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Amazon Web Services (AWS) is Amazon’s cloud platform: a collection of online services for computing, storage, databases, networking, analytics, security, software development and more. Customers choose and configure the resources they need, usually paying for the amount they use rather than buying all the underlying hardware up front.
What is AWS?
AWS is a platform made up of many distinct cloud services, not one application. Amazon’s June 2, 2026 overview describes more than 200 services, spanning areas such as compute, storage, databases, analytics, networking, developer and management tools, security, and artificial intelligence. Customers combine services to build or operate websites, applications, data systems, and other workloads.
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AWS says it began offering IT infrastructure services to businesses in 2006. Its services are delivered over the internet, while AWS operates the underlying facilities and network-connected hardware. Customers remain responsible for selecting resources, configuring them, securing their workloads, and managing the costs of what they use.
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Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of computing resources—such as processing power, databases, storage, and applications—over the internet. Instead of purchasing and maintaining all server hardware in advance, a customer can provision resources through a cloud platform as needed.
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This changes how infrastructure is obtained, but it does not remove every operational responsibility. AWS maintains the underlying facilities and hardware; customers still make choices about services, configuration, access controls, workload security, and usage. AWS describes cloud computing as on-demand delivery with pay-as-you-go pricing.
AWS explanation of cloud computing
What kinds of services does AWS provide?
Service categories are easier to understand by the job they do. A real application may use several categories together:
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- Compute: run application code and other workloads.
- Storage: keep files and other data.
- Databases: organize and query structured or non-relational data.
- Networking and content delivery: connect services and deliver data.
- Management, security, analytics, and AI: operate, protect, analyze, and extend applications.
The precise options and features vary by service. AWS’s services-by-category reference provides a fuller catalog.
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AWS divides its infrastructure geographically into Regions, with separate Availability Zones within each Region. Regions give customers deployment choices tied to geography; Availability Zones are distinct infrastructure locations inside a Region.
As listed on AWS’s infrastructure page on October 7, 2026, AWS had 39 Regions and 124 Availability Zones. AWS says each Region has at least three physically separate Availability Zones. These counts can change as infrastructure expands.
Having multiple Zones available does not automatically make an application resilient. The application must be designed and configured to use more than one Zone appropriately. Geography and data-location requirements may also affect which Region a customer selects.
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How does AWS pricing work?
There is no single price for using AWS. Most services use pay-as-you-go pricing, but the rate depends on the service and its pricing model; usage, configuration, and Region can also affect the cost. AWS lists pay-as-you-go, flat-rate, and commitment-based options. Savings Plans apply to eligible AWS Compute and AWS Machine Learning use and involve a one- or three-year commitment.
To estimate a planned workload, use the AWS Pricing Calculator, entering the services, configuration, usage, and Region that match your plan. Treat the result as an estimate based on those inputs, not a universal AWS price. Check each service’s pricing details for the rates that apply to your actual use.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is AWS free?
Some AWS usage is available under limited Free Tier offers; AWS is not universally free. According to AWS’s Free Tier documentation accessed October 7, 2026, new customers receive $100 in credits after creating an account and may earn up to another $100 by completing eligible activities. The Free account plan ends after six months or when its credits run out, whichever happens first. AWS also lists more than 30 services with monthly always-free usage limits.
AWS’s Free Tier FAQ says credits expire 12 months from account creation. That is a separate clock from the Free account plan, which can end earlier. Offers, eligibility, and limits can change, so check the current Free Tier documentation and Free Tier FAQs before relying on a specific allowance.
Usage beyond applicable credits or service limits can be billed at standard rates, and some services may not be covered by credits. Review what an account plan includes and monitor usage to avoid unexpected charges.
What is AWS Marketplace?
AWS Marketplace is a catalog where customers can find, buy, deploy, and manage third-party software, data, and services in connection with AWS. Offers have their own pricing models and terms. A software trial may cover the software license but not the AWS infrastructure needed to run it, so a customer may still pay for services such as compute resources.
How is AWS different from Amazon’s shopping site?
AWS is Amazon’s cloud-computing platform, not Amazon’s retail shopping site. AWS Marketplace is a separate catalog for third-party cloud-related offers; it is not the same thing as Amazon’s consumer retail marketplace.
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