Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Softlayer VS Amazon AWS

Compare Softlayer VS Amazon AWS and see what are their differences

Softlayer logo Softlayer

Softlayer is the cloud computing platform that offers the services of computing, networking, storage security, and application development.

Amazon AWS logo Amazon AWS

Amazon Web Services offers reliable, scalable, and inexpensive cloud computing services. Free to join, pay only for what you use.
  • Softlayer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21
  • Amazon AWS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-29

Softlayer features and specs

  • Comprehensive Infrastructure
    SoftLayer offers a wide range of computing resources including dedicated servers, virtual servers, storage solutions, and networking options, allowing businesses to tailor their infrastructure according to their needs.
  • Global Reach
    With data centers and network points of presence (PoPs) across the world, SoftLayer provides global connectivity and redundancy, which is beneficial for enterprises with international operations.
  • Security Features
    SoftLayer provides robust security options, including private network connections, firewalls, and security compliance certifications, ensuring data protection and regulatory compliance.
  • Customizability
    It allows a high level of customization of the hardware and network configurations, which can be tailored to meet specific business needs, providing flexibility in deploying solutions.
  • Hybrid Cloud Capabilities
    SoftLayer's infrastructure can easily integrate with on-premises systems and public clouds, allowing organizations to create a flexible hybrid cloud environment.

Possible disadvantages of Softlayer

  • Complex Pricing Structure
    The pricing structure can be complex and difficult to forecast accurately, especially when services are used extensively, which could lead to cost overruns.
  • Learning Curve
    New users may experience a steep learning curve due to the platform's extensive features and its complex dashboard, which may require significant time and effort to master.
  • Support Challenges
    Some users have reported challenges with customer support, including delays in response times and varying quality of service depending on the issue complexity.
  • Limited PaaS and SaaS Options
    Compared to other cloud providers, SoftLayer has fewer platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS) offerings, which might limit choices for businesses looking for turnkey solutions.
  • Migration Complexity
    Migrating existing systems and applications to SoftLayer can be complex and time-consuming, which may pose challenges for businesses with limited IT resources.

Amazon AWS features and specs

  • Scalability
    AWS offers highly scalable services, allowing businesses to easily adjust resources based on demand without significant upfront investment.
  • Comprehensive Service Offering
    AWS provides a wide range of services, from compute and storage to machine learning and analytics, catering to diverse business needs.
  • Global Reach
    With data centers located worldwide, AWS enables low-latency access and redundancy, supporting global operations.
  • Strong Security
    AWS has robust security measures, including compliance certifications, encryption, and physical security, ensuring data and infrastructure protection.
  • Pay-as-You-Go Pricing
    AWS offers a flexible pricing model, where users only pay for what they use, helping manage costs effectively.
  • Extensive Integration Options
    AWS integrates with a wide variety of third-party services and APIs, providing seamless integration capabilities for various applications.
  • Innovation
    AWS frequently releases new services and features, staying at the forefront of technology and providing users with cutting-edge tools.

Possible disadvantages of Amazon AWS

  • Cost Management Complexity
    While the pay-as-you-go model offers flexibility, it can be challenging to track and predict costs, especially for large-scale operations.
  • Learning Curve
    AWS has a comprehensive set of services and features, which can be overwhelming for new users to learn and manage effectively.
  • Potential Vendor Lock-In
    Relying heavily on AWS services may result in vendor lock-in, making it difficult to switch providers or migrate workloads in the future.
  • Service Limitations
    Certain AWS services might have limitations or restrictions, which could hinder specific use cases or require workarounds.
  • Support Costs
    AWS offers different support tiers, and premium support options can be expensive for businesses needing immediate and advanced technical assistance.
  • Performance Variability
    Performance can vary based on server load and geographic location, which may affect the consistency and reliability of certain services.
  • Complex Pricing Structure
    AWS's pricing structure can be complicated, with various pricing models and options making it hard to determine the most cost-efficient choice.

Softlayer videos

SoftLayer and Micron RealSSD™ P300

More videos:

  • Review - SoftLayer, an IBM Company Employee Reviews - Q3 2018

Amazon AWS videos

Amazon Web Services vs Google Cloud Platform - AWS vs GCP | Difference Between GCP and AWS

More videos:

  • Review - Are AWS Certifications worth it?
  • Review - AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Certification Will Get You Paid!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Softlayer and Amazon AWS)
Cloud Computing
3 3%
97% 97
Cloud Infrastructure
3 3%
97% 97
VPS
7 7%
93% 93
Web Hosting
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Softlayer and Amazon AWS. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Softlayer and Amazon AWS

Softlayer Reviews

Best AWS Alternatives and Competitors for Unbeatable Cloud Prices and Quality
SoftLayer is the last but not least host in this list, it provides managed and dedicated servers alongside cloud computing solutions. IBM acquired it in 2013 and now known as IBM Cloud.
Top Five Alternatives to Amazon AWS Cloud
The contest is well worn on the summit circle yet SoftLayer has proven to be anything but. With the somewhat recent purchase of SoftLayer by IBM in June of 2013, many in the industry speculated if the company would come out alive, if company offerings would change and if the price model for SoftLayer Cloud services would rise to meet corporate margin lines. Well, after...

