AWS Amplify vs CircleCI: Full Comparison (2026)
Pricing, features, scores, and a clear verdict on which one is right for you.
The bottom line
AWS Amplify positions itself as "full-stack hosting and backend for web and mobile apps on aws" while CircleCI goes after "ci/cd platform for fast, flexible pipelines" — so the right pick depends on which problem you're actually solving. They take different commercial approaches — AWS Amplify uses a usage-based-based model and CircleCI a freemium approach, which affects how costs scale as your team grows. CircleCI (founded 2011) has had more time to build out its ecosystem and integrations, while AWS Amplify (2017) tends to move faster on modern UX and newer workflows.
At a glance
| AWS Amplify | CircleCI | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 68/100 | 74/100 |
| Starting price | Free | $15/mo |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Full-stack hosting and backend for web and mobile apps on AWS | CI/CD platform for fast, flexible pipelines |
Pricing comparison
Calculate your cost
Feature comparison
core
| Feature | AWS Amplify | CircleCI |
|---|---|---|
| Git push deploys | Yes | No |
| Preview environments | Yes | No |
| Custom domains | Yes | No |
| Automatic HTTPS | Yes | No |
| Build pipeline | Yes | No |
| Docker support | No | Yes |
| Pipeline configuration (YAML) | No | Yes |
| Parallelism | No | Yes |
| Caching | No | Yes |
| Test splitting | No | Yes |
advanced
| Feature | AWS Amplify | CircleCI |
|---|---|---|
| Auth (Cognito) | Yes | No |
| API (AppSync/API GW) | Yes | No |
| Storage (S3) | Yes | No |
| Functions (Lambda) | Yes | No |
| Hosting SSR | Yes | No |
| Orbs (reusable config) | No | Yes |
| Resource classes | No | Yes |
| Self-hosted runners | No | Scale |
| Insights dashboard | No | Yes |
| SSH debugging | No | Yes |
integrations
| Feature | AWS Amplify | CircleCI |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub | Yes | Yes |
| GitLab | Yes | Yes |
| Bitbucket | Yes | Yes |
| All AWS services | Yes | No |
| AWS CodeCommit | Yes | No |
| AWS | No | Yes |
| GCP | No | Yes |
| Slack | No | Yes |
Ratings breakdown
What the data tells us
Key capabilities you'd miss
Choosing AWS Amplify means going without Docker support, Pipeline configuration (YAML), Parallelism (which CircleCI offers). Choosing CircleCI means losing Git push deploys, Preview environments, Custom domains. These are the features that typically drive the final decision — check whether your workflow depends on any of them before committing.
What company size tells you
CircleCI (501-1,000 employees) has the engineering bench to ship features across many fronts but may iterate slower on individual requests. AWS Amplify (100,000+ employees) typically ships faster on its core product but may lag on peripheral features. Consider which matters more for your roadmap.
Choose AWS Amplify if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Choose CircleCI if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- You need enterprise-grade capabilities
Frequently asked questions
Is AWS Amplify or CircleCI better?
CircleCI scores 74/100 compared to AWS Amplify's 68/100 on VendorVS. However, the best choice depends on your needs — AWS Amplify excels at ease of use (6/10) while CircleCI scores 7/10.
How much does AWS Amplify cost compared to CircleCI?
AWS Amplify starts at free (free tier available). CircleCI starts at $15/mo (free tier available). AWS Amplify is the more affordable option.
Does AWS Amplify or CircleCI have a free plan?
Yes, both AWS Amplify and CircleCI offer free tiers, so you can try each before committing to a paid plan.
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