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Redirect Supply vs AWS S3 + CloudFront: Skip the buckets, keep the redirects
You can redirect a domain with AWS: create an S3 bucket named after the domain, write routing rules in JSON, then put CloudFront and an ACM certificate in front so HTTPS works. It's reliable, and it's a lot of infrastructure for a redirect. Redirect Supply does the same job with a few DNS records, unlimited path rules, and a dashboard anyone on your team can use.
Redirect Supply vs AWS: what it takes to keep one old domain alive
Decision factor
Redirect Supply
AWS (S3 + CloudFront)
Choose based on
What you set up
One domain and a few DNS records
S3 bucket, CloudFront distribution, ACM certificate, and DNS records
How much infrastructure a redirect deserves
HTTPS
Automatic SSL on every domain, renewed for you
S3 website endpoints serve HTTP only; HTTPS needs CloudFront and a certificate
Whether you want to manage certificates at all
Page-level redirects
Unlimited path rules, wildcards, and a global fallback
JSON routing rules, up to 50 per bucket
Migrations with many page-specific redirects
Who can change a redirect
Anyone on your team, in the dashboard
Someone with AWS console access who can edit JSON
Whether marketing can update links without a developer
Billing
Flat monthly price, unlimited traffic
Usage-based across S3, CloudFront, and DNS
A predictable bill versus one that moves with traffic
Best fit
Rebrands, migrations, and teams without DevOps
Engineering teams already running everything on AWS
If nobody wants to own the infrastructure, Redirect Supply
Why Redirect Supply
Choose Redirect Supply for redirects that stay out of your way. Every old URL lands on the right page, every domain runs on HTTPS, and nothing breaks when your website moves.
AWS or Redirect Supply? The short answer
Pick Redirect Supply if you want redirects live today without buckets, distributions, or JSON. Unlimited path rules, automatic HTTPS, and analytics come in one dashboard, starting with a free plan.
Pick AWS S3 + CloudFront if your engineering team already manages everything on AWS and wants redirects defined alongside the rest of its infrastructure.
For teams that ship websites rather than run infrastructure, that makes it a Redirect Supply job.
FAQs
Questions about AWS redirects and Redirect Supply
Can Amazon S3 redirect a domain over HTTPS?
Not on its own. S3 website endpoints only serve HTTP, so an HTTPS redirect needs a CloudFront distribution with an ACM certificate in front of the bucket. Redirect Supply issues and renews an SSL certificate for every connected domain automatically.
How many redirect rules can an S3 bucket have?
AWS allows 50 routing rules per website configuration. Beyond that, AWS suggests object-level redirects, set on individual files in the bucket. Redirect Supply includes unlimited path rules and wildcards on every paid plan.
Does the S3 bucket name have to match my domain?
Yes. To redirect example.com with S3 website hosting, the bucket must be named exactly example.com, and www.example.com needs a bucket of its own. With Redirect Supply, you just add the domain and choose how the apex and www versions behave.
Isn't AWS cheaper for a simple redirect?
For very little traffic, the AWS bill can be small, but it's usage-based across several services and grows with traffic. Setup and maintenance time counts too. Redirect Supply has a free plan for your first domain and flat paid plans with unlimited traffic.
Can non-developers manage redirects on AWS?
Changing an S3 routing rule means editing JSON in the AWS console, which usually needs a developer and AWS permissions. In Redirect Supply, anyone on the team can add or edit a redirect in the dashboard, and changes don't require a deployment.
How do I move my AWS redirects to Redirect Supply?
List your routing rules in a CSV using Redirect Supply's import format, import the file, then update the domain's DNS records to point to Redirect Supply. Once DNS has propagated, you can delete the CloudFront distribution and buckets.
Have more questions?
Daniel Kouba
Founder of FREAKS
Vojtech Elias
Reflektor Studio
