Serverless functions
Lambda Managed Instances vs Azure Functions Premium & Dedicated plans
Lambda Managed Instances map to the Azure Functions Premium and Dedicated (App Service) plans.
On both, functions run on provider-managed instances you pay for continuously, but only AWS lets you pick EC2 instance types and apply EC2 commitments.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Lambda Managed Instances | Azure Functions Premium & Dedicated plans |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Run Lambda Event Functions on current-generation EC2 instances (including Graviton4) that Lambda manages. Multiple concurrent requests per environment, and EC2 Savings Plans and RIs apply. | Premium (Elastic Premium) has always-ready and prewarmed instances, VNet integration, and no cold starts on warm instances. Dedicated runs functions on App Service plans you already pay for. |
| Pricing model | EC2 instance price plus a Lambda management fee, plus request charges. | Premium is billed per vCPU-second and GB-second of allocated instances (with a minimum instance count). Dedicated is billed per App Service plan. |
| Docs | Lambda Managed Instances docs | Azure Functions Premium & Dedicated plans docs |
| Pricing page | Lambda Managed Instances pricing | Azure Functions Premium & Dedicated plans pricing |
| Exams | DVA-C02 Retiring | AZ-204 Retired |
Key differences
- Instance choice. Lambda Managed Instances run on current-generation EC2 types you choose (including Graviton4 and network-optimized). Azure Premium uses EP1–EP3 plan sizes. Dedicated uses App Service plan SKUs.
- Concurrency and duration. Managed Instances allow multiple concurrent requests per environment and up to 90-minute async invocations. The Azure Premium and Dedicated plans support longer or unbounded runs.
- Discounts. EC2 Savings Plans and RIs apply to Lambda Managed Instances. The Azure savings plan for compute covers the Functions Premium plan.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- EC2 instance price plus a Lambda management fee, plus request charges. Lambda Managed Instances pricing →
- Azure
- Premium is billed per vCPU-second and GB-second of allocated instances (with a minimum instance count). Dedicated is billed per App Service plan. Azure Functions Premium & Dedicated plans pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Developer – Associate DVA-C02 | AWS | Associate | retiring Being updated to DVA-C03. Registration for DVA-C03 opens Oct 27, 2026. Last day to take DVA-C02 is Nov 30, 2026. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Developer Associate AZ-204 | Azure | Associate | retired The certification and renewal assessment are retired (the page doesn't give a date). The closest current developer credential is AI-200 (Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate). That's our reading, not an official mapping. |
Relevance is based on each exam's published scope, not a line-by-line objective match. Check the official study guide.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of Lambda Managed Instances?
Lambda Managed Instances map to the Azure Functions Premium and Dedicated (App Service) plans. On both, functions run on provider-managed instances you pay for continuously, but only AWS lets you pick EC2 instance types and apply EC2 commitments.
How does pricing compare between Lambda Managed Instances and Azure Functions Premium & Dedicated plans?
AWS: EC2 instance price plus a Lambda management fee, plus request charges. Azure: Premium is billed per vCPU-second and GB-second of allocated instances (with a minimum instance count). Dedicated is billed per App Service plan. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) [retiring]; Microsoft Certified – Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) [retired].