Updated 28th May, 2025

How To Start & Stop EC2 Instances On A Schedule

With ServerScheduler, you can automatically start and stop EC2 instances on a schedule with our visual time grid, ensuring your servers are running only when needed, saving money and reducing operational headaches.

The best part is no scripting, terraform or complex configuration is needed. The process is entirely point and click via our intuitive interface.

Why Schedule EC2 Start & Stop?

Running EC2 instances 24/7 is unnecessary for development or testing environments. Scheduling your EC2 instances to start and stop at specific times offers many benefits:

• ✅ Reduce AWS costs by powering down instances outside of business hours.
• ✅ Automate DevOps workflows and eliminate repetitive manual tasks.
• ✅ Enhance security by reducing the window of exposure for your resources.
• ✅ Support global teams with timezone-aware scheduling.
• ✅ Optimize cloud usage for test, QA, and training environments.

How ServerScheduler Makes Scheduling Easy

ServerScheduler is designed to make EC2 scheduling effortless with our visual time grid. Here’s what sets us apart:

• 👉 Intuitive Dashboard - View and manage all your AWS EC2 instances in one place
• 👉 No scripting or configuration needed - Visual UI to configure on an off times.
• 👉 Nothing to install - We use the AWS SDK so there is to need to install agents or packages on your servers.
• 👉 Flexible Scheduling - Set up daily, weekly, or custom schedules with a few clicks
• 👉 Multi-Cloud Support - Manage AWS, Azure, and GCP resources from a single platform
• 👉 Team Collaboration - Assign roles, manage permissions, and work together securely
• 👉 Notifications & Logs - Get alerts and track all scheduling activity for compliance
• 👉 Start/Stop RDS - Accounts can also perform scheduled start & stop for RDS instances

No Scripting Or Configuration Needed

Writing Terraform scripts, configuring event bridge and instance scheduler is tedious even for the most seasoned of devops engineers and sticking together AWS services can feel like a game of jenga.

Server Scheduler is a visual interface that bypasses all of this. Click ops gets a bad name in some quarters but we see immense benefits in having a UI that makes things simple. Set the times you want your servers to be on and off, then watch as server scheduler gets to work.

Real-World Use Cases

Use Case	Description
Development Teams	Automatically start dev servers at 8am and stop them at 7pm to avoid overnight costs.
QA & Testing	Schedule test environments to run only during working hours or for specific test runs.
ML Training	Make ML servers available only when training is running.
Disaster Recovery	Periodically start DR instances for health checks, then stop them to minimize spend.
Global Operations	Set schedules based on team timezones, ensuring resources are available when needed.

How to Get Started with ServerScheduler

Getting started is quick and easy. Here’s how you can automate your EC2 instance scheduling in just a few steps:

1. 1 Create Your Free Account:
   Visit our registration page and sign up with your email or Google account.
2. 2 Connect Your Cloud Account:
   After logging in, go to the “Cloud Providers” section in your dashboard. Click “Add Cloud Provider” and select AWS. You’ll be prompted to paste your AWS API key and secret. (We recommend creating a dedicated IAM user with the necessary permissions for security.)
3. 3 Discover Your EC2 Instances:
   Once connected, ServerScheduler will automatically discover all your EC2 instances. You’ll see them listed in your dashboard, along with their current status.
4. 4 Set Up Your Schedule:
   Select the instance(s) you want to automate, choose your preferred start and stop times and save your schedule. ServerScheduler will handle the rest!
5. 5 Monitor and Optimize:
   Receive notifications when instances are started or stopped, view audit logs, and adjust schedules as your needs change. Invite team members to collaborate and manage resources together.

Why Choose ServerScheduler?

ServerScheduler is trusted by DevOps teams who want to control their AWS costs easily. Our platform is secure, easy to use, and designed to support both simple and complex scheduling needs. With features like multi-cloud support, team management, and detailed reporting, you can centralize your cloud operations and focus on what matters most.

By automating your EC2 scheduling, you can save up to 70% on AWS costs by running instances only when needed. ServerScheduler helps you reduce human error with automated, reliable scheduling, and makes it easy to scale as your infrastructure grows. Our team-based access controls allow you to collaborate securely, ensuring that the right people have the right permissions at all times.

As your organization evolves, ServerScheduler grows with you. Whether you’re managing a handful of instances or hundreds across multiple clouds, our platform provides the flexibility and control you need. With comprehensive support and a focus on usability, ServerScheduler empowers your team to work more efficiently and cost-effectively.

Get Started Today

Ready to take control of your EC2 costs and automate your EC2 instance management?

Sign up for ServerScheduler and start scheduling your EC2 instances today!