avoid DDoS attacks and stuff like that.
Monirul Islam Khan - PeerSpot reviewer
Great for big data with off-the-charts scalability for storage and databases
The solution should be more configurable for high-volume databases. The managed service does not allow flexible database configurations that are needed for better filter performance. We have a TPS first-grade, high-volume database using an ERC system. We are moving to Clarity for managed services and need more configurations to support it. The solution could improve its management services for MongoDB. The website's memory only allows one TB.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"In Lightsail, they simplified to do it in as few clicks as possible. So, around ten clicks, I have a virtual machine deployed."
"One of the product's most valuable features is its fixed pricing, which makes it ideal for small projects and websites that do not require scaling."
"The most valuable features are the usability and customer service."
"I find Lightsail particularly valuable for hosting WordPress as it is easier to set up than a bare metal server, which requires extensive configuration and package installations."
"The initial setup is pretty easy."
"We use Amazon Lightsail for hosting security components in-house and AI modules."
"Implementations are completed with a few clicks, allowing efficient transitions to other development stages, and setup is easy whether for online support or basic business requirements."
"EC2 instances are pre-configured and upgraded, so you can simply select and instantly pay for an EC2 instance to set up WordPress, Node.js, or a server container using Docker."
"GCP has its own tools, and one of the services it provides alongside its hosting services or cloud services is monitoring or performance analysis for the environments they are hosting."
"The solution can scale."
"Every cloud provider, such as Google Cloud, offers analytics capabilities through their dashboards. These dashboards can be configured to display the data you require. Some features are available by default, while others can be created according to your needs."
"The solution's features are very good and our staff loves using them."
"Google Cloud is user friendly and reliable. The most valuable feature is the security of Google Cloud."
"I like that it is free. It's easy to use, and it's reliable."
"I have found almost everything valuable. Most cloud products are moving in this direction, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, and security."
"It eliminates capital expenditures and subsequent MNO that we would use to spend on on-prem architectures. That money is funneled towards security and connectivity provisioning."
 

Cons

"When you need to add some custom rules to Amazon Lightsail, the auto scaling feature is a bit difficult."
"The solution could be smoother than it is."
"Backward compatibility and the flexibility to choose software versions while installing would be improvements."
"The product's network features need enhancement."
"Currently, there is limited support available while installing or configuring it, and resources are primarily available through community-contributed articles."
"I don't see this solution as enterprise-ready, for bigger companies like banks."
"The main area for improvement in Lightsail is the difficulty in scaling down resources."
"It would be beneficial if Lightsail allowed easier upgrade and change processes, similar to EC2 instances, without needing to fully back up and reinstall configurations."
"The performance after long-term use shows the storage is too full, and I cannot add more storage without paying for it."
"Its integration with one of the third-party platforms could be better."
"The security of the solution can always be improved."
"I would like to see Google Cloud become more competitive when it comes to price."
"Microsoft's solution is more common, Google Cloud could improve by being more compatible with different platforms or entities."
"The ease-of-use could be improved for less technical users."
"It is complex to set up."
"Uploading documents could be simplified."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Lightsail is available at an affordable cost starting from five dollars per month."
"Amazon Lightsail is a bit cheaper than Amazon EC2."
"A few months ago, Lightsail's pricing increased, likely due to the addition of the new VPC feature."
"The services that it provides are good for the price."
"It's very cheap."
"The prices are better than EC2 machines, for instance, because they are simplified management, but it works well, and I am able to run everything that I need on it."
"The affordability of starting at five dollars makes it an attractive option for startups and medium-sized companies, aligning with budget considerations while offering essential cloud services."
"This solution is worth the money we are paying. I would rate the pricing a three out of five."
"Compared to Azure Cloud, Google Cloud is more expensive but it is okay."
"Licensing fees are paid monthly."
"We pay for a license."
"It's not really an expensive solution, but it would be better if there were more flexibility in the pricing model."
"The price of Google Cloud is affordable compared to others services. I pay monthly for the service."
"For the license, we didn't have to pay for any additional fees."
"The best part of Google Cloud is that it is cheaper than the competitors."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
22%
Educational Organization
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Educational Organization
53%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Amazon Lightsail?
In Lightsail, they simplified to do it in as few clicks as possible. So, around ten clicks, I have a virtual machine deployed.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Amazon Lightsail?
Lightsail is available at an affordable cost starting from five dollars per month. This cost may increase with additional features like a static IP.
What needs improvement with Amazon Lightsail?
The main area for improvement in Lightsail is the difficulty in scaling down resources. While it is easy to scale up, scaling down is not straightforward and involves additional complexities.
What do you like most about Google Cloud?
Google Cloud is perceived as a cost-effective and user-friendly option, especially compared to AWS. The current affordability and ease of use make it suitable for medium-sized companies. While the ...
What needs improvement with Google Cloud?
The performance after long-term use shows the storage is too full, and I cannot add more storage without paying for it. I want to migrate to another solution if I need to pay for additional storage...
What is your primary use case for Google Cloud?
For personal storage, Google Workspace, Google portal, Google video, Google file, and Google Cloud Shell for programming language.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Expedia, Intuit, Royal Dutch Shell, Brooks Brothers
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Amazon Lightsail vs. Google Cloud and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
832,138 professionals have used our research since 2012.