AWS Amplify vs Firebase | Which is better?

App development technologies are constantly advancing. Especially the use of cloud computing platforms has become crucial for developers and companies to fulfill their development needs. AWS Amplify and Firebase are big names for backend development hereof.

However, most businesses and dev teams want to compare these Amazon and Google-backed CSPs to choose an appropriate option for their project.

So, this article is going to discuss the key differences between Amplify and Firebase in detail. We will also analyze the core functionalities of these Backend as a Service (BaaS) platforms.

Let’s begin this comparison.

AWS Amplify Vs Firebase | The Major Differences 

• Description: AWS Amplify is a full-stack application development platform Amazon introduced in 2017. It offers visual UI development components and robust backend-building functionalities. Contrarily, Firebase is a closed-source platform with a complete suite of backend components and cloud computing tools to build, ship, and host applications. Founded in 2011, this BaaS vendor facilitates developers with all server-side functionalities to craft backends quickly.

• Backend Infrastructure: Amplify lets the programmers employ distinct AWS products such as API Gateway, Lambda, and S3 storage to create highly scalable and secure applications. However, Firebase works as a fully managed BaaS solution that has all the necessary offerings, such as Realtime Database, Firestore, Cloud Functions, and Cloud Storage. So developers can perform server-side tasks with more ease.

• Best for: AWS Amplify is an ideal CSP for shipping and developing single-page, prototypes, cross-platform, native, and serverless mobile, and web apps. You can also use Amplify for server-side rendering and full-stack applications in the cloud. Firebase is a good option for crafting mobile and web apps that need quick development and real-time functionalities. With crash reporting, authentication, and push notifications, this is an extensible platform for developing MVPs, startups, and prototypes.

• Scalability: Amplify depends on Amazon Web Services’ highly scalable infrastructure. So, it can expand the instances if traffic grows. Correspondingly, Firebase has an autoscaling feature, but Amplify has an edge when it comes to meeting the demands of convoluted apps. 

• Pricing Structure: Although it is free to outset using Firebase and AWS Amplify but, the AWS platform asks for adding credit card details to approve the user registration. Withal, it is quick to register on Firebase. If we talk about the similarities, both CSPs have a free tier and comply with a pay-as-you-go pricing structure.

• Authentication: Firebase has built-in user management and authorization, which is why it becomes seamless for dev teams to proceed with authentication and social media sign-in. Nevertheless, you need extra configuration to access authentication with Amplify. Also, the user management workflows of AWS Amplify are more arduous than those of Firebase.

• Customization: Amplify provides comprehensive customization traits with more control over infrastructure. Withal, Firebase doesn’t let you build highly tailored apps because of its limited customization features.

• Realtime Database: Google Firebase is popular because of its real-time databases. Yes, Realtime Database and Cloud Firestore are core offerings of Firebase. These databases utilize WebSockets to facilitate users with instant updates. AWS Amplify depends on GraphQL APIs to confer spontaneous data refreshes in an organized manner. 

• Offline Support: Firebase grants incredible offline support to its users under both of its DB offerings. Amplify also has offline support for developers, but you would have to set up Amplify DataStore and AppSync APIs for this. 

• Integration: You can smoothly integrate with AWS services while using Amplify. Although Firebase also permits you to connect with some of Google Cloud Platform products but, integration is not possible for all GCP services.   

Have a look at this table to understand the key dissimilarities between AWS Amplify vs Google Firebase:

What is AWS Amplify?

Amplify is an end-to-end stack platform powered by Amazon Web Services. It is used to deploy, create, run, scale, and host mobile and web applications.

You don’t need the expertise to craft your client side, sync with the database, or perform further server-side functionalities with AWS Amplify. 

It lets the developers utilize CLIs and Amplify Studio to perform backend tasks and UI components to connect server-side with frontend smoothly.

In this regard, you can also easily sync data through DataStore. Further appealing Amplify features are Authentication, PubSub, API, Geo, and Analytics.

Another advantage of using AWS Amplify is its native development support. Yes, Amplify backs different programming technologies and web frameworks to craft mobile and web applications.

