What is AWS App Runner?
AWS App Runner is a fully managed service for container-based web applications and APIs. You deploy code or container images, and App Runner automatically handles build, deployment, load balancing, auto-scaling, and SSL certificates.
Important notice: According to official AWS documentation, AWS App Runner has been closed to new customers since April 30, 2026. Existing customers can continue using the service as normal, including creating new services within their account. AWS continues to invest in security and availability but does not plan to introduce new features. For new projects, AWS recommends Amazon ECS Express Mode, which combines App Runner’s operating simplicity with the broader feature set of Amazon ECS on AWS Fargate.
Core Features
- Two Deployment Options: Source code from Git repositories or container images from Amazon ECR.
- Automatic CI/CD: New deployments on code changes in the repository.
- Auto-Scaling: Automatic scaling based on incoming request load.
- SSL Included: Automatic HTTPS endpoints with managed certificates.
- VPC Connector: Access to private resources like RDS databases.
Typical Use Cases
Existing Applications: Customers with App Runner services already running can continue operating them unchanged, including making changes to existing services.
Migration to ECS Express Mode: AWS provides guidance for gradually shifting traffic from App Runner to Amazon ECS Express Mode using weighted DNS routing, without downtime.
New Container Workloads: For new projects looking for a developer experience similar to App Runner, Amazon ECS Express Mode is the entry point AWS now recommends.
Benefits (for Existing Customers)
- Zero-configuration deployment, scaling, and SSL remain available for existing services.
- Support for source code and container images.
- Usage-based billing by vCPU and memory consumption.
- VPC integration for database access.
Integration with innFactory
As an AWS Reseller, innFactory supports you in navigating AWS App Runner: assessing how the new-customer closure affects your architecture, planning and executing a migration to Amazon ECS Express Mode, and general container strategy and cost optimization.
Typical Use Cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still start using AWS App Runner?
No. According to official AWS documentation, App Runner has been closed to new customers since April 30, 2026. Existing customers can continue using the service as normal and can still create new services within their account, but AWS is only investing in security and availability, not new features.
What is the recommended alternative to App Runner?
AWS recommends Amazon ECS Express Mode for new projects. It replicates App Runner's simple developer experience on top of Amazon ECS with AWS Fargate, provisioning a complete application stack with a single API call, including a load balancer, auto scaling, and networking.
What happens to existing App Runner applications?
Existing services continue to run normally and can still be modified. AWS provides a migration guide that lets you gradually shift traffic from App Runner to ECS Express Mode using weighted DNS routing, enabling a migration without downtime.
What does AWS App Runner cost?
Billing is based on per-second vCPU and memory usage for active instances, plus a monthly fee for automatic deployments and build fees for constructing container images from source code. Check the official AWS pricing page for current rates.
Note: All product information on this page has been compiled with care, but is provided without guarantee and may be outdated or incomplete. Cloud services evolve rapidly — features, pricing, SLAs, and availability change frequently. Authoritative and up-to-date information can only be found on the official product page of AWS (official documentation). This page does not represent an offer by AWS.