Amazon AWS Reviews

  1. macloughlin
    · AV engineer ·
    The best cloud platform out there

    You could say a lot of things about AWS, but among the cloud platforms (and I've used quite a few) AWS takes the cake. It is logically structured, you can get through its documentation relatively easily, you have a great variety of tools and services to choose from [from AWS itself and from third-party developers in their marketplace]. There is a learning curve, there is quite a lot of it, but it is still way easier than some other platforms. I've used and abused AWS and EC2 specifically and for me it is the best.

    👍 Pros:    Great documentation|Website structure visualization|You have control over everything|Flexibility
    👎 Cons:    Learning curve|A lot of dashboards for different things

Top 15 MuleSoft Competitors and Alternatives
API Gateway private endpoints allow AWS customers to use API endpoints inside their VPC. They can leverage Route 53 resolver endpoints and hybrid connectivity to access APIs and integrated backend services from on-premises clients.
Best Dedicated Server Providers in India: A Comparative Analysis
Dedicated hosts on Amazon EC2 are physical servers that are completely dedicated to meeting corporate compliance standards. With AWS, you can create EC2 instances on a dedicated server. The flexibility offered by Amazon EC2 is definitely one of its biggest advantages, along with high scalability. Apart from that, it isn’t much better than dedicated servers.
Source: moralstory.org
Best Dedicated Server Providers for E-commerce Businesses in India
The dedicated server options from Amazon Web Services (AWS), a well-known brand in the tech industry, are equally excellent. AWS’s elastic infrastructure can smoothly adjust to your demands whether your e-commerce business encounters variable traffic or you expect quick development. AWS guarantees that the speed and performance of your website will always be unmatched thanks...
The Best Dedicated Server Operating System for UK-Based Business
Cloud computing behemoth AWS is renowned for its extensive infrastructure and scalability choices. You can make use of AWS’s numerous data centers, which are positioned strategically to offer low-latency services all across the UK.
Source: featurestic.com
The Best Dedicated Servers for Enterprise Businesses in India: Scalable and Reliable
The extensive selection of cloud-based solutions offered by AWS is one of its main advantages. AWS provides a wide range of cloud services, including computing power, storage choices, databases, machine learning, analytics tools, and dedicated servers. This adaptability enables businesses to create scalable, flexible, and affordable solutions customized to their needs.
Source: india07.in

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Amazon AWS seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 442 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Softlayer mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Softlayer yet. Tracking of Softlayer recommendations started around Apr 2022.

Amazon AWS mentions (442)

  • Understanding AWS Regions and Availability Zones: A Guide for Beginners
    Amazon Web Services (AWS) has completely changed the game for how we build and manage infrastructure. Gone are the days when spinning up a new service meant begging your sys team for hardware, waiting weeks, and spending hours in a cold data center plugging in cables. Now? A few clicks (or API calls), and yes — you've got an entire data center at your fingertips. - Source: dev.to / 5 days ago
  • AWS S3 Storage Classes Explained: Choosing the Right One
    Choosing the right AWS S3 storage class depends on how frequently you access your data and your cost constraints. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Deploy a Django Rest Api on AWS EC2 using Docker, NGINX, Gunicorn and GitHub Action.
    Let’s start by setting up an EC2 instance to deploy our application. To do this, and you’ll need to open an AWS account (if you don’t already have one). - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • AWS Solution Architect Job Description: Roles, Skills & Responsibilities (2025)
    The demand for cloud computing expertise continues to soar, and at the heart of many successful cloud implementations is the AWS Solution Architect. Amazon Web Services (AWS) dominates the cloud market, making professionals who can design, build, and manage solutions on its platform highly sought after. But what exactly does this role entail? Understanding the typical AWS Solution Architect job description is... - Source: dev.to / 10 days ago
  • Snyk and Sonar : committed credentials security test
    And now I will add a sample of credentials for AWS, Azure and GCP to index.js. - Source: dev.to / 14 days ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Softlayer and Amazon AWS, you can also consider the following products

DigitalOcean - Simplifying cloud hosting. Deploy an SSD cloud server in 55 seconds.

Google Compute Engine - Google Compute Engine is not just fast. It’s Google fast.

Microsoft Azure - Windows Azure and SQL Azure enable you to build, host and scale applications in Microsoft datacenters.

SAP on IBM Cloud - The journey to cloud and SAP S/4HANA

Linode - We make it simple to develop, deploy, and scale cloud infrastructure at the best price-to-performance ratio in the market.

OVH Dedicated Servers - OVH Dedicated Servers are the professional dedicated servers that allow businesses to build websites and can manage their online presence.