Amazon Lightsail
AWS's fixed-price virtual servers, bundled with storage, transfer and a static IP.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web, Linux, Windows
Is Amazon Lightsail free?
No, it's a paid product
- Starting price (with IPv4):
- $5 USD/month
- Free tier:
- Yes, under AWS Free Tier
Checked on Amazon Lightsail's site Nov 8, 2026
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- 5
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About Amazon Lightsail
Amazon Lightsail is the simple end of AWS: virtual private servers sold as fixed monthly bundles of memory, vCPUs, SSD storage and data transfer, instead of EC2's many separate meters. You choose a Linux or Windows image or a ready-made app such as WordPress, pick a bundle, and manage it from a console that hides most of AWS's complexity, with a static IP, DNS management and browser SSH included. Alongside servers it offers managed databases, load balancers, block storage, object storage, a CDN and container services at similar flat prices. New customers can try it under the AWS Free Tier. Because it runs on AWS, you can later connect it to other AWS services or move workloads to EC2. Trade-offs include smaller transfer allowances in some Asian regions, IPv4 costing more than IPv6-only bundles, and an AWS account and billing setup that can feel heavy for a single small server.
Best for: People who want a predictable-price VPS that can grow into the wider AWS ecosystem..
Amazon Lightsail pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from Amazon Lightsail's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (with IPv4) | $5 USD/month | Nov 8, 2026 | aws.amazon.com |
| Windows plans | From $9.50 USD/month | Nov 8, 2026 | aws.amazon.com |
| Free tier | Yes, under AWS Free Tier | Nov 8, 2026 | aws.amazon.com |
| Starting price | $3.50 a month (IPv6-only Linux bundle) | Nov 8, 2026 | aws.amazon.com |
| Linux plan with IPv4 | From $5 a month | Nov 8, 2026 | aws.amazon.com |
| Windows plan | From $9.50 a month (with IPv4) | Nov 8, 2026 | aws.amazon.com |
| Free plan | Yes, under the AWS Free Tier | Nov 8, 2026 | aws.amazon.com |
Pros and cons
What works
- Fixed monthly bundles including transfer
- Static IP and DNS management included
- Windows server plans available
- Easy path to other AWS services
Why people leave
- Lower specs for the price than budget VPS hosts
- Smaller transfer allowances in some Asian regions
- AWS account and billing can be complex
Amazon Lightsail vs DigitalOcean Droplets, Vultr and Linode
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Amazon Lightsail | DigitalOcean Droplets | Vultr | Linode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid | Paid | Paid |
| Verified price | $5 USD/month | $4 a month (512 MiB, 1 vCPU) | — | — |
| Free plan | Yes, under AWS Free Tier | No | No | No |
| Open source | No | No | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, Linux, Windows | Web, Linux | Web | Web |
Full Amazon Lightsail vs DigitalOcean Droplets comparisonFull Amazon Lightsail vs Vultr comparisonFull Amazon Lightsail vs Linode comparison
Top Amazon Lightsail alternatives
See all 5- 1
DigitalOcean Droplets68.8Developer-friendly VPS with similar flat pricing and a simpler account setup.
- 2
Vultr62.6Comparable VPS bundles with many more locations and hourly billing.
- 3
Linode61.8Akamai's VPS platform with straightforward plans and generous transfer.
- 4
OVHcloud59.4Lower prices for the hardware and unmetered traffic on many VPS plans.
- 5
Amazon EC257.5The natural next step inside AWS: hundreds of instance types, per-second billing and Spot discounts once you outgrow bundles.
Why people left Amazon Lightsail
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Amazon Lightsail: common questions
What is Amazon Lightsail?
Amazon Lightsail: AWS's fixed-price virtual servers, bundled with storage, transfer and a static IP. Best for people who want a predictable-price VPS that can grow into the wider AWS ecosystem. Available for Web, Linux and Windows.
Is Amazon Lightsail free?
No, Amazon Lightsail is a paid product. Starting price (with IPv4): $5 USD/month (checked on Amazon Lightsail's own site).
How much does Amazon Lightsail cost?
Amazon Lightsail is a paid product. Starting price (with IPv4): $5 USD/month; Windows plans: From $9.50 USD/month; Free tier: Yes, under AWS Free Tier; Starting price: $3.50 a month (IPv6-only Linux bundle). Checked on Amazon Lightsail's own site, November 2026.
Is Amazon Lightsail open source?
No, Amazon Lightsail is not open source.
What platforms does Amazon Lightsail run on?
Amazon Lightsail is available for Web, Linux and Windows.
What are the best alternatives to Amazon Lightsail?
The highest-ranked Amazon Lightsail alternatives right now are DigitalOcean Droplets, Vultr and Linode. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Amazon Lightsail vs DigitalOcean Droplets: what's the difference?
Both Amazon Lightsail and DigitalOcean Droplets are paid products. Verified prices: Amazon Lightsail $5 USD/month, DigitalOcean Droplets $4 a month (512 MiB, 1 vCPU). Only Amazon Lightsail runs on Windows.