AWS CloudFormation vs AWS Systems Manager comparison

AWS CloudFormation and AWS Systems Manager are both solutions in the Configuration Management category. AWS CloudFormation is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.7, while AWS Systems Manager is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.1. AWS CloudFormation holds a 1.1% mindshare in CM, compared to AWS Systems Manager’s 10.7% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of AWS CloudFormation users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of AWS Systems Manager users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

AWS CloudFormation and AWS Systems Manager cater to the AWS ecosystem in infrastructure management and operational automation, respectively. AWS CloudFormation holds an advantage due to its robust infrastructure management capabilities and cost-effectiveness, although it has a steep learning curve, while Systems Manager is favored for its operational automation and integration but is affected by variable pricing.

Features: AWS CloudFormation streamlines infrastructure management through infrastructure as code, utilizing YAML or JSON templates. It supports multi-region deployments, offers versioning, rollback, and integrates strongly with AWS services. AWS Systems Manager excels in operation management, providing effective patch management and automation of EC2 state management. Its strong integration with AWS CloudWatch and features like Session Manager and parameter storage enhance its operational strength.

Room for Improvement: AWS CloudFormation needs improvements in usability for non-technical users and support for multi-cloud environments. Challenges exist with verbosity, syntax, and cross-account dynamic references. Expanding support for on-premise infrastructures is also noted. AWS Systems Manager could improve automation features, OS coverage for patch management, deployment integration, and cost optimization options, while also enhancing multi-account management capabilities.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: AWS CloudFormation supports public, private, and hybrid cloud deployments, with generally well-rated support though sometimes slow. AWS Systems Manager is focused on public cloud deployments with satisfactory support described as responsive. Both provide comprehensive technical support, but perceptions vary based on feedback and subscription levels.

Pricing and ROI: AWS CloudFormation is free, charging only for deployed resources, thus offering cost-efficiency and a positive ROI. AWS Systems Manager is typically affordable but can see price fluctuations with demand spikes. CloudFormation's cost-effectiveness is praised for infrastructure use, while Systems Manager requires better pricing alerts despite its valued cost optimizations by AWS cloud engineers.

To learn more, read our detailed AWS CloudFormation vs. AWS Systems Manager Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

AWS CloudFormation vs. AWS Systems Manager

March 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Intune

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Configuration Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Intune is 10.2%, up from 9.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of AWS CloudFormation is 1.1%, down from 1.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of AWS Systems Manager is 10.7%, up from 10.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Configuration Management

Featured Reviews

Joseph Merusi

Collaborations engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

Everything has worked better since we started using it

Sometimes the syncing is inconsistent. I'm confident that the devices are checking in every eight hours, but sometimes the devices aren't picking up the settings as quickly as I would expect. Some features haven't been updated in a while, and Microsoft doesn't seem interested in developing them. Unless you talk to an engineer, you don't know whether there will be an update. There are communication issues, so you might start working with a feature without knowing if it will be deprecated six months from now. Some reporting areas still need development. For example, I noticed that the reporting for driver updates is still confusing.

Read full review

Mbula Mboma

AWS Cloud Re-Start Program Specialist at Orange RDC (Congo)

Facilitates efficient infrastructure deployment with visibility into resource connections

I primarily use AWS CloudFormation for deploying infrastructure efficiently. For instance, if I want to create load balancers with target groups and EC2 instances, I find CloudFormation simplifies the process of deployment and configuration, reducing the possibility of errors AWS CloudFormation…

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Ambe Frankline

Cloud/DevOps Engineer at Innovative Technology Systems

Tracks every action on AWS accounts in a centralized way

Setting up AWS Systems Manager to monitor and control other services is easy. You need to link the services you want to observe and track. The time it takes to deploy depends on factors like connectivity, latency, and the complexity of the services. For example, setting up a simple application is faster than setting up a more complicated three-tier or multi-tier system. Using the solution for batch updates varies depending on the number of servers involved and the commands needed. Personally, when I do small projects at home, deploying a few servers doesn't take long. But at work, where we handle larger deployments with hundreds of servers, it's faster due to better connectivity and resources.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The policy and compliance monitoring of devices and the software deployment are most valuable."

