NAT Gateway vs VPC Endpoints: Choosing the Right Path for Private AWS Subnets

A new guide explains how workloads in AWS private subnets can reach other systems without exposing themselves to inbound internet traffic. It contrasts NAT Gateways, which handle outbound internet-bound requests such as software updates and public API calls, with VPC endpoints that provide private routes to AWS services. Using an EC2 instance that needs to upload files to Amazon S3 as an example, the article shows how an S3 Gateway Endpoint can take precedence over the default NAT route through a more specific prefix-list entry. It notes that Gateway Endpoints carry no additional usage charge, while NAT Gateways incur hourly and per-gigabyte fees. The piece emphasizes routing each traffic type to the appropriate path to balance connectivity, security, and cost.