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AWS App Runner vs AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) comparison

AWS App Runner and AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) are both solutions in the Development Platforms category. AWS App Runner is ranked #6 with an average rating of 9.0, while AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.0. AWS App Runner holds a 0.5% mindshare in DP, compared to AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK)’s 9.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of AWS App Runner users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) users who would recommend it.
AWS App Runner
Read 2 AWS App Runner reviews
  • 115 Views
  • 2 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
AWS Cloud Development Kit (...
Read 5 AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) reviews
  • 216 Views
  • 82 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between AWS App Runner and AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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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

AWS App Runner
Ranking in Development Platforms
6th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
AWS Cloud Development Kit (...
Ranking in Development Platforms
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
5
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Development Platforms category, the mindshare of AWS App Runner is 0.5%. The mindshare of AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) is 9.9%, up from 7.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Development Platforms
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2677686 - PeerSpot reviewer
Automated processes have led to significant cost savings and efficiency improvements
There are too many technical details for a single developer to know, making it overwhelming. It would benefit from a roadmap wizard or templates to guide developers. AWS App Runner should have a wizard and templates to simplify creating a REST service. Developers need clearer guidance to avoid spending excessive time understanding the system.
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Asif Meem - PeerSpot reviewer
An easy-to-deploy solution that can be used to write code to provision infrastructure
We use AWS CDK for defining infrastructure as code You can use AWS CDK to write code to provision infrastructure. The solution has a significant quality of life improvement for software developers who can code to spin up infrastructure on AWS. Using AWS CDK requires some knowledge of popular…
Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Our company realized tremendous cost savings by eliminating the need for a separate DevOps team."
"I like that the solution is easy to start with."
"AWS CDK has notably streamlined the deployment process compared to other methods, primarily by defining cloud infrastructure as code."
"The most valuable features of the AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) are its speed and ease of deployment."
"You can use AWS CDK to write code to provision infrastructure."
"The setup process is very straightforward."
"AWS CDK offers seamless integration, which was a significant factor in choosing it for cloud computing."
"One of the most valuable aspects of CDK is its ability to integrate various components seamlessly, such as Lambda functions, API Gateway, DynamoDB, and EventBridge."
 

Cons

"There are too many technical details for a single developer to know, making it overwhelming."
"When you try to deploy some code that you've written and tested on other platforms, you should also tell the system what your configuration would be."
"There are some issues with different plugins."
"They could allow combining multiple languages, such as JavaScript and Python for the platform. At present, we can use only one language."
"There is room for improvement in the use of EventBridge and the initial setup of CDK, which can be a bit challenging."
"Using AWS CDK requires some knowledge of popular programming languages."
"The primary issue we've encountered is pricing. Some customers find the pricing to be somewhat high. Additionally, there's a discrepancy between the promised resource utilization and the actual utilization. The resource utilization calculations don't align with the provided guidelines. So, the pricing and resource utilization calculations could be refined."
"There is room for improvement in the use of EventBridge and the initial setup of CDK, which can be a bit challenging."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"You pay as much as your infrastructure and provision are running."
"Since AWS CDK is an open-source solution, it's free to use."
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Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS App Runner?
You pay as much as your infrastructure and provision are running. If it's scaled down to zero, the infrastructure is not running, and you don't pay. This is a great feature. As long as some of your...
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What needs improvement with AWS App Runner?
While fighting some of the issues I was facing, I also found that others were complaining about the things I've been noticing. I'm sure addressing those things takes some time because AWS App Runne...
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What is your primary use case for AWS App Runner?
I think the solution is growing in size. It's like a multi-tier website that wants to provide some microblogging data being collected personally, but it does so in different tiers. The first one is...
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What do you like most about AWS CDK?
The most valuable features of the AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) are its speed and ease of deployment.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS CDK?
Over time, I expect AWS to become more cost-efficient and resilient. Although the pricing is currently high, I hope they continue to improve their system, which will lead to cost reductions.
See all answers
What needs improvement with AWS CDK?
There is room for improvement in the use of EventBridge and the initial setup of CDK, which can be a bit challenging. The IAM policies could be simplified to make the setup process more straightfor...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
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March 2025
AWS App Runner reportDownload AWS App Runner product report
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AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) reportDownload AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) product report
 

Overview

AWS App Runner is primarily used for deploying and scaling web applications and APIs, known for its seamless integration with GitHub, automatic scaling, and serverless nature.

AWS App Runner allows efficient deployment and scaling of web applications and APIs by offering automatic scaling without complex configurations. It smoothly integrates with other AWS services and simplifies the transition from development to production. Users value its serverless nature, reducing operational overhead, and its capacity to manage containerized applications and handle traffic spikes effectively.

What are the key features of AWS App Runner?
  • Automatic Scaling: Adjusts resources as needed without manual intervention.
  • Seamless Integration: Easy connection with GitHub and other AWS services.
  • Ease of Deployment: Simplifies the setup process for containerized applications.
  • Robust Monitoring: Enhances operational efficiency with comprehensive monitoring capabilities.
  • Cost-Effective: Offers an affordable solution for many users.
What benefits and ROI should users look for in reviews?
  • Reduced Operational Overhead: Allows focusing on core applications.
  • Traffic Management: Efficiently handles traffic spikes and reduces downtime.
  • Resource Efficiency: Effective management of resources through AWS integration.
  • Ease of Transition: Smooth transition from development to production.
  • Cost Savings: Notable for its cost-effective pricing model.

In industries like e-commerce and tech startups, AWS App Runner streamlines deploying and managing web applications, enhancing scalability and operational efficiency. Healthtech and fintech sectors also benefit from its ability to handle containerized applications and significant traffic, aiding in maintaining continuous service delivery.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

The AWS Cloud Development Kit (AWS CDK) is an open source software development framework to model and provision your cloud application resources using familiar programming languages.

Provisioning cloud applications can be a challenging process that requires you to perform manual actions, write custom scripts, maintain templates, or learn domain-specific languages. AWS CDK uses the familiarity and expressive power of programming languages for modeling your applications. It provides you with high-level components that preconfigure cloud resources with proven defaults, so you can build cloud applications without needing to be an expert. AWS CDK provisions your resources in a safe, repeatable manner through AWS CloudFormation. It also enables you to compose and share your own custom components that incorporate your organization's requirements, helping you start new projects faster.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Expedia, Intuit, Royal Dutch Shell, Brooks Brothers
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March 2025
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