Cloud Run vs App Runner: Serverless Container Platforms

• 3/7/2023
• 4-minute read

Before diving into our comparison of AWS App Runner and Google Cloud Run, let’s take a moment to appreciate how far cloud computing has come. The journey to today’s serverless platforms has been fascinating!

A Brief History of Cloud Platforms

Remember the days when deploying an application meant purchasing physical servers, configuring networking, and managing infrastructure? Cloud computing changed all that, and the evolution has been rapid:

• 2008: AWS launched EC2, revolutionizing infrastructure provisioning
• 2011: Google App Engine became one of the first Platform-as-a-Service offerings, abstracting away server management
• 2014: AWS Lambda introduced the concept of Function-as-a-Service (FaaS), allowing developers to run code without provisioning servers
• 2018: AWS Fargate brought serverless container execution to ECS, eliminating the need to manage EC2 instances
• 2019: Google Cloud Run launched, bringing serverless to container-based workloads
• 2021: AWS App Runner arrived, further simplifying containerized application deployment

Each of these innovations moved us closer to the developer dream: focusing solely on code while the infrastructure manages itself.

AWS App Runner vs Google Cloud Run: The Modern Serverless Showdown

AWS App Runner and Google Cloud Run are two serverless computing platforms that can help you deploy and run containerized applications without having to worry about servers. Both platforms are relatively new, but they have quickly become popular choices for developers.

What are the similarities?

• Both platforms are truly serverless, meaning that you don’t have to provision or manage servers. The platforms will automatically scale your application up or down based on demand, so you only pay for the resources that you use.
• Both platforms support containerized applications. This means that you can package your application code and dependencies into a container and deploy it to the platform.
• Both platforms are incredibly easy to use. You can deploy your application with a few clicks or a few commands.
• Both platforms are highly scalable. They can automatically scale your application up or down based on demand, so you can handle even the most unpredictable traffic spikes.

What are the differences?

• Language Support: AWS App Runner supports a wider range of languages and frameworks than Google Cloud Run. For example, AWS App Runner supports Python, Node.js, Java, Go, and Ruby on Rails, while Google Cloud Run only supports Python, Node.js, and Java.
• Pricing Models: AWS App Runner is priced based on the number of requests that your application receives and the amount of compute time that it uses. Google Cloud Run is priced based on the amount of compute time that your application uses.
• Feature Sets: AWS App Runner has some features that Google Cloud Run does not, such as support for custom domains and VPC integration. Google Cloud Run has some features that AWS App Runner does not, such as support for buildpacks and serverless functions.

The Heritage Factor

It’s worth noting how these platforms evolved from their predecessors:

• AWS App Runner builds on the experience of AWS Lambda, ECS, and Fargate, providing a more streamlined experience for containerized applications. It addresses the complexity gap that existed between Lambda (simple but limited) and ECS/Fargate (powerful but complex).

• Google Cloud Run draws from Google’s decade of experience with App Engine, but modernized for the container era. Google’s experience with Kubernetes (which they created) and their internal Borg system has clearly influenced Cloud Run’s design.

Which platform is right for you?

• AWS App Runner is like a one-stop shop for deploying and running containerized applications. It has a wide range of features and supports a variety of languages and frameworks. If you’re already invested in the AWS ecosystem or need its specific features, it’s an excellent choice.

• Google Cloud Run is more like a bare-bones platform. It is simpler to use and has fewer features, but it is also more flexible and can be used for a wider range of workloads. It truly shines when you need to quickly deploy containerized applications with minimal fuss.

Real-world Considerations

When choosing between these platforms, consider:

1. Your existing cloud investments - Staying within one cloud provider’s ecosystem often makes management easier
2. Cold start performance - Both platforms have different behaviors when scaling from zero
3. Cost predictability - Understand the pricing models carefully as they differ significantly
4. Integration needs - Consider what other services you need to connect with

Remember that both platforms are constantly evolving, so what’s true today might change tomorrow. The serverless revolution continues!

Getting Started with App Runner and Cloud Run

Ready to try these platforms out for yourself? Here are the official quickstart guides to help you get started:

AWS App Runner Quickstarts

• AWS App Runner Getting Started Guide
• Deploy a Sample Application with AWS App Runner

Google Cloud Run Quickstarts

• Cloud Run Quickstart: Deploy a Prebuilt Sample Container
• Build and Deploy a Service with a Dockerfile
• Cloud Run Codelab for Beginners

These guides will walk you through the process of deploying your first application on each platform, allowing you to experience the differences firsthand.

What’s your experience with these platforms? Have you made the switch to serverless yet?