Kubernetes · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon EKS Auto Mode vs GKE Autopilot
EKS Auto Mode maps to GKE Autopilot, where Google provisions, scales, and secures the nodes.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon EKS Auto Mode | GKE Autopilot |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | AWS also manages the cluster's compute (Karpenter-based), pod networking, load balancing, DNS, block storage, and GPU support. Nodes are EC2 instances that AWS patches and replaces. | GKE mode where Google provisions and manages nodes, applies security defaults, and bills per Pod resource requests. |
| Pricing model | EKS cluster fee plus EC2 instances plus a per-instance Auto Mode management fee. | Billed per vCPU, memory, and ephemeral storage requested by Pods (some compute classes bill per node), plus the cluster management fee. |
| Docs | Amazon EKS Auto Mode docs | GKE Autopilot docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon EKS Auto Mode pricing | GKE Autopilot pricing |
Key differences
- Autopilot bills general-purpose workloads per Pod resource request, not per node; EKS Auto Mode adds a management fee on top of EC2 instance prices.
- Autopilot enforces security defaults that block some privileged workloads.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- EKS cluster fee plus EC2 instances plus a per-instance Auto Mode management fee. Amazon EKS Auto Mode pricing →
- GCP
- Billed per vCPU, memory, and ephemeral storage requested by Pods (some compute classes bill per node), plus the cluster management fee. GKE Autopilot pricing →
And on Azure?
Direct match Azure's equivalent is AKS Automatic. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Amazon EKS Auto Mode?
EKS Auto Mode maps to GKE Autopilot, where Google provisions, scales, and secures the nodes.
How does pricing compare between Amazon EKS Auto Mode and GKE Autopilot?
AWS: EKS cluster fee plus EC2 instances plus a per-instance Auto Mode management fee. Google Cloud: Billed per vCPU, memory, and ephemeral storage requested by Pods (some compute classes bill per node), plus the cluster management fee. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
AKS Automatic (direct match). Amazon EKS Auto Mode maps to AKS Automatic.