AWS CloudFormation vs env0
AWS CloudFormation
aws.amazon.comenv0
envzero.comSide by side
| Figure | AWS CloudFormation | env0 |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 3 |
| Spec score · Infrastructure as Code Tools | 9.0 (#2) | 7.9 (#9) |
| Spec score · Infrastructure Automation | 9.1 (#2) | 7.9 (#11) |
| Spec score · Cloud Orchestration Software | 9.0 (#3) | 7.9 (#9) |
| Founded | 2006 | 2018 |
| Purpose | CloudFormation models, provisions, and manages related AWS and third-party resources as infrastructure as code. | env zero describes itself as an autonomous cloud control plane for governing cloud infrastructure and helping teams manage, automate, and scale it. |
Plans
AWS CloudFormation
- AWS CloudFormationFree
- CloudFormation serviceFree
- Third-party resource providersFree
env0
- env zero Free TierFree
- env zero Cloud NavigatorPriced on request
- env zero Cloud PilotPriced on request
In their own words
AWS CloudFormation
AWS CloudFormation models, provisions, and manages related AWS and third-party resources as infrastructure as code. YAML or JSON templates define AWS resources and their properties. StackSets deploy a common set of resources across multiple AWS accounts and Regions; Change Sets preview proposed stack updates, including possible deletion or replacement, and Drift Detection tracks changes made outside the service. For authoring, AWS CDK supports TypeScript, Python, Java, and .NET, while AWS SAM offers shorthand YAML for serverless resources that is converted during deployment. The CloudFormation Registry supports third-party resources and modules, and stacks can be updated from remote Git repositories. The service is available through API, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, and manages state. CloudFormation itself has a free plan, with no additional charge for AWS and Alexa resource providers, but created AWS resources are billed at their standard rates. Third-party provider and custom hook operations may also incur charges. Access can be managed with IAM, and CloudTrail logs API calls.
env0
env0 is a cloud control plane for governing infrastructure and helping teams manage, automate, and scale it. Developers and AI agents deploy through reusable templates and Git-based workflows, with RBAC, scoped variables, and policy-as-code guardrails. It supports Terraform, Terragrunt, Pulumi, OpenTofu, Kubernetes, Helm, Ansible, and AWS CloudFormation across cloud accounts, Kubernetes resources, and IaC-managed environments. Drift management detects changes across clouds, plans fixes with blast-radius context, remediates at the infrastructure-as-code source, and rescans. Cloud Asset Management maps resources across clouds, accounts, and SaaS providers to owners, costs, dependencies, and policy state. Listed integrations include GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps, AWS, Azure, GCP, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Datadog, and Backstage. The Free Tier costs nothing, billed Free / Forever, with up to 30 active environments, 250 monthly deployments, one concurrent run, unlimited users and agents, and community support. Custom-priced Cloud Navigator and Cloud Pilot plans are also listed.