How to Make Money with AWS

Freelance AWS Consulting – My $15,000 Gig That Started with a Simple LinkedIn Post

Freelancing as an AWS consultant is like being a digital architect: businesses flock to you for help migrating to the cloud, optimizing costs, or building scalable apps. AWS's dominance (powering over 30% of the cloud market) means demand is skyrocketing, especially for cost-saving audits and serverless setups.

How I Did It:

1. Build Credentials Fast: I started by earning the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification (costs about $150, takes 2-3 months of study via free AWS resources like A Cloud Guru).
2. Market Yourself: Post case studies on LinkedIn and Upwork. I shared a quick thread on "5 AWS Cost Hacks for Startups" that went viral in my network.
3. Deliver Value: Use tools like AWS Cost Explorer for audits or Lambda for serverless prototypes. Charge $100-200/hour.

My Real Experience:
In early 2024, a small e-commerce startup reached out via LinkedIn for a cloud migration from on-prem servers to AWS EC2 and RDS. I quoted $5,000 for a two-week project. The catch? Their budget was tight, so I threw in a free cost-optimization report using AWS Trusted Advisor. We wrapped it up on time, and they referred me to two more clients. By mid-2025, those gigs snowballed into $15,000 total earnings. The best part? It was remote, flexible, and built my portfolio for bigger fish. Pro tip: Specialize in niches like AI/ML integrations—rates hit $250/hour there.
If you're starting out, aim for 5-10 hours/week on platforms like Fiverr. Potential earnings: $2,000-$10,000/month once established.

I am using above method currently. How you are making money from AWS and share your story.

Comments

[leob]

Would it really be that simple? Is this honest advice, not "clickbait"?

[Muhammad Zeeshan]

When you stay honest and consistent with your work, it really does work perfectly. It’s been working well for me, and I’m confident it’ll work for others too.

[leob]

I believe you when you say that AWS cloud expertise is a "niche" which can pay off nicely - it's an area of expertise which is relatively scarce (compared to e.g. web development), and companies are willing to pay for it ...