Amazon's AWS IQ expert marketplace closed in 2025. If you used it to find on-demand AWS help — or were looking for someone there — this page covers what happened, what your options are, and what to look for in an independent AWS consultant.
Launched in 2019, AWS IQ was Amazon's managed marketplace for on-demand cloud consulting. Customers could post a project, browse vetted independent experts, and hire them for paid engagements — all within the AWS console, with payment handled by AWS and verified reviews after each engagement.
For customers it solved a real problem: finding a trustworthy, reviewed AWS consultant without going through a large consulting firm or relying on an untested hire. The platform's review system and AWS backing gave it credibility that other freelancer marketplaces lacked.
AWS shut it down completely on May 20, 2026, without announcing a direct replacement.
AWS Partner Network
The official AWS channel for consulting firms. Skews toward larger engagements and agency-scale teams. Good for enterprise projects; less accessible for quick or targeted work.
Direct engagement
Most experienced AWS IQ experts now work independently. Direct search for your specific need (e.g. "CDK consultant", "AWS cost optimization") will surface practitioners. Often lower cost than AWS IQ due to no platform fee.
Referrals from your AWS team
If you have a TAM or AWS account manager, they often maintain informal lists of independent consultants they've seen do strong work. Worth asking directly.
Technical community referrals
Peer referrals from other technical founders or CTOs remain the highest-signal source. Communities like AWS re:Post, r/aws, and technical Slack communities can also surface experienced practitioners.
AWS IQ's review system provided a built-in quality signal that no longer exists. Without it, here's how to evaluate candidates:
Ask for references from clients with similar AWS workloads — not just general success stories
AWS certifications are a baseline signal, not a hