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26 reviews
Save BIG on
AWS Activate
Save up to $300,000 on AWS Activate
AWS Activate
Used by 5702 members
Up to $100,000 in credits or 20-50% off your monthly spend through an AWS partner (must be spending $100+/month)
Save up to $300,000 on AWS Activate
Save BIG on
AWS Activate
Save up to $300,000 on AWS Activate
Get deal for free
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As someone who has experience working through AWS Activate, I have spent a tremendous amount of time using their platform, where I have ultimately seen them become a trusted partner for startups who wish to scale. I have worked within various customer bases, building everything from a fintech startups first app to one of the largest e-commerce sites in the country, scaling to thousands of concurrent users. AWS Activate, using services like EC2 and RDS, do have reliable offerings for startups that their onboarding process is almost seamless. So, while the proverbial tidal wave was upon us, it provided some level of emergency anchoring for the startups we supported that they could bank on.
That said, there still does remain some level of cost visibility issue that seems a little foggy; for example, customers continue to get hit with surprise build time add ons like IP addresses or additional support. And then there is the initial set up experiences like Virtual Private Clouds (VPC); these were difficult to comprehend. They show up in startup workshops like IKEA directions, first frustration then wanting outcome on completion.
AWS Activate provides the reliability and performance needed for startup products at high growth stages. The learning curve and unexpected incremental billing surprises are not enough of a barrier against reliability and stability for products.
Access to a wide range of services
AWS Activate provides access to a multitude of services such as EC2, S3, and RDS, which can be beneficial for startups and businesses looking to scale their operations
Potential for learning and exploration
AWS Activate offers a free tier that allows users to learn about the platform and explore its potential for hosting websites and applications
Powers a significant portion of the internet
Despite some negative reviews, it's undeniable that AWS powers a significant portion of the internet, which speaks to its reliability and wide usage.
Reliable uptime
Users have reported reliable uptime when using AWS Activate, ensuring that their services and applications remain available to their customers at all times
Reasonable pricing
Despite some complaints about unexpected charges, many users find the pricing of AWS Activate to be reasonable when compared to the breadth of services it offers
Complicated and time-consuming configuration
The mandatory use of VPC for everything can be frustrating for users. It is not necessary for everyone and requires a lot of time to configure
Confusing structure and terminology
The AWS structure and terminology can be baffling for users, making it difficult to understand and use the platform effectively. This is compounded by a billing system that many find nonsensical, with charges for seemingly every feature and service.
Ineffective spam protection
AWS offers a spam protection feature for emails, but many users find it completely ineffective. It reportedly fails to mark any emails as spam, leading to an influx of unwanted emails
Poor customer service
Users have reported difficulty in contacting customer service for billing issues. The process is often described as a complicated runaround, with users being directed to different departments without resolution
High and unexpected costs
Many users have reported being charged for services they did not use or thought were free. This includes charges for validation regions, IP addresses, and technical support. Some users have even reported being charged after their accounts were suspended or blocked
Amazon's cloud services platform
Up to $100,000 in credits or 20-50% off your monthly spend through an AWS partner (must be spending $100+/month)
Save up to $300,000
Starting Price
Free Plan
Content distribution
Machine Learning
Cloud storage
Computing power
Startup business resources
More details about AWS Activate plans
N/A
Free Plan
Yes
Content distribution
Machine Learning
Cloud storage
Computing power
Startup business resources
Amazon's cloud services platform
Up to $100,000 in credits or 20-50% off your monthly spend through an AWS partner (must be spending $100+/month)
Save up to $300,000
Snowflake and AWS (Amazon Web Services) are both formidable players in the world of cloud data warehousing and analytics. While they share common ground in providing data solutions, they have distinct differences that make them suitable for various business needs.
One fundamental difference lies in their offerings. Snowflake is renowned for its specialization in cloud data warehousing. It provides a comprehensive platform solely focused on data storage, processing, and analytics. Snowflake's architecture is designed with a multi-cluster, multi-cloud approach, offering unique features such as data sharing and a separation of storage and compute resources.
On the other hand, AWS is a comprehensive cloud computing provider that encompasses a vast array of services beyond data warehousing. Amazon Redshift, AWS's data warehousing solution, is just one piece of its extensive cloud ecosystem. AWS caters to businesses seeking not only data warehousing but also compute, storage, machine...
AWS Activate
Used by 5702 members
Amazon's cloud services platform
Up to $100,000 in credits or 20-50% off your monthly spend through an AWS partner (must be spending $100+/month)
Save up to $300,000
Azure and AWS are two leaders in the cloud computing services industry. Azure offers four forms of cloud computing, including infrastructure as a service, platform as a service, software as a service, and sever-less functions. Designed and maintained by Microsoft, Azure is often the first choice of exiting Microsoft users. AWS offers a range of solutions catering to various industries, including the financial services, government, and retail sectors. AWS has also been around for longer and, as a result, holds a larger market share.
While the two platforms’ product offerings are broadly similar, the way they provide them varies. For example, Azure and AWS use different methods of creating private networks for users. AWS uses a virtual private cloud (VPC), a form of hybrid cloud deployment. This private cloud is stored in isolation within a public cloud. In comparison, Azure uses a virtual private network (VPN), creating a secure connection to another network, giving Azure...
AWS Activate
Used by 5702 members
Amazon's cloud services platform
Up to $100,000 in credits or 20-50% off your monthly spend through an AWS partner (must be spending $100+/month)
Save up to $300,000
Microsoft Azure
Used by 1906 members
Empowering your cloud journey with Microsoft Azure
$5,000 in credits for 6 months if you didn't raise funds // Up to $150,000 in credits for 2 years if you did
Save up to $150,000
Vercel and AWS are both prominent players in the field of cloud hosting and deployment, but they cater to distinct audiences and offer varying features and capabilities.
The primary difference between Vercel and AWS lies in their target user base and the scope of services they provide. Vercel is tailored to developers and small to medium-sized teams seeking a simplified and developer-friendly platform. It excels in quick and straightforward web application deployments, making it an excellent choice for projects where speed and ease of use are top priorities. Vercel's focus on front-end technologies and continuous deployment workflows makes it a favorite among web developers.
In contrast, AWS (Amazon Web Services) is a comprehensive cloud computing platform with a vast array of services, spanning infrastructure, storage, databases, AI/ML, and more. AWS caters to a broad spectrum of users, from startups to large enterprises, offering the flexibility to scale resources and customize...
AWS Activate
Used by 5702 members
Amazon's cloud services platform
Up to $100,000 in credits or 20-50% off your monthly spend through an AWS partner (must be spending $100+/month)
Save up to $300,000
Email Service Users
AWS Activate offers email services, including a SPAM protection feature. However, some users have found this feature to be ineffective and the mandatory use of VPC frustrating and time-consuming to configure
Startups
AWS Activate is suitable for startups as it provides the resources needed to quickly get started on AWS - including credits, training, and support. However, some users have reported issues with the billing system and customer support, which can be particularly challenging for startups with limited resources
Small Businesses
Small businesses can benefit from AWS Activate's range of services, but they may find the system confusing and the billing system nonsensical. Some users have reported being charged for services they didn't use or understand
Developers
Developers can use AWS Activate to manage servers and build backend infrastructure. However, some developers have found that there are more important things to focus on when building a startup, and recommend using simpler platforms like Heroku until a larger team of engineers is available
Web Hosting Users
AWS Activate can be used for web hosting, but some users have reported being charged unexpectedly and finding the documentation difficult to understand. Some users have also reported their IP being flagged for malicious activity by DNS providers.
Amazon's cloud services platform
Up to $100,000 in credits or 20-50% off your monthly spend through an AWS partner (must be spending $100+/month)
Save up to $300,000
AWS Activate rating
Quincy Bradtke
Desire for Industry-Specific Guidance in AWS Activate
While generally satisfied, I wish AWS Activate provided more personalized recommendations based on our specific industry use cases rather than generic suggestions.
July 28, 2025
Janna Beer
Empowering Startups with AWS Activate Workshops
Our engineering team particularly appreciated access to specialized AWS Activate workshops that addressed real-world scenarios relevant to startups
July 21, 2025
Abraham Prohaska
Streamlined Onboarding, Credit Utilization Tips Needed
The onboarding process was straightforward, but clearer guidance on maximizing credit utilization from day one would have saved us some trial-and-error effort
July 14, 2025
Russel McKenzie
Effortless Spend Tracking with AWS Activate & Cost Explorer
Integration with AWS Cost Explorer made it easy for us to track spending trends and optimize resource allocation proactively
July 5, 2025
Cherie Bogan
Unexpected Savings with AWS Activate Partner Offers
AWS Activate's partner offers, especially discounts on third-party SaaS tools, added unexpected value and reduced our overall operational expenses
July 1, 2025
Yuri Rolfson
Extend Credit Validity for Early Growth Support
One drawback was the limited duration of credits—extending validity would have been beneficial as we navigated early-stage growth challenges
June 23, 2025
Wendie Bruen
Boosted Deployment Efficiency with AWS Activate Training
The training resources provided by AWS Activate helped our developers get up to speed fast on cloud best practices, significantly improving our deployment efficiency
June 16, 2025
Anneliese Nikolaus
Reliable Guidance with AWS Activate Support
I found the technical support through AWS Activate responsive and knowledgeable—it's reassuring to have reliable guidance when configuring complex setups
June 7, 2025
Jackie Windler
Streamlined Budget Management with AWS Activate
The Activate Console is intuitive and gives clear visibility into our credit usage, making budget management simpler for our team
June 2, 2025
Valorie Weber
Boost Your Startup with AWS Activate's Generous Credits
AWS Activate has been incredibly helpful for our startup, especially the generous credits that allowed us to scale quickly without worrying about upfront infrastructure costs
May 27, 2025
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