Kubernetes · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon ECS Service Connect / AWS App Mesh vs Cloud Service Mesh
ECS Service Connect (and the retired App Mesh) map partly to Cloud Service Mesh, Google's managed service mesh based on the Istio APIs.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon ECS Service Connect AWS App Mesh Retired | Cloud Service Mesh |
| Lifecycle | Generally available End of support Sep 30, 2026 (announced Sep 24, 2024). The console and App Mesh resources are no longer accessible. AWS recommends ECS Service Connect (or VPC Lattice). | Generally available |
| What it is | Built-in service discovery and service-to-service traffic for ECS (managed Envoy proxy plus Cloud Map namespaces), with retries, timeouts, and traffic metrics. AWS's recommended replacement for App Mesh on ECS. Envoy-based service mesh for ECS, EKS, and EC2. | Managed service mesh built on the open-source Istio APIs for GKE and other supported platforms, with mTLS, traffic management, and telemetry. |
| Pricing model | There's no extra charge for Service Connect beyond the proxy's task resources. VPC Lattice is billed per service-hour, data, and requests. | Standalone use is billed per mesh client (for example per mesh-enabled Pod) per hour. |
| Docs | Amazon ECS Service Connect docs AWS App Mesh docs | Cloud Service Mesh docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon ECS Service Connect pricing AWS App Mesh pricing | Cloud Service Mesh pricing |
Key differences
- Cloud Service Mesh is a full Istio-compatible mesh with mTLS and traffic policies; Service Connect is a simpler ECS-only service discovery and proxy feature.
- Cloud Service Mesh supports GKE and other supported platforms.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- There's no extra charge for Service Connect beyond the proxy's task resources. VPC Lattice is billed per service-hour, data, and requests. Amazon ECS Service Connect pricing → AWS App Mesh pricing →
- GCP
- Standalone use is billed per mesh client (for example per mesh-enabled Pod) per hour. Cloud Service Mesh pricing →
And on Azure?
Partial match Azure's equivalent is Istio-based service mesh add-on for AKS, Open Service Mesh (OSM) add-on for AKS. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Amazon ECS Service Connect and AWS App Mesh?
ECS Service Connect (and the retired App Mesh) map partly to Cloud Service Mesh, Google's managed service mesh based on the Istio APIs.
How does pricing compare between Amazon ECS Service Connect and AWS App Mesh and Cloud Service Mesh?
AWS: There's no extra charge for Service Connect beyond the proxy's task resources. VPC Lattice is billed per service-hour, data, and requests. Google Cloud: Standalone use is billed per mesh client (for example per mesh-enabled Pod) per hour. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Istio-based service mesh add-on for AKS and Open Service Mesh (OSM) add-on for AKS (partial match). AWS App Mesh was retired on Sep 30, 2026, and AWS points ECS users to ECS Service Connect (and VPC Lattice for cross-service networking).