"First of all, the integration with the rest of Microsoft's products is a major win."

"The biggest asset is the range of device management options available with Intune, whether it is a Windows device, a Linux device, a Mac device, or mobile devices."

"Everything has worked better since we started using Intune."

"The most valuable feature of Intune is the ability to reset a lost device and remove all the data."

"I would say the biggest benefit is the single-pane view. There's no jumping around multiple UI's to do your overall management."

"We have one MDM that works with Windows, iOS, and Android."

"I would rate the overall solution as a 10."

More Microsoft Intune pros

"The ability to quickly run up CloudFormation in AWS and the template validation function are the most valuable features."

"The CloudFormation template can be reused to create multiple stacks, reducing duplications and improving our infrastructure."

"It allows defining the infrastructure as code using templates, which describe the desired state of the infrastructure."

"The solution has helped with automation. I don't have to worry about provisioning machines and ensuring everything is set up. AWS CloudFormation takes care of the entire infrastructure for me."

"AWS CloudFormation makes infrastructure deployment easy."

"Its ability to treat infrastructure's code is valuable. It makes things automatable and reproducible."

"CloudFormation itself is free to use. You will be charged for the resources you deploy using CloudFormation."

"CloudFormation has helped automate the infrastructure in AWS, making the process more efficient."

More AWS CloudFormation pros

"The solution's most valuable feature is the change management option. It tracks every action on my AWS accounts in a centralized way, acting like a control tool for me. This is especially useful when working with Kubernetes and AWS ECS services. Additionally, my colleagues and clients often use the application management tools for configuration, parameters, and installations."

"AWS Systems Manager's most valuable feature is its ability to dynamically export and import values in various AWS accounts."

"With AWS Systems Manager, our company can patch our systems directly from it, so we don't need to patch our systems manually."

"The solution is user-friendly"

"AWS provides Auto Scaling groups."

"The solution's ability to scale is good."

"Has a variety of automation options."

"AWS Systems Manager's most valuable feature is its ability to dynamically export and import values in various AWS accounts"

More AWS Systems Manager pros

Cons

"The reporting causes problems because we're trying to gather data to present to the management, but we can't get the data they request. If a user has removed an application from his device, but it won't report it at exactly the right time. It takes time to sync from the device to the portal. Let's say we are preparing a list or deck for the number of compliant devices that meet all of the organization's requirements. In a real-time scenario, that device could be compliant, but it is showing as non-compliant on the portal. It sometimes hampers the overall decisions that we make on our end."

"While Intune works perfectly well, the only potential downside is that the deployment could be a bit complex for some users."

"It should be easier to define policies and comply with those policies."

"I wish Microsoft would keep up with their documentation. They make changes so quickly to these platforms that they do not update the documentation properly in a timely manner."

"I would like to see micro VPN. I like the way that some of the other providers have done something similar where, as you open that app on an end-point device, it creates a micro VPN straight into your device, which is quite a nice little feature. Also, Microsoft Intune relies heavily on its fellow products in the suite. It would be nice if Microsoft Intune could stand on its own two feet."

"A more incisive reporting tool with automated progress updates and graphical representation would be beneficial, as the current manual method lacks efficiency and visual clarity."

"The information we receive at the device level needs improvement."

"Intune does not provide real-time visibility."

More Microsoft Intune cons

"There are some limitations with JSON, as the code is written in JSON, which doesn't support commands, looping, or conditionals. This can make the code difficult to read and share across teams. Moreover, the tool only supports AWS."

"The conditions that can be added in AWS CloudFormation are not as powerful as any programming language."

"For improvement, it's crucial that AWS provides options in terms of computing services, DB related services, and machine learning solutions. If I'm not hands-on with a particular service, like machine learning applications, I struggle to write the CloudFormation code."

"They could improve the product's capability to handle circular dependencies more effectively."

"For a beginner, it's kind of difficult to set up. So, the user does need some knowledge in order to do it."

