Amazon EC2 vs Linode

Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

Amazon EC2

AWS's virtual servers, with hundreds of instance types and flexible ways to pay.

Paid

Visit Amazon EC2 Amazon EC2 profile

Linode

Developer cloud from Akamai with virtual machines, managed Kubernetes, storage and databases.

Paid

Visit Linode Linode profile

The short answer

Amazon EC2 is AWS's core compute service, with hundreds of instance types, per-second billing and Spot and Savings Plans discounts, but separately billed storage, bandwidth and IPs. Linode, part of Akamai Cloud, bundles CPU, RAM, storage and transfer into predictable plans with managed Kubernetes and databases. Pick EC2 for scale, specialised hardware or deep AWS integration; pick Linode for simpler, predictable cloud servers.

Amazon EC2 or Linode: our take

EC2 is built for range and scale. You choose from a very long list of instance types, from tiny burstable machines to large GPU, Arm and memory-heavy servers, and run them in any AWS region next to S3, RDS and IAM. Networking, EBS block storage, load balancers and auto scaling are separate services you assemble around it. Linode takes the developer-cloud approach: shared and dedicated-CPU virtual machines, GPU instances, the Linode Kubernetes Engine, block and object storage, managed databases, NodeBalancers, firewalls and DNS, presented through a straightforward console, API and CLI.

The billing models are where the two differ most. EC2 charges per second on common operating systems, with Savings Plans offering up to 72% off On-Demand in exchange for a one- or three-year commitment, and Spot Instances up to 90% off, though Spot capacity can be reclaimed at short notice. Data transfer, storage and IP addresses are billed separately, even inter-AZ traffic at $0.01/GB in each direction, which makes costs hard to predict. Linode bundles CPU, RAM, storage and transfer into each plan, billed hourly with a monthly cap, so bills are easier to forecast. For newcomers, EC2's free tier gives new customers up to $200 in credits over 6 months, while Linode offers credits to qualifying businesses.

EC2's learning curve is steeper, and for a single simple server it is more work than necessary. Linode costs more than budget hosts like Hetzner and has fewer managed services than AWS, and its move to Akamai Cloud spreads docs across two sites.

Teams that need autoscaling fleets, specific hardware, many regions or the rest of AWS should use EC2 and invest in cost management. Developers, startups and small companies running web apps, databases or Kubernetes who want predictable bills and less operational overhead will find Linode easier.

Choose Amazon EC2 if…

Teams that need many instance types, regions or deep AWS integration rather than a simple VPS.
Huge choice of instance types, including GPUs and Arm
Per-second billing on common operating systems

Choose Linode if…

Developers who want simple, predictable cloud servers plus managed Kubernetes and databases
Bundled pricing that includes transfer with each plan
Managed Kubernetes, databases and object storage

What is Amazon EC2?

Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) is the core virtual server service of Amazon Web Services. You pick an instance type from a very long list, from tiny burstable machines to large GPU and memory-heavy servers, choose an operating system image, and run it in any AWS region. Networking, block storage (EBS), load balancers and auto scaling are separate services you combine around it. Billing is flexible: On-Demand instances are charged per second with no commitment, Savings Plans cut the price in exchange for a one- or three-year commitment, and Spot Instances sell spare capacity at a deep discount but can be reclaimed. A free tier lets new accounts try small instances. EC2 suits teams that need scale, specific hardware or the rest of AWS next to their servers. For a single simple VPS it is more work and harder to price than Lightsail or DigitalOcean, since bandwidth, storage and IP addresses are billed separately.

What is Linode?

Linode is one of the original developer-focused cloud providers and, since Akamai bought it, the core of what Akamai now sells as Akamai Cloud. It offers shared and dedicated-CPU virtual machines, GPU instances, the Linode Kubernetes Engine, block and object storage, managed databases, load balancers (NodeBalancers), firewalls and DNS, all billed by the hour with a monthly cap. Pricing bundles CPU, RAM, storage and a transfer allowance into each plan, which keeps bills predictable compared with hyperscalers. Linode is known for clear documentation, a straightforward web console, an API and a CLI, and a marketplace of one-click apps. It suits developers, startups and small companies that want more than a cheap VPS but less complexity than AWS. New accounts and qualifying businesses can get cloud credits. Branding has shifted toward Akamai, so docs and product pages now live partly on Akamai's site.

Side by side

Attribute	Amazon EC2	Linode
Pricing	Paid	Paid
Open source	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No
Platforms	Web	Web
Best for	Teams that need many instance types, regions or deep AWS integration rather than a simple VPS.	Developers who want simple, predictable cloud servers plus managed Kubernetes and databases
Status	Active	Active