AWS Lightsail Wins
Winner
VS
Score Comparison
Criteria
AWS Lightsail
DreamHost
Overall Score
8.3
8.1
Performance
8.5
8.0
Features
8.8
8.2
Ease of Use
7.8
7.8
Pricing/Value
8.2
8.5
Support
8.0
7.5
Pricing & Features
Specification
AWS Lightsail
DreamHost
Starting Price
Free / $5/mo
$2.59/mo
Free Tier
Pricing Model
Subscription
Subscription
Making Your Decision
When to Choose AWS Lightsail
Developers wanting simple VPS with option to scale into full AWS
AWS Lightsail offers the reliability of Amazon infrastructure with predictable pricing. Ideal for those who may eventually need AWS services but want a simple starting point.
Strengths
- Predictable flat-rate pricing unlike standard AWS
- Easy path to full AWS services when needed
- Includes free data transfer (up to 3TB)
- One-click WordPress, LAMP, and Node.js stacks
Limitations
- Limited customization compared to EC2
- Support costs extra without Business/Enterprise plan
- AWS Console can still feel overwhelming
When to Choose DreamHost
Privacy-conscious users and those who value a generous refund policy
DreamHost combines solid performance with an industry-leading 97-day money-back guarantee and strong privacy values, though its custom control panel requires some adjustment for cPanel users.
Strengths
- 97-day money-back guarantee (industry leading)
- Officially recommended by WordPress.org
- Unlimited traffic and SSD storage on shared plans
- Free domain privacy protection included
Limitations
- Custom control panel instead of industry-standard cPanel
- Email hosting costs extra on basic plans
- No phone support on shared hosting plans
