AWS Elastic Load Balancing

C
C tier on Load Balancing SoftwareScore 6.8 · #3 of 25
Android app
Not listed
Free plan
Yes
Runs on
api, Web

Summary

AWS Elastic Load Balancing distributes incoming application traffic across targets and virtual appliances in one or more Availability Zones. It offers Application, Network, Gateway, and Classic Load Balancers, adjusts request-handling capacity as traffic changes, and runs configurable health checks on targets. Application Load Balancers support HTTP header-based routing, redirects, fixed responses, HTTP/2, and gRPC. Network Load Balancers support static Elastic IP addresses and AWS PrivateLink for TCP and TLS listeners. ELB also provides SSL/TLS termination, certificate management, and client certificate authentication, with CloudWatch metrics and logging for all four load balancer types. A single load balancer can handle traffic across AWS and on-premises resources. Kubernetes support includes direct-to-pod routing for Application Load Balancers and fully private EKS cluster support for Application and Network Load Balancers. AWS recommends different load balancer types for HTTP, transport protocols, third-party virtual appliances, and EC2-Classic applications. Usage-based charges vary by region; data transfer and public IPv4 address charges may be additional. New AWS customers receive a Free Tier allocation for six months after account creation, with up to $200 in credits.

Who it is for

It suits teams distributing traffic across targets in AWS or on-premises environments, with load balancer types for HTTP, transport protocols, virtual appliances, and EC2-Classic applications. Kubernetes users may also find the listed controller support relevant.

What is good

  • Four load balancer types are available.
  • Capacity adjusts to application traffic.
  • Configurable health checks monitor targets.
  • CloudWatch metrics and logging cover all four types.
  • Classic, Application, and Network types have a stated 99.99% monthly availability guarantee.

What to know first

  • Charges are usage based and vary by region.
  • Data transfer and public IPv4 charges may be additional.
  • Application Load Balancers use a different API set from Classic Load Balancers.
  • Free Tier offer is limited to six months for new customers.

Verdict

Elastic Load Balancing provides several load balancer types, traffic-responsive capacity, and health checks, with features tailored to different protocols and workloads. Costs are usage based, and data transfer or public IPv4 charges may be extra.

AWS Elastic Load Balancing plans and pricing

All plans
AWS Free Tier Free New AWS customers receive 750 hours per month shared between Classic and Application Load Balancers, 15 GB data processing for Classic Load Balancers, and 15 LCUs for Application Load Balancers. Free plan available for 6 months after account creation; up to $200 in credits for new AWS customers signing up from July 15, 2025; credits must be used within 12 months aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Pay-as-you-go — Gateway Load Balancer Not published Per hour or partial hour running, plus Gateway Load Balancer Capacity Units used per minute; rates vary by region. Gateway Load Balancer Endpoint is priced and billed separately; additional charges may apply for data transfer and public IPv4 addresses aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Pay-as-you-go — Application Load Balancer Not published Per hour or partial hour running, plus Load Balancer Capacity Units used per minute; rates vary by region. Additional charges may apply for data transfer and public IPv4 addresses aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Pay-as-you-go — Classic Load Balancer Not published Per hour or partial hour running and for each GB of data transferred; rates vary by region. Additional charges may apply for data transfer and public IPv4 addresses aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Pay-as-you-go — Network Load Balancer Not published Per hour or partial hour running, plus Network Load Balancer Capacity Units used per minute; rates vary by region. Additional charges may apply for data transfer and public IPv4 addresses aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026

Compared on load balancing software

Free plan
Noaws.amazon.com
TLS termination
Yesaws.amazon.com

Facts

Purpose
Elastic Load Balancing automatically distributes incoming application traffic across multiple targets and virtual appliances in one or more Availability Zones.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Load balancer types
ELB offers Application, Network, Gateway, and Classic Load Balancers.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Availability and scaling
ELB automatically scales request handling capacity in response to application traffic and runs configurable health checks on targets.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Application routing
Application Load Balancer supports HTTP header based routing, redirects, fixed responses, HTTP/2, and gRPC.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Security
ELB supports SSL/TLS termination, certificate management, and client certificate authentication.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Network Load Balancer
Network Load Balancer supports static Elastic IP addresses and AWS PrivateLink for TCP and TLS listeners.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Integrations
ELB features CloudWatch metrics and logging for all four load balancer types.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Kubernetes
The features page lists Kubernetes Controller support, including direct-to-pod routing for Application Load Balancers and fully private EKS cluster support for Application and Network Load Balancers.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Hybrid use
ELB can load balance across AWS and on-premises resources using a single load balancer.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
SLA
AWS states that Classic, Application, and Network Load Balancers have a monthly availability guarantee of at least 99.99%.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
API compatibility
Application Load Balancers require a different API set from Classic Load Balancers.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026
Pricing limits
Load balancer charges are usage based, and standard AWS data transfer and public IPv4 address charges may apply in addition.aws.amazon.com · 29 Sept 2026

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