"There could be more tools for conditional outputs in CloudFormation. Although YAML syntax is structured and AWS has CDK, perhaps more validations could be added to make the work easier."

"There is less support for on-premise environments."

"If you are a developer or a more technical person, it's very difficult to learn the complete syntax or because CloudFormation includes a new way to write infrastructure code."

More AWS CloudFormation cons

"It could be agentless if there's room for improvement in the AWS Systems Manager. Currently, you have to install agents, although, for most of the latest EC2 images, the agents come preinstalled. If it could be at the level of Ansible, which is agentless, that would be fantastic. When you compare the solution to Ansible, one of the most widely accepted tools, the agentless feature stands out. So, if the AWS Systems Manager could become agentless, that would be a significant improvement."

"Ensuring broader OS coverage in patch management could be beneficial for the product."

"Additional features can be added as per customer requirements."

"One area that could be enhanced is dynamic configuration management. Additionally, improving integration with other AWS services like Lambda and CloudFormation would be beneficial."

"The fact that AWS Systems Manager takes time to complete the patching process, makes it an area where improvements are required."

"Every AWS service comes with some associated costs."

"We formerly used third-party products to analyze the log, give us information, and find bottlenecks. Systems Manager could provide more tools that conduct this analysis, so we don't have to do it ourselves."

"I'd like to see more automation for monitoring and managing things like AWS CloudWatch and AWS Config. It would be a significant improvement if it could automatically handle these tasks and address issues as they arise."

More AWS Systems Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Microsoft Intune is moderately priced. There is a monthly license required to use the solution and it is approximately eight dollars per month."

"The price of Intune is included with the license for Office 365, so we don't have to pay anything extra for it."

"There is a license needed to use the solution and we are on an annual license."

"Its price is fair. It's a normal price. It isn't too expensive or too cheap."

"For organizations that are a Microsoft shop, the pricing is compelling."

"Its price is in the medium range. It is acceptable because you're paying for the features. I am not aware of any additional costs."

"If you're subscribing to Premium or E3, there are no additional costs for Intune, it's included."

"Microsoft offers some licensing where it's included at no extra cost when customers are already using the licenses. In such a case, it's a really good value. If you have to buy the licensing for it, it's probably on par with other solutions. It isn't substantially more or less expensive. The great thing is that it is included in some of Microsoft's licensed packages. So, some customers don't have to spend additional money for it. Typically, most providers that support Intune do charge a management fee of some sort or some fee. Certainly, we're no exception."

More Microsoft Intune pricing and cost advice

"The tool is free for the AWS environment."

"In general, pricing within AWS is relatively affordable."

"The tool's pricing depends on the page model."

"The price of the solution is good because it is scalable."

"The solution's cost is normal, neither cheap nor expensive."

"This solution is free to use and does not require a license."

"The product is free."

"AWS CloudFormation doesn't have any cost because it's only the resources that you deploy with the solution that'll incur costs."

More AWS CloudFormation pricing and cost advice

"An AWS cloud engineer can bring down the costs."

"The platform provides excellent value for the capabilities it offers when compared to third-party tools for similar tasks."

"Most of the features are free. I'm not entirely certain, but I believe the pricing is generally very low. Some services that are part of Ops Manager might have associated costs."

"As we were doing a government project so the government got the project at a very nominal cost."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

23%

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

22%

Computer Software Company

22%

Government

Retailer

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?

Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes ...

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What are the pros and cons of Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune is a great configuration management tool and has a lot of good things going for it. Here are some of...

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How does Google Cloud Identity compare with Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune offers not only an easy-to-deploy data protection and productivity management solution, but also ...

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What do you like most about AWS CloudFormation?

AWS Cloud automation reduces the time needed to create AWS resources.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS CloudFormation?

AWS CloudFormation is free. However, there may be unexpected costs if developers deploy services incorrectly without ...

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What needs improvement with AWS CloudFormation?

Improvements are needed for sharing resources between template files, especially when using AWS ( /products/amazon-aw...

