Pulumi vs AWS CDK(2026)
Pulumi is better for teams that need real programming languages. AWS CDK is the stronger choice if real languages + aws native. Pulumi is open-source (from $0) and AWS CDK is open-source (from $0).
Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.
By Bikram Nath
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Pulumi
Pulumi lets you define infrastructure using TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, or .NET — bringing the full power of programming languages (loops, functions, classes) to cloud infrastructure.
Starting at $0
Visit Pulumi
AWS CDK
AWS CDK lets developers define AWS infrastructure in TypeScript, Python, Java, or Go — synthesizing to CloudFormation templates under the hood with reusable constructs.
Starting at $0
Visit AWS CDKHow Do Pulumi and AWS CDK Compare on Features?
| Feature | Pulumi | AWS CDK |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | open-source |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 |
| TypeScript/Python/Go/.NET support | ✓ | — |
| Same providers as Terraform (via bridge) | ✓ | — |
| Pulumi Cloud (state + CI) | ✓ | — |
| Component model | ✓ | — |
| Testing support | ✓ | — |
| Policy as Code | ✓ | — |
| AI-assisted | ✓ | — |
| TypeScript/Python/Java/Go support | — | ✓ |
| Constructs (reusable patterns) | — | ✓ |
| CloudFormation backend | — | ✓ |
| L3 constructs (high-level) | — | ✓ |
| CDK Pipelines | — | ✓ |
| Testing (assertions) | — | ✓ |
| AWS-native | — | ✓ |
Pulumi Pros and Cons vs AWS CDK
Pulumi
AWS CDK
Should You Use Pulumi or AWS CDK?
For most teams, Pulumi is the better default: it offers real programming languages and is open-source (from $0). Choose AWS CDK instead if real languages + aws native matters more than smaller community than terraform. There is no universal winner — the right pick depends on your budget, team size, and whether you value real programming languages or real languages + aws native more.
Choose Pulumi if…
- •Real programming languages
- •Strong TypeScript support
- •Better for complex logic
Choose AWS CDK if…
- •Real languages + AWS native
- •L3 constructs hide complexity
- •Testing support