Serverless Framework vs Apache OpenWhisk

SFServerless Framework9.2Visit Apache OpenWhisk8.8Visit

Higher score SF Serverless Framework #1 in Serverless Development Frameworks 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit site

vs

Apache OpenWhisk #3 in Serverless Development Frameworks 8.8/10 Open source ✓ 0 of 4 features Try Apache OpenWhisk

• Serverless Framework fits best

  Teams deploying AWS serverless apps with YAML

• Apache OpenWhisk fits best

  Teams building portable event-driven functions

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Side by side

Feature	SFServerless Framework 9.2/10 Visit ↗	Apache OpenWhisk 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.8
Ranking	#1 in Serverless Development Frameworks	#3 in Serverless Development Frameworks
Best for	Teams deploying AWS serverless apps with YAML	Teams building portable event-driven functions
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	$142/mo	Open source
Free plan	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted	Desktop, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web	Linux, macOS, Windows
Integrations	3 integrations	7 integrations
Features Serverless Framework 0/4 · Apache OpenWhisk 0/4
Local testing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Application packaging	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Kubernetes support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Deployment rollback	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment targets	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Supported languages	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Deployment model	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Define functions, event triggers, and AWS resources in YAML and CloudFormation syntax. Deploy code and infrastructure from the CLI, which runs in your environment. Dashboard adds GitHub or Bitbucket CI/CD, secrets, and Lambda monitoring.	Supports triggers, rules, feeds, sequences, and synchronous or asynchronous actions Offers multiple language runtimes plus custom Docker runtimes Deploys locally or on Kubernetes and includes REST API access
Cons	Version 4 supports AWS; teams targeting other cloud providers need another option. Dashboard subscription pricing is credit-based, so $4 is not a fixed monthly entry price. Free CLI availability is subject to the vendor's annual-revenue threshold.	Requires a self-managed deployment rather than a vendor-hosted paid service Management and deployment workflows center on the CLI and YAML manifests The published product details give limited development and deployment workflow guidance
Our verdict	Serverless Framework is an open-source command-line tool for defining and deploying serverless applications, with AWS Lambda as its primary target. Developers describe functions, event triggers, and related infrastructure in YAML, then… Read the review →	Apache OpenWhisk is an open-source, distributed serverless platform for running functions in response to events or HTTP requests. Its model combines actions with triggers, rules, feeds, packages, and sequences, making it a fit for teams… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Serverless Framework — where it wins

  • Define functions, event triggers, and AWS resources in YAML and CloudFormation syntax.
  • Deploy code and infrastructure from the CLI, which runs in your environment.
  • Dashboard adds GitHub or Bitbucket CI/CD, secrets, and Lambda monitoring.

  Where it doesn't

  • Version 4 supports AWS; teams targeting other cloud providers need another option.
  • Dashboard subscription pricing is credit-based, so $4 is not a fixed monthly entry price.
  • Free CLI availability is subject to the vendor's annual-revenue threshold.

• Apache OpenWhisk — where it wins

  • Supports triggers, rules, feeds, sequences, and synchronous or asynchronous actions
  • Offers multiple language runtimes plus custom Docker runtimes
  • Deploys locally or on Kubernetes and includes REST API access

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires a self-managed deployment rather than a vendor-hosted paid service
  • Management and deployment workflows center on the CLI and YAML manifests
  • The published product details give limited development and deployment workflow guidance

• SFServerless Framework9.2/10 · Free plan

  An open-source, YAML-driven AWS framework with optional hosted deployment and monitoring tools.

  Visit siteFull verdict →
• Apache OpenWhisk8.8/10 · Open source

  A portable, self-managed framework for event-driven functions, with Kubernetes and Docker support.

  Try Apache OpenWhiskFull verdict →