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What do you like most about AWS Systems Manager?

With AWS Systems Manager, our company can patch our systems directly from it, so we don't need to patch our systems m...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS Systems Manager?

Every AWS service comes with some associated costs. While using AWS Systems Manager, we continually monitor to optimi...

See all answers

What needs improvement with AWS Systems Manager?

There isn't anything specific I remember at the moment.

See all answers

Comparisons

Jamf Pro vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 14% of the time

Workspace ONE UEM vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Entra ID vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 5% of the time

IBM MaaS360 vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 3% of the time

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Red Hat Satellite vs AWS CloudFormation

Compared 21% of the time

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Microsoft Configuration Manager vs AWS Systems Manager

Compared 16% of the time

AWS Config vs AWS Systems Manager

Compared 12% of the time

Red Hat Satellite vs AWS Systems Manager

Compared 9% of the time

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs AWS Systems Manager

Compared 9% of the time

BigFix vs AWS Systems Manager

Compared 5% of the time

More AWS Systems Manager Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Intune

March 2025

Download Microsoft Intune product report

Buyer's Guide

AWS CloudFormation

April 2025

Download AWS CloudFormation product report

Buyer's Guide

Configuration Management

March 2025

Download AWS Systems Manager product report

Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager

CloudFormation

Amazon Elastic Container Registry

Overview

Microsoft Intune provides centralized management of mobile devices and applications, ensuring security, compliance, and productivity through integration with Microsoft services like Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory.

Organizations use Intune for managing mobile devices and applications, enhancing security and compliance across platforms. With features like single sign-on, conditional access, and zero-touch deployment via Autopilot, it facilitates efficient operations. Intune's scalability, easy enrollment, and capabilities such as remote wipe support diverse device management, offering robust data protection and efficient operation. Despite its features, improvement areas include reporting, compatibility with non-Microsoft devices, and better support for macOS and Linux devices.

What are the key features of Microsoft Intune?

Seamless Integration: Works with Microsoft 365, Azure Active Directory, and System Center for streamlined management.
Conditional Access: Enhances security with policies that restrict access based on conditions.
Autopilot: Provides zero-touch deployment for setting up new devices efficiently.
Mobile Device Management: Enables control over both personal and corporate devices.
Application Deployment: Facilitates app delivery across a range of devices.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Centralized Management: Reduces complexity by managing devices and applications in one place.
Security Enhancement: Protects data with features like remote wipe and compliance monitoring.
Improved Productivity: Enhances efficiency with seamless integration and automation features.
Device Scalability: Supports diverse device management for growing business needs.

In industries such as finance, healthcare, and education, Microsoft Intune is implemented to ensure secure and compliant device management. Companies leverage its capabilities to deploy security policies and manage both corporate-owned and BYOD environments, facilitating a unified approach to data protection and compliance.

Microsoft

AWS CloudFormation provides a common language for you to model and provision AWS and third party application resources in your cloud environment. AWS CloudFormation allows you to use programming languages or a simple text file to model and provision, in an automated and secure manner, all the resources needed for your applications across all regions and accounts. This gives you a single source of truth for your AWS and third party resources.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS Systems Manager is a management service that helps you automatically collect software inventory, apply OS patches, create system images, and configure Windows and Linux operating systems. These capabilities help you define and track system configurations, prevent drift, and maintain software compliance of your EC2 and on-premises configurations. By providing a management approach that is designed for the scale and agility of the cloud but extends into your on-premises data center, Systems Manager makes it easier for you to seamlessly bridge your existing infrastructure with AWS.

Systems Manager is easy to use. Simply access Systems Manager from the EC2 Management Console, select the instances you want to manage, and define the management tasks you want to perform. Systems Manager is available now at no cost to manage both your EC2 and on-premises resources.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway

Nextdoor, Coinbase, Expedia

Expedia, Intuit, Royal Dutch Shell, Brooks Brothers

Buyer's Guide

AWS CloudFormation vs. AWS Systems Manager

March 2025

Free Report: AWS CloudFormation vs. AWS Systems Manager

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