Skip the serverless wiring. Just run it.
Running a scheduled script on AWS means Lambda, EventBridge rules, IAM roles, layers, and CloudWatch logs. Snapdock runs the same script with none of it — pick a schedule, and it runs, watches, and explains failures in plain English. No time limits, no console maze.
No servers, no cron jobs, no YAML. Free to start.
Two good tools. Different jobs.
Reach for AWS Lambda when
- You're already deep in AWS and want event-driven functions.
- You need tight integration with S3, SQS, DynamoDB, and friends.
- Your team manages IAM and infrastructure-as-code.
Reach for Snapdock when
- You just want a script to run on a schedule and be watched.
- You'd rather not wire up EventBridge, IAM, and CloudWatch.
- Your job is too long for Lambda's timeout, or you want plain-English alerts.
Snapdock vs AWS Lambda, line by line
Same script. One of these makes you build the plumbing first.
| Snapdock | AWS Lambda | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting your code live | Drag the folder in — auto-detected | Package & deploy a function (zip/layers) |
| Setup | None — auto-detected | Lambda + EventBridge + IAM roles |
| Long-running jobs | No time limit | 15-minute function timeout |
| Scheduled runs | Pick a schedule | EventBridge cron rule |
| Failure alerts in plain English | “We noticed…” in Slack/email | CloudWatch logs & alarms |
| Errors explained, not stack traces | Yes | Logs & traces |
| Drift detection | Slow jobs & broken creds flagged | Build it yourself |
| Dependencies | Auto-detected | Layers / container images |
| Plain-English weekly digest | Yes | No |
| Your code stays yours | Export anytime, no lock-in | Yes |
The questions you're already asking.
Everything you need to know about Snapdock.
Is Snapdock a replacement for AWS Lambda? +
They're built for different jobs. Lambda runs event-driven functions wired into AWS services; Snapdock runs and watches the scheduled scripts and automations you built, with no AWS setup.
Do I need EventBridge and IAM roles? +
No. Snapdock has no EventBridge rules, IAM roles, or layers to configure. Drag the folder in and pick a schedule.
Can it run jobs that exceed Lambda's 15-minute limit? +
Yes. Snapdock runs your code on a real machine with no function time limit, so long scrapers, syncs, and batch jobs run to completion.
What happens when a run breaks? +
Snapdock sends a plain-English alert in Slack or email with the line to fix, instead of CloudWatch logs and alarms you have to set up and read.
Which one is cheaper? +
Snapdock has a free tier and nothing to pay when idle. For event-driven workloads deep in AWS, Lambda may fit better; for scheduled automations and scripts, Snapdock is usually simpler and cheaper to keep watched.