Product Specific Developers

I might be alone on this, but I’m willing to stand by it: AWS is too expensive. Not only is it costly, but it’s also absurdly complex. If a product requires you to get certified just to use it effectively, it might not be the right fit for everyone.

That’s not to say AWS isn’t a great tool. For large enterprises building complex systems, it’s powerful and versatile. But here’s the issue: many startups and individuals building side projects adopt AWS because it’s the “standard,” not realizing how overkill it is for their needs. If you’ve gone through AWS certification, it’s often the only tool you know how to use. Much like how coding bootcamps churn out React specialists who end up solving all programming challenges with a single framework.

AWS abstracts what it means to work on a server, and it’s great if you’re dealing with enterprise-scale tools. But for the little guy, it’s a money pit. I’ve seen countless startups rack up $200 or more in monthly AWS bills for a simple CRUD app. Sure, that might be a drop in the bucket for a well-funded company, but for someone experimenting with an idea or bootstrapping their dream? It’s a lot of money to burn on infrastructure they don’t really need.

The problem stems from this mindset that everyone thinks they’re building the next Amazon when in reality, they’re building something closer to Ben & Jerry’s. Joel Spolsky put it best:

The organic model is to start small, with limited goals, and slowly build a business over a long period of time. I’m going to call this the Ben and Jerry’s model, because Ben and Jerry’s fits this model pretty well.

The other model, popularly called ‘Get Big Fast’ (a.k.a. ‘Land Grab’), requires you to raise a lot of capital, and work as quickly as possible to get big fast without concern for profitability. I’m going to call this the Amazon model, because Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has practically become the celebrity spokesmodel for Get Big Fast.

If you have venture capital backing and millions to burn, sure, go wild with AWS. But if you’re building a passion project or trying to validate an idea, consider cheaper, simpler alternatives. Platforms like DigitalOcean, Linode, or even shared hosting can handle basic workloads without breaking the bank.

The problem is we’re training people to use these massive enterprise-grade tools for everything. AWS is becoming the default option, not because it’s the best fit, but because people don’t know anything else. And that’s how we end up with tiny projects running on infrastructure designed for giants, with bills to match.

If you’re just starting out, focus on keeping things small and manageable. Save your money for things that actually matter, like validating your idea or finding customers. AWS will still be there if you ever need it, but chances are, you don’t need it right now.