What is the difference between AWS Dedicated Host VS Dedicated Instance

Question

I’d love to know how AWS Dedicated Hosts and Dedicated Instances compare. What sets them apart?

Answer 1

You might want to know the difference between AWS Dedicated Hosts and Dedicated Instances to make the best choice for you. See the table below for a detailed difference. Learn more about Instance here.

Feature	AWS Dedicated Host	AWS Dedicated Instance
Server Control	You get full control over the physical server, so you can choose exactly how to place your instances.	You don’t control the physical server – AWS handles that part for you.
Compliance & Licensing	Great for strict compliance needs and special software licenses that require per-core or per-socket setups.	Not ideal for strict compliance or special licensing, as it doesn't support per-core licensing.
Billing	Billed per server (host), so it can be cheaper if you have many instances.	Billed per instance, so costs add up quickly if you run a lot of instances.
Visibility	You see exactly where each instance sits on the server – good for tracking and compliance.	You won’t see the underlying server, so it’s simpler but less transparent.
Best for	High-compliance work where you need physical control.	Isolation without complicated compliance or licensing needs.