Fargate's deploys, without the assembly.
You do not have to leave AWS, just the wiring. Appliku deploys your app to an always-on EC2 instance in your own account and manages it for you: no cold starts, no VPC and NAT setup, root SSH, and predictable cost. Built for Django and Python, with fast, direct support.
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In short
Appliku and AWS Fargate both run your containers on AWS without you managing servers. The difference is how much you assemble and how it behaves. Fargate is serverless containers: powerful, but you wire up the VPC, subnets, security groups, NAT, ECR, IAM roles, task definitions, and load balancer yourself, and tasks cold-start from zero. Appliku runs your app on a single always-on EC2 instance in your own account that we set up and maintain, with no cold starts, root SSH, and defaults for Django and Python (FastAPI, Rails, and Next.js too). It includes direct support and a done-for-you migration on paid plans.
Fargate is genuinely powerful. Here is the difference.
Fargate is a serious piece of engineering: serverless containers that scale on demand, with no nodes to manage, backed by AWS. For spiky, large-scale, or bursty container workloads, it is a strong tool, and we will say so.
The difference is everything around the container. Despite the serverless label, you still assemble the VPC, subnets, security groups, a NAT gateway, ECR, IAM roles, task definitions, and a load balancer, and the first deploy is a chicken-and-egg puzzle. Tasks cold-start from zero, you cannot SSH into the host, stopped tasks vanish from the console, and for a steady web app the per-second price plus NAT often costs more than an always-on server.
Appliku keeps you on AWS but runs your app on one always-on EC2 instance in your account. No cold starts, no wiring, root SSH, and a predictable EC2 bill, all managed for you.
Always on, and steadier on cost
A steady web app does not need serverless pricing or a cold start.
- Fargate: per-second vCPU and memory, plus a NAT gateway
- Premium for a steady app
- Appliku: flat plan, plus one EC2 you size and own
- $18/mo plus your EC2
- What you gain
- Unlimited apps on one instance
Fargate runs one task per node with fixed sizes, and a NAT gateway adds fixed cost. On Appliku you run unlimited apps and databases on one EC2 you own, at EC2 prices you pay AWS directly. Your exact numbers depend on your app and instance.
The friction that a managed EC2 removes
These are the tradeoffs Fargate users raise most often. Each one changes on a plain EC2 that Appliku manages for you.
Cold starts from zero
Scaling from zero on Fargate means a 20 to 40 second wait, sometimes minutes, for the next request. Appliku runs your app on an always-on EC2, so there is no cold start.
Networking you have to wire
VPC, subnets, security groups, and a NAT gateway just to let a task reach the internet, with cryptic errors when one is off. Appliku sets up your instance's networking for you.
No host access, tasks vanish
You cannot SSH into the host, and stopped tasks disappear from the console, so a crash is hard to inspect. On Appliku you have root SSH to a persistent server.
Pricey for a steady app
Per-second vCPU and memory plus a NAT gateway add up for always-on workloads, where EC2 is usually cheaper. On Appliku you pay AWS for one EC2 you size.
One task per node, fixed sizes
Fargate does not pack containers onto a node, and offers only preset sizes, so spare capacity is wasted. On Appliku you run unlimited apps on one instance you chose.
A first deploy that fights back
The image must be in ECR before the task definition and service can start, so the first deploy is a chicken-and-egg puzzle across IAM roles and templates. Appliku is a git push.
Based on public Fargate user reports on Reddit, Hacker News, and troubleshooting guides, mid 2026, and AWS documentation. Details change, so check current terms before you decide.
Already running on AWS with Appliku
"Switching from Heroku to AWS + Appliku revolutionized our business, delivering significant savings and newfound flexibility."
"Appliku automatically detected my new EC2 server and Elastic IP via the AWS connection. Connect to your repo and you're good to go. A real saviour."
"You get the best of both worlds, a PaaS like experience, but it's your cloud servers where you can control costs and increase resources."
Which one is right for you
Choose Fargate if
- You have spiky or bursty workloads that scale up and down hard
- You want serverless containers and no nodes to manage at all
- You have AWS expertise and want deep AWS integration
- Per-second scaling matters more than a steady, predictable bill
Choose Appliku if
- You run a steady web app and want an always-on EC2, no cold starts
- You do not want to wire a VPC, NAT, ECR, IAM, and task definitions
- You want root SSH and a predictable EC2 bill
- You are shipping Django or Python and want a real person to help
Appliku vs Fargate, side by side
| Appliku | Fargate | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on AWS | Yes, a plain EC2 you own | Yes, serverless containers |
| Idle behavior | Always on, no cold starts | Cold start from zero |
| Networking setup | Appliku configures it | You wire VPC, subnets, NAT |
| Host and shell access | Root SSH, persistent server | No host access, tasks vanish |
| Cost for a steady app | One EC2 at EC2 prices | Per-second, plus NAT gateway |
| Apps per instance | Unlimited on one EC2 | One task per node |
| First deploy | git push | ECR, task def, IAM roles |
| Django defaults | Built in | You assemble |
| Support | Included, founder replies | AWS support plans |
| Done-for-you migration | Free on paid plans | Self-service |
Comparison compiled July 2026 from public AWS documentation and user reports. AWS and Fargate are trademarks of Amazon and are not affiliated with Appliku.
A person, not a support tier
Wiring Fargate alone is the hard part. On Appliku you email us and hear back fast, often from the founder who built it, and on a paid plan we will do the migration with you.
"I had a few issues and questions with my deploy and got super fast support. 10/10 would recommend for any Django app."
"The support by its creator is unbeatable and fast, and the prices are fair. Every important service can be spun up with a few clicks."
Already on Fargate? We will move you, live.
On any paid plan, request a free migration. We get on a screen-share and set up your app on an EC2 instance in your own AWS account that Appliku manages for you, together, usually in one session. You keep AWS, and lose the assembly.
Questions Fargate users ask
- Do I have to leave AWS?
- No. Appliku deploys to an EC2 instance in your own AWS account and manages it for you. You keep AWS, you just drop the Fargate assembly. It also works on DigitalOcean, Hetzner, or any VPS.
- Will my app cold-start?
- No. Your app runs on an always-on EC2 instance, so there is no scale-to-zero cold start on the next request.
- Do I need to set up a VPC, NAT, and ECR?
- No. Appliku sets up and maintains the EC2 instance, including its networking, so there is no NAT gateway, ECR push, or task definition to wire up.
- Is it cheaper than Fargate?
- For a steady, always-on app it usually is, because one EC2 at EC2 prices avoids Fargate's per-second premium and the NAT gateway. Your numbers depend on your app and instance size.
- Can I SSH in to debug?
- Yes. It is your server, so you get root SSH and can exec into any container, unlike Fargate where there is no host access and stopped tasks disappear.
- Can you move my app off Fargate for me?
- Yes. On any paid plan we do the migration with you on a screen-share, including your database and workers, and test before cutover.
Keep AWS. Lose the assembly.
Start free, deploy a real app to an always-on EC2 instance in your own account, and let Appliku run the platform for you. No credit card required.