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Amazon MQ

ActiveMQ/RabbitMQ message broker

Managed brokers for Apache ActiveMQ and RabbitMQ supporting standard protocols such as JMS, AMQP, MQTT, and STOMP; helps move existing applications to AWS without rewriting the messaging layer.

  • Cost$$ Medium
  • Difficulty●●●●●
  • Costs money when idle?Yes
  • Managed by AWS
  • In examsSAA · DVA

Scope: Regional (Single-AZ or Multi-AZ)

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Think of it asLike using the same postal carrier you had before after moving: your mailing habits don't change.

When to use it

✓ Use it when

Migrating applications that use ActiveMQ/RabbitMQ or that need standard protocols.

✗ Avoid it when

New applications built on AWS → SQS / SNS (serverless, cheaper, scale better).

Common uses

  • Lift-and-shift systems using JMS
  • Use managed RabbitMQ instead of self-hosting
  • Receive MQTT from legacy devices

What does it cost?

  • Pricing model: Charged per hour of broker instance runtime and per GB of storage.

Reference prices for us-east-1, updated October 14, 2026; they may have changed. Always check the AWS pricing page.

Related services

SAA-C03 study guide

MQ is covered in these study modules:

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