Events, queues & pub/sub · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon SNS vs Pub/Sub
Amazon SNS maps to Pub/Sub topics with multiple subscriptions for fan-out.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon SNS | Pub/Sub |
| Lifecycle | SNS Message Data Protection entered maintenance (Mar 31, 2026). | Generally available |
| What it is | Pub/sub topics (Standard and FIFO) that fan out to SQS, Lambda, HTTP, Firehose, email, SMS, and mobile push, with filter policies. | Global asynchronous messaging service with topics and push or pull subscriptions, used for fan-out, queues, and streaming pipelines. |
| Pricing model | Per million publishes plus per-delivery charges that vary by endpoint type (HTTP, SQS, and Lambda are cheap, while SMS is priced per message by country). | Billed for throughput (publish and delivery), retained message storage, and data transfer. |
| Docs | Amazon SNS docs | Pub/Sub docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon SNS pricing | Pub/Sub pricing |
Key differences
- Pub/Sub doesn't send SMS, email, or mobile push like SNS; use Firebase Cloud Messaging or a partner for that.
- Push subscriptions deliver to HTTPS endpoints; pull subscriptions let consumers poll.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per million publishes plus per-delivery charges that vary by endpoint type (HTTP, SQS, and Lambda are cheap, while SMS is priced per message by country). Amazon SNS pricing →
- GCP
- Billed for throughput (publish and delivery), retained message storage, and data transfer. Pub/Sub pricing →
And on Azure?
Partial match Azure's equivalent is Azure Service Bus, Azure Event Grid. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Amazon SNS?
Amazon SNS maps to Pub/Sub topics with multiple subscriptions for fan-out.
How does pricing compare between Amazon SNS and Pub/Sub?
AWS: Per million publishes plus per-delivery charges that vary by endpoint type (HTTP, SQS, and Lambda are cheap, while SMS is priced per message by country). Google Cloud: Billed for throughput (publish and delivery), retained message storage, and data transfer. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Azure Service Bus and Azure Event Grid (partial match). Amazon SNS maps to Azure Service Bus topics (durable fan-out to subscriptions) and Azure Event Grid (push to webhooks and services).