Recheck the differences between AWS Amplify Hosting and Amazon S3 + Amazon CloudFront

Japanese version of this article is below.
https://zenn.dev/tacck/articles/20250720_recheck_the_differences_amplify_s3_cf

Table Of Contents

1. Introduction

For static site hosting on AWS, you can use not only the traditional combination of Amazon S3 + Amazon CloudFront, but also the Hosting feature of AWS Amplify.

AWS Amplify Hosting provides automated deployment workflows through integration with GitHub.

Additionally, since October 2024, it has become possible to integrate directly from Amazon S3 to AWS Amplify Hosting functionality.

In other words, there are three options:

Amazon S3 + Amazon CloudFront
AWS Amplify Hosting (with Amazon S3 integration)
AWS Amplify Hosting (with GitHub integration)

This article compares these three approaches and explains the benefits of using AWS Amplify.

2. Feature Comparison Table

Item	Amazon S3 + Amazon CloudFront	AWS Amplify + Amazon S3	AWS Amplify + GitHub
File Upload	Upload to Amazon S3	Upload to Amazon S3	Git Push
Deploy Trigger	None (cache invalidation serves as update trigger)	Manual	Automatic (Unified Webhooks via Git Push)
Cache Update	Manual execution	Automatic execution	Automatic execution
Preview Environment	Requires separate infrastructure setup	Manual environment addition	Automatic generation based on branches
Basic Authentication	Implementation with Lambda@Edge	Console configuration	Console configuration
Monitoring & Logs	Individual service monitoring	Integrated dashboard	Integrated dashboard
*Build Process ()**	Manual execution then upload	Manual execution then upload	Automatic execution after upload
Rollback	Manual file restoration	Apply previous deployment result	Apply previous deployment result

(*) Build Process: Process of generating files as a static site using libraries and frameworks like Next.js.

2.1. Differences in Infrastructure Setup Procedures

Method	Main Tasks
Amazon S3 + Amazon CloudFront	Amazon S3 Bucket preparation (Bucket creation, Bucket policy configuration), Amazon CloudFront preparation (Origin access control configuration, distribution creation)
AWS Amplify + Amazon S3	Amazon S3 Bucket creation, AWS Amplify project preparation
AWS Amplify + GitHub	AWS Amplify project preparation, GitHub Repository preparation

2.2. Deployment Procedure Comparison

Method	Main Tasks
Amazon S3 + Amazon CloudFront	File preparation -> Amazon S3 upload -> Amazon CloudFront cache invalidation (no clear deployment trigger)
AWS Amplify + Amazon S3	File preparation -> Amazon S3 upload -> AWS Amplify deployment
AWS Amplify + GitHub	Git push only

2.3. Automation Level

Method	Automation Level	Description
Amazon S3 + Amazon CloudFront	Manual	All tasks executed manually
AWS Amplify + Amazon S3	Semi-automatic	Deploy trigger is manual, subsequent processes are automatic
AWS Amplify + GitHub	Fully automatic	Fully automated from Git push to publication

2.4. Pricing Differences (Estimates)

Amazon CloudFront Data Transfer Pricing (Tokyo Region)

Data Transfer Volume	Price (USD/GB)
First 1TB	Free
Next 9TB (1TB-10TB)	$0.114

AWS Amplify Hosting Data Transfer Pricing

Data Transfer Volume	Price (USD/GB)
First 15GB	Free
Over 15GB	$0.15

Pricing Comparison Scenarios (Tokyo Region)

Monthly Data Transfer	Amazon CloudFront (Tokyo)	AWS Amplify Hosting	Difference
15GB	$0.00	$0.00	$0
100GB	$0.00	$12.75	+$12.75
500GB	$0.00	$72.75	+$72.75
1TB	$0.00	$151.35	+$151.35
9TB	$933.888	$1380.15	+$446.262
10TB	$1025.024	$1,507.50	+$508.726

3. Use Cases

3.1. When Amazon S3 + Amazon CloudFront is Suitable

Advanced customization or fine-grained control is required
- Complex caching strategies or distribution rules are needed
- Integration with existing CI/CD pipelines is required
Cost optimization is prioritized (high-traffic site operations)

3.2. When AWS Amplify + Amazon S3 is Suitable

Want to continue file-based direct management
- File upload personnel cannot use Git but have access to Amazon S3, etc.
Amazon CloudFront customization is not required
Want to utilize AWS Amplify Hosting features (Basic authentication, simplified preview environment setup, etc.)
Site access is limited

3.3. When AWS Amplify + GitHub is Suitable

Emphasize collaboration in team development
- Automatic deployment via Git integration is required
- Preview environments and branch deployments are needed
Prioritize rapid development and deployment
The development team has limited AWS operational experience
Want to adopt modern development workflows
Site access is limited
May use AWS Amplify Backend features in the future

4. Summary

AWS Amplify Hosting significantly improves developer productivity through simplified setup, automated deployment processes, and integrated operational management compared to the traditional Amazon S3 + Amazon CloudFront combination. On the other hand, Amazon S3 + Amazon CloudFront allows for advanced customization and can handle complex requirements. It is essential to select the optimal option based on project requirements and the development team's circumstances.

5. Reference: Operational Flow Assumptions

5.1. Role Definitions

HTML Coder

Creation and editing of static site HTML, CSS, JavaScript files
Testing and verification in the local environment
Pattern (C): Code management and push to Git repository

Site Administrator

Site construction and operation
- Infrastructure construction and monitoring
- Build configuration management
- Pattern (C): Branch management and deployment approval (as needed)
Coordination with publication requesters
Task assignment to HTML coders and progress management