Workflows & orchestration
AWS Step Functions vs Azure Logic Apps
AWS Step Functions maps to Azure Logic Apps for visual, service-integration workflows.
Code-first orchestration is in the separate Durable Functions row.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | AWS Step Functions | Azure Logic Apps |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Visual state-machine workflows (Amazon States Language). Standard workflows are exactly-once and run up to a year. Express workflows are at-least-once and run up to 5 minutes. Optimized and AWS SDK service integrations are available. | Low-code workflow and integration platform with 1,400+ connectors. Consumption (multitenant, pay per execution) or Standard (single-tenant, hosting plan, stateful and stateless workflows, VNet). |
| Pricing model | Standard is billed per state transition. Express is billed per execution plus duration and memory. | Consumption is billed per action and connector execution. Standard is billed per hosting plan (vCPU and memory), plus standard connector calls. |
| Docs | AWS Step Functions docs | Azure Logic Apps docs |
| Pricing page | AWS Step Functions pricing | Azure Logic Apps pricing |
| Exams | DVA-C02 Retiring SAA-C03 DOP-C02 | AZ-204 Retired AZ-305 |
Key differences
- Model. Step Functions are JSON or YAML state machines (Amazon States Language) with Standard (exactly-once, up to 1 year) and Express (at-least-once, up to 5 minutes) types. Logic Apps are trigger-and-action workflows with 1,400+ connectors, in Consumption (multitenant) or Standard (single-tenant, stateful or stateless workflows, VNet integration).
- Integration focus. Step Functions targets AWS service orchestration (optimized and SDK integrations, Distributed Map for large-scale parallel processing). Logic Apps targets enterprise integration (SaaS and on-premises connectors through the data gateway, B2B/EDI with integration accounts).
- Local development. Logic Apps Standard workflows can be built and run locally in VS Code. Step Functions offers Workflow Studio and local testing with the TestState API.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Standard is billed per state transition. Express is billed per execution plus duration and memory. AWS Step Functions pricing →
- Azure
- Consumption is billed per action and connector execution. Standard is billed per hosting plan (vCPU and memory), plus standard connector calls. Azure Logic Apps 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. |
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate SAA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Italian version retires after Dec 31, 2026. |
| AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional DOP-C02 | AWS | Professional | current Korean version retires after Dec 31, 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. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 | Azure | Expert | current English version updated Apr 17, 2026. |
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 AWS Step Functions?
AWS Step Functions maps to Azure Logic Apps for visual, service-integration workflows. Code-first orchestration is in the separate Durable Functions row.
How does pricing compare between AWS Step Functions and Azure Logic Apps?
AWS: Standard is billed per state transition. Express is billed per execution plus duration and memory. Azure: Consumption is billed per action and connector execution. Standard is billed per hosting plan (vCPU and memory), plus standard connector calls. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) [retiring]; AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03); AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02); Microsoft Certified – Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) [retired]; Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305).