I’ve asked GPT to make some comparison between AWS and DigitalOcean to show the costs.
How realistic is this estimation, in your opinion?
GPT output:
Let’s estimate the costs for running a Discourse forum for 100 users for one year on both DigitalOcean and AWS EC2.
Assumptions:
- Server Type: We’ll assume a mid-tier server is sufficient for 100 users. For DigitalOcean, this would be their $20/month Droplet. For AWS, we’ll consider a t3.medium EC2 instance.
- Storage: Discourse recommends at least 10GB of space. We’ll assume 20GB to account for growth and backups.
- Data Transfer: We’ll estimate 500GB/month, considering both inbound and outbound traffic.
- Backup: We’ll assume weekly backups stored for a month, leading to 4 backups stored at any given time.
- Database: We’ll use the built-in PostgreSQL for Discourse, so no additional costs here.
Cost Estimation:
| Cost Component | DigitalOcean | AWS EC2 |
|---|---|---|
| Server | $20 x 12 = $240 | t3.medium On-Demand price is approximately $0.0416 per hour. So, $0.0416 x 24 x 30 x 12 = $359.55 |
| Storage | Included in Droplet | EBS General Purpose SSD (gp2) volumes are $0.10 per GB-month. So, 20GB x $0.10 x 12 = $24 |
| Data Transfer | First 1TB/month is free, then $0.01 per GB. Assuming 500GB is used, it’s free. | First 1GB is free, then $0.09 per GB for the next 9.999TB/month. So, 500GB x $0.09 = $45/month. For a year, $45 x 12 = $540 |
| Backup | $4/month (20% of Droplet price) x 12 = $48 | Snapshots cost $0.05 per GB-month. Assuming 4 backups of 20GB each month: 80GB x $0.05 = $4/month. For a year, $4 x 12 = $48 |
| Total | $288/year | $971.55/year |
Notes:
- AWS has multiple pricing models, including Reserved Instances and Savings Plans, which can significantly reduce costs. The above estimation is based on On-Demand pricing, which is the most expensive option.
- This is a basic estimation and doesn’t account for potential additional services or unforeseen costs. It’s always a good idea to monitor usage and adjust resources as needed.
- Prices can vary based on regions and specific configurations. Always refer to the official pricing documentation of the respective platforms for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
In conclusion, based on the above estimation, DigitalOcean appears to be more cost-effective for hosting a Discourse forum for 100 users for one year. However, AWS offers a broader range of services and scalability options, which might be beneficial for more complex or growing projects.