Serverless functions · AWS vs Google Cloud
AWS Lambda (Event Functions) vs Cloud Run functions (formerly Cloud Functions)
AWS Lambda maps to Cloud Run functions (formerly Cloud Functions), which deploy functions from source onto Cloud Run.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | AWS Lambda (Event Functions) | Cloud Run functions (formerly Cloud Functions) |
| Lifecycle | "Event Functions" is the new name (Oct 2026) for classic Lambda functions. The APIs, ARNs, and SDKs are unchanged. | Generally available |
| What it is | Event-driven functions triggered by 200+ AWS services or API calls. Invocations run up to 15 minutes, with one request per execution environment, billed per request and per GB-second. | Event-driven and HTTP functions deployed from source on Cloud Run, using the Functions Framework and Eventarc triggers. |
| Pricing model | Per request plus GB-seconds of duration (x86 or Arm rates), with a monthly free tier. Provisioned concurrency and SnapStart are billed separately. Compute Savings Plans apply. | Request-based billing (default) charges vCPU-seconds and GiB-seconds while instances handle requests, plus a per-request fee; instance-based billing charges for the whole instance lifetime. A monthly free tier applies. |
| Docs | AWS Lambda (Event Functions) docs | Cloud Run functions (formerly Cloud Functions) docs |
| Pricing page | AWS Lambda (Event Functions) pricing | Cloud Run functions (formerly Cloud Functions) pricing |
Key differences
- Functions run as Cloud Run services, so one instance can handle multiple concurrent requests, unlike Lambda's one request per environment.
- Event triggers come through Eventarc and Pub/Sub instead of Lambda event source mappings.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per request plus GB-seconds of duration (x86 or Arm rates), with a monthly free tier. Provisioned concurrency and SnapStart are billed separately. Compute Savings Plans apply. AWS Lambda (Event Functions) pricing →
- GCP
- Request-based billing (default) charges vCPU-seconds and GiB-seconds while instances handle requests, plus a per-request fee; instance-based billing charges for the whole instance lifetime. A monthly free tier applies. Cloud Run functions (formerly Cloud Functions) pricing →
And on Azure?
Direct match Azure's equivalent is Azure Functions. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of AWS Lambda (Event Functions)?
AWS Lambda maps to Cloud Run functions (formerly Cloud Functions), which deploy functions from source onto Cloud Run.
How does pricing compare between AWS Lambda (Event Functions) and Cloud Run functions (formerly Cloud Functions)?
AWS: Per request plus GB-seconds of duration (x86 or Arm rates), with a monthly free tier. Provisioned concurrency and SnapStart are billed separately. Compute Savings Plans apply. Google Cloud: Request-based billing (default) charges vCPU-seconds and GiB-seconds while instances handle requests, plus a per-request fee; instance-based billing charges for the whole instance lifetime. A monthly free tier applies. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Azure Functions (direct match). The Azure equivalent of AWS Lambda is Azure Functions.