Amazon Database Migration Service

C tier on Cloud Migration ToolsScore 6.9 · #4 of 23

Android app: Not listed
Free plan: Yes
Runs on: api, Web

aws.amazon.com

Summary

Amazon Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) moves relational databases, data warehouses, NoSQL databases, and other data stores to AWS or between cloud and on-premises environments. It supports one-time migrations and ongoing replication that keeps source and target data in sync. Work can move between like database engines or between different engines, and AWS says more than 20 databases and data warehouses are supported as endpoints. DMS Schema Conversion can assess and convert schemas and many database objects, while identifying items that need manual conversion. DMS Serverless provisions and scales migration capacity based on transaction volume, with hourly capacity billing. The Multi-AZ option uses redundant replication instances, and migrations can resume after interruptions. Integrations include CloudTrail and CloudWatch Logs, while the API and AWS CLI can automate replication-task management. The free tier offers $100 in credits, with up to an additional $100 for activating foundational AWS services; credits are valid for up to 12 months. Paid options include hourly serverless or on-demand usage and a one-year Database Savings Plan commitment. A key constraint: at least one endpoint must be an Amazon RDS or EC2-hosted database; on-premises-to-on-premises replication is not supported.

Who it is for

AWS DMS suits teams migrating or modernizing databases and analytics workloads to AWS, including teams moving from self-managed databases to managed AWS databases. It is less suited to on-premises-to-on-premises replication.

What is good

Supports one-time migrations and ongoing replication.
Supports homogeneous and heterogeneous migrations.
Schema Conversion identifies objects needing manual conversion.
Migrations can resume after an interruption.
Free tier offers AWS credits.

What to know first

On-premises-to-on-premises replication is not supported.
At least one endpoint must be on RDS or EC2.
Paid usage costs vary by capacity, instance, or commitment.
Free-tier credits are unavailable in AWS GovCloud (US).

Verdict

AWS DMS supports a range of migration patterns and can continue replication after a disruption. Check the endpoint requirement and usage-based pricing details before planning a migration.

Amazon Database Migration Service plans and pricing

All plans

AWS Free Tier Free Free Plan offers $100 in credits, with up to an additional $100 for activating foundational AWS services; credits valid for up to 12 months After credits are depleted, upgrade to a Paid Plan to continue using DMS · Free Tier credits unavailable in AWS GovCloud (US) and China (Beijing) Regions aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026

AWS DMS Serverless Not published Per hour based on capacity used Capacity measured in DCUs · Price varies with data volume and maximum DCU setting aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026

On-demand instances Not published Hourly; no long-term commitments Price varies by instance type and AWS Region · Additional log storage may cost extra aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026

Database Savings Plans Not published Commit to a specific amount of usage measured in $/hour over a 1-year term Eligible AWS DMS usage · Savings of up to 20% with a consistent usage commitment aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026

Compared on cloud migration tools

Free plan: Noaws.amazon.com
Discovery & assessment: Yesaws.amazon.com
Continuous replication: Yesaws.amazon.com
Database migration: Yesaws.amazon.com
Deployment model: saasaws.amazon.com

Facts

Purpose: AWS DMS migrates relational databases, data warehouses, NoSQL databases, and other data stores to AWS or between cloud and on-premises setups.docs.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Replication: DMS supports one-time migrations and ongoing replication of changes to keep source and target data in sync.docs.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Migration types: DMS supports homogeneous migrations between like database engines and heterogeneous migrations between different engines.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Database coverage: AWS says DMS supports more than 20 databases and data warehouses as source and target endpoints.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Schema conversion: DMS Schema Conversion assesses and converts schemas and most database code objects, including views, stored procedures, and functions; objects that need manual conversion are identified.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Serverless: DMS Serverless automatically provisions and scales migration capacity based on data transaction volume, with capacity billed hourly.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Resilience: The DMS Multi-AZ option provides high availability with redundant replication instances, and DMS can resume a migration after an interruption.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Integrations: DMS integrates with CloudTrail and CloudWatch Logs, and its API and AWS CLI can automate replication task management and custom monitoring.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Security: AWS DMS requires TLS 1.2 for API clients and recommends TLS 1.3; it also supports resource-based access policies and AWS PrivateLink VPC endpoints.docs.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Data protection: DMS can secure endpoint connections with SSL/TLS, run replication instances inside a VPC, and mask specified sensitive data columns.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Notable limitation: For DMS replication, either the source or target database, or both, must be in Amazon RDS or on EC2; on-premises-to-on-premises replication is not supported.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026
Intended users: AWS describes DMS as a service for migrating and modernizing databases and analytics workloads to AWS, including migrations from self-managed databases to managed AWS databases.aws.amazon.com · 30 Sept 2026