A few of them are Swift, Java, Kotlin, JS, Vue, Angular, Hugo, Flutter, and Gatsby. 

Besides, you can build cloud-native apps for multiple operating systems and devices such as iOS, React Native, web, and Android using this platform.

Similarly, Amplify permits the dev teams to leverage 200+ AWS products.

Abit Agritech, Mediality, QsrSoft, Amazon Music, and Noom are happy customers of this CSP. 

AWS Amplify Key Features

Here are the leading AWS Amplify features:

• Authentication

AWS Amplify benefits from Amazon Cognito to get fully administered user management and email verification properties.

Hereof, it enables you to sign up and log in through Amazon and social accounts with multi-factor authentication. 

Ready-to-use registration and sign-in buttons and command over user access are also prominent offerings of this feature. 

• DataStore

If Firebase has Realtime Database and Firestore then AWS Amplify facilities its users with DataStore.

This is a storage engine that is operated with robust backing of GraphQL API. It allows the developers to query, sync, and distribute data without scripting further code. 

Like Firebase, DataStore also has an offline mode, but you would have to use AWS AppSync service in this regard.  

• Functions

This is another valuable feature that lets you include a function in your project through GraphQL or REST API.

You simply have to initiate the @function command in CLI. So, Amplify CLI authorizes you to examine, develop, and configure Lambda functions in distinct runtime environments.

Later, it is also easy to employ a function pattern for runtime. 

• API

You can benefit from both GraphQL and REST APIs to interact with distinct data sources. Yes, APIs let you communicate with Aurora Serverless, Lambda, and DynamoDB.

With the powerful backing of API Gateway and AppSync, these APIs also provide meantime updates and offline support to applications. 

• UI Components

AWS Amplify provides 40 open-source UI components scripted with CSS or React. That is why developers can quickly design frontend using these drag-and-drop and visually controlled UI elements.

Moreover, it is straightforward for dev teams to link UI features with backend functionalities like authentication, databases, etc.

• CLI Toolchain

Developers can construct and control the backend of their web and mobile applications using any device through this toolchain.

Amplify Command Line Interface promises to provide all AWS products to craft, configure, run, and host your applications. 

Compatibility with multiple environments, easy addition of tailored resources, and local mocking are further capabilities of the CLI toolchain.

• Amplify Hosting

This platform grants fully administered hosting solutions for the server-side and frontend of your applications.

It lets the companies host a serverless application backend designed through GraphQL or REST API. Similarly, it accommodates the frontend of an app built with popular frameworks. 

In this regard, you can host your code on any Git platform, publish the app through a repository, and commit to it. However, it is important to connect the repository with Amplify Console.

• Storage

You can backlog user-generated data in the cloud or choose the device storage option with AWS Amplify.

Also, it enables you to pick any storage container from options like private, public, and protected buckets.

This storage feature basically works with the backing of Amazon S3, so you can avail all the benefits that Simple Storage Service offers.

• Push Notifications

Better customer engagement and retention is the goal of every business. Amplify integrates with Amazon Pinpoint to improve communication with end users.

In this way, developers can send text or email messages and push notifications to get the attention of app users. 

• Amplify Studio

Whether you are a new developer or a seasoned programmer, Amplify Studio is the key feature that lets you handle backends without any expertise.

Yes, Amplify Studio provides a visual interface to developers to deal with datasets, authentication, and user management systems. 

Besides, Amplify Studio crafts templates to unify with CLI and gives dev teams complete control over server-side functionalities. 

• Analytics

Although Google Analytics is considered the finest tracking tool that Firebase uses but, you also shouldn’t undermine the AWS Amplify.

This platform leverages Amazon Kinesis and Pinpoint to monitor user insights and app metrics.

Real-time data availability and detailed analytics empower you to improve user attention and retention rate effectively. 

AWS Amplify Pricing

First of all, if we talk about frontend development with Amplify, it comes with an ‘always free’ tag. It signifies you don’t have to pay anything to build frontends with Amplify UI and Studio.

