How to use the AWS Services Cheat Sheet
- 1. Search by needType what you need, such as database, DNS or serverless.
- 2. Compare similar servicesFilter a category to see, for example, S3, EBS and EFS side by side.
- 3. Download for revisionSave your filtered list as a text file.
How the sheet is organised
Services are grouped the way you would choose them: Compute, Storage, Databases, Networking, Security, Management, Billing, Integration, Analytics and AI, and DevOps. Each card has the service name, a two-to-four word role and one sentence on when you would use it. Search for key-value and you land on Amazon DynamoDB; search for DNS and you find Amazon Route 53.
Look at the storage trio together because people mix them up: Amazon S3 is object storage reached over HTTP, EBS is a disk attached to one EC2 instance, and EFS is a shared file system many servers mount at once.
Pairs that often confuse beginners
- CloudWatch vs CloudTrail: CloudWatch watches metrics and logs; CloudTrail records who called which API.
- SQS vs SNS: SQS holds messages in a queue until a worker takes them; SNS pushes one message to many subscribers.
- RDS vs Aurora: both are managed relational databases; Aurora is AWS's own MySQL- and PostgreSQL-compatible engine with replicated storage.
- ECS vs EKS: ECS is AWS's own container service; EKS is managed Kubernetes.
- WAF vs Shield: WAF filters web requests by rules; Shield protects against DDoS.
AWS adds and renames services regularly. The names here were checked in November 2026; confirm details in the AWS documentation before using them in an exam answer or design. When you are ready to test yourself, take the AWS Cloud Practitioner practice quiz.
Frequently asked questions
Does AWS have more services than this?
Yes, well over 200. This sheet covers the core ones beginners and foundation-level exams focus on.
Is there a free tier?
AWS offers free usage for new accounts on many services, with limits and time periods that change. Check the AWS Free Tier page for the current terms.
Is the AWS Services Cheat Sheet free?
Yes, the AWS Services Cheat Sheet is free. The first time you download your first cheat sheet, you are asked for your name and WhatsApp number once. After that, this and every other Uncodemy tool opens straight away without the form.