How To Create A VPS In AWS The Easy Way With Amazon Lightsail

4 min readJan 26, 2021

Amazon Lightsail makes it easy for anyone, at any skill level, to create a VPS in AWS with little more than a few clicks.

On the surface, AWS may seem intimidating with over 175 service offerings with acronyms like EC2, EBS, and VPC — it’s enough to make even a seasoned professional steer away from as AWS isn’t necessarily known for its ease of entry.

So, today I want to share an Amazon service with you comparable to some of the more well-known budget VPS providers out there, like Digital Ocean, Vultr, and Linode.

Amazon Lightsail makes it easy for anyone, at any skill level, to create a VPS in AWS with little more than a few clicks.

So, if you’ve been wanting to take the plunge, but haven’t jumped in yet — I will walk you through the steps required to create your first VPS in AWS, the easy way, with Amazon Lightsail.

What is a VPS?

In terms of this tutorial, a Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a low-cost virtual server hosted by a third party provider such as AWS or Digital Ocean, using a shared hosting model.

Why Do You Need A VPS?

A VPS can be handy in a wide range of scenarios. You may want to build out that Proof of Concept you’ve been thinking about developing? Or, possibly, want to move your personal website off of a shared web server, and onto a system where you have more control. Perhaps you’re learning to program or building a website and need a development environment to test your code — the possibilities are endless.

What is Amazon Lightsail?

Amazon Lightsail addresses the complexity of setting up an EC2 instance in AWS by making virtual servers accessible to anyone with monthly pricing starting at less than a cup of coffee.

Let’s Get Started

If you don’t already have an account head on over to Amazon and Create an AWS Account.

Create a VPS by clicking on the “Create Instance” button.

A wizard will guide you through the process. In this tutorial, we will select a “Linux/Unix” Platform with an “OS Only” blueprint and install Ubuntu 20.04 using the $5/month plan. Once you are satisfied with your selections click the “Create Instance” button at the bottom of the screen.

Congratulations, you’re now in the AWS ecosystem and have a VPS at your disposal.

Here Are A Few Ideas For Your New VPS

Learn Docker
Create a self-hosted Dropbox alternative with NextCloud
Host a personal website with WordPress
Create a reverse proxy for a self-hosted website

References and Resources

About the Author

As an IT professional Rick has had the opportunity to work in Managed Services, School, Enterprise, and Non-Profit settings. Throughout this time he has gained valuable experience and insight to understand IT is not an end, but a means to achieve the goals necessary for a business to thrive and grow.