On the other hand, the majority of backend development tools like CLI, Libraries, and Amplify Studio are freemium.

However, backend development with Amplify has a pay-as-you-go policy if your needed instances surge from the provided limit.

Also, 1k build minutes, 500k monthly request counts, and 15GB of data transfer cost you nothing under Amplify Hosting.

But, if you need more than free tier offerings, you would have to pay $0.01/minute build, $0.15/GB for data transfer, and $0.30 for 1 million request counts.

Benefits of AWS Amplify

Here are the prominent advantages of AWS Amplify:

• Rapid Development

Amazon Amplify reduces the duration of the development cycle. Its fully managed infrastructure and pre-install CLI and UI components enable you to speed up the development process. Fortunately, you also don’t have to perform manual configurations with this CSP.

• Performance & Scalability

This is one of the large cloud infrastructures, which is why you don’t find any compromise on performance.

Mainly, if your app’s traffic increases, it is easy to extend the backend resources like servers, storage, networking, etc.

• Security

Another benefit of building backends with Amazon Amplify is its enterprise-grade security. Yes, this platform has several pre-built security features to handle all of your data and app safety concerns.

Multi-factor authentication, compliance validation, and Identity and Access Management (IAM) are a few of them. 

• Cost Efficient

Amplify doesn’t involve upfront fees, and its frontend development is free. Similarly, many of its backend offerings also come with a free tier.

This means that if you are looking for a cost-effective full-stack cloud computing solution, AWS Amplify should be your choice. 

What is Google Firebase?

Google Firebase is an array of backend computing tools that are utilized to develop, ship, extend, and run mobile and web applications.

This is a contemporary Backend as a Service (BaaS) solution that permits coders to emphasize the client side, and it supervises all server-side operations.

Firebase works as an all-in-one BaaS platform where you don’t have to take care of servers. Moreover, you don’t have to script the APIs while using Firebase.

Hereof, this CSP supplies all functionalities, including real-time databases, cloud functions, storage, FCM, authentication, remote config, and hosting. 

This cross-platform BaaS vendor supports different development technologies and provides complete documentation for them. You can get SDKs for Android, iOS, Flutter, Unity, Dart, web, C++, Objective-C and Kotlin. 

If we discuss its use cases, Google Firebase is not only a good choice for building backends, but you can also employ it to optimize and personalize your app experience.

Most businesses adopt Firebase because of its remote config and crash reporting tools.

The high-profile companies that are associated with Firebase for distinct tech stacks are Acintyo, Halfbrick, Le Figaro, Ahoy Games, and eBay Motors.

Firebase Key Features

Let’s delve into the core characteristics of Google Firebase:

• Authentication

A highly protected user management and authentication system is the major strength of Firebase. You can approach all methods of user registration, from phone and email to social logins, with this BaaS platform. Correspondingly, FirebaseUI guarantees a fully tailored app login interface for users.

• Realtime Databases

Cloud Firestore and Realtime Database are the most substantial Firebase products. Both of these databases ensure spontaneous querying, upgrading, and fetching of data.

These databases follow a NoSQL pattern, which is why they are highly scalable when it comes to adding more instances or servers.

• Cloud Functions

You can run and deploy your backend script via a single directive without piloting servers while using cloud functions.

These are JS functions that are performed in the Node.js runtime environment. With this feature, you can add business logic to your Unity, C++, iOS, web, or Android app in a breeze. 

Less maintenance, isolated deployment environments, and the ability to keep your logic secure are further benefits of using cloud functions. 

• Cloud Storage

Cloud storage deals with user-provided data. This content could be in the form of videos, images, text, or other file formats.

It is the duty of Firebase SDKs to quickly upload, sync, and download user-generated content and keep its backup.

• Hosting

Fast and secure hosting for all types of applications is another Firebase characteristic. This BaaS provider offers excellent support for static and dynamic applications with live previews, zero-configuration, and freemium SSL certifications. 

• Crashlytics

A crash report tool is imperative to be aware of app errors and bugs in the meantime. Crashlytics informs developers about a crash and shares its root cause.

Therefore, dev teams will look at this data and try to fix this glitch as soon as possible without adding an adverse effect to the user experience. 

• Google Analytics

Google Analytics is one of the most advanced user-tracking tools, and it was founded in 2005. Firebase users can benefit from this outstanding tool for nothing.

It lets them monitor five hundred events to optimize app performance. 

The recent Google Analytics variant GA4 provides more customization and in-depth statistics regarding user engagement and app performance.  

• Remote Config

Providing personalized user experience has become crucial for social networking, gaming, and streaming applications nowadays.

To meet this requirement, Firebase introduced a feature administration offering called remote config. 

Several companies like Halfbrick, STAGE, and Ahoy Games have upturned their revenues via personalized remote configuration.  

• Test Lab

Do you want to inspect your application without scripting any additional code? If so, try the Test Lab solution by Firebase.

You can test your app’s performance and quality of operations on physical devices and virtual peripherals using this service. 

• Cloud Messaging

FCM or Firebase Cloud Messaging is a cost-efficient approach to link server and user devices.

The main agenda behind this Firebase product is the delivery of notifications and email messages across multiple operating systems and devices.

Fortunately, you don’t have to pen codes to send these fully customized push notifications. In addition, you can sync FCM with Google Analytics to track the app users’ response to notifications. 

Firebase Pricing

Blaze and Spark are the two plans of Google Firebase. If we talk about the Spark plan is a no-cost offering that has a free tier and always free products.

Likewise, FCM, App Distribution, Analytics, A/B Testing, Remote Config, and Crashlytics are freeware Firebase products. 

However, products like Hosting, Authentication, Firestore, and Test Lab provide metered instances under the Spark plan.

You can get 50k/month users, 400k GB/seconds cloud functions, 50k reads/day, 5GB cloud storage, and 10GB hosting with a no-cost program. 

Contrarily, the Blaze or Pay-as-you-go pricing model only charges for consumed resources. It is good to use Blaze Calculator to evaluate your project cost in detail.

Benefits of Firebase

Here are the key advantages of building backends with Google Firebase:

• Fast App Development

It is extremely fast to craft, deploy, and run applications on Google Firebase. It has a vast set of pre-install dev tools that lets the dev teams conduct server-side operations on the fly.

Compared to Amplify, Firebase doesn’t have to integrate with GCP offerings because it has its own products for auth, storage, functions, etc.

• Increase in Revenues with Improved Rankings

Firebase is associated with Google, so it is easy for businesses to get improved search engine rankings here.

In this regard, the use of Firebase App Indexing API is highly valuable for getting top rankings on Google searches. The surge in revenues is the outcome of better rankings.

• Scalability

Firebase offers NoSQL systems, which are considered more scalable than SQL schemas. Generally, NoSQL datasets have horizontal scalability, so it becomes smoother for development teams to extend computing resources.

It signifies Firebase lets you robustly inflate the servers and further instances if your app traffic surges.

• Free Tier & Powerful Storage

Unlike Amazon Amplify, you don’t have to put in credit card information to approach the free tier plan of Firebase.

It means you can simply utilize Firebase without attaching any financial documents. Similarly, powerful cloud storage is another advantage of using Firebase. 

Indeed, app users can upload and download distinct files without experiencing the adverse effects of poor internet speed. 

Similarities between AWS Amplify and Google Firebase

• Both are cloud computing platforms backed by big companies such as Amazon and Google.

• They offer no-cost plans to support startups, prototypes, and newbie developers.

• Google Firebase and Amazon Amplify facilitate their users with pay-as-you-go pricing model

• Both offer real-time updates and offline modes.

• These platforms confer authentication, push notifications, storage, and hosting. 

• They provide cross-platform app development support.

Conclusion

AWS Amplify and Firebase are two leading cloud computing platforms that have several similarities and differences.

This article shares all of these Firebase vs AWS Amplify aspects in detail. Henceforth, it will be easy for businesses and dev teams to choose a platform for their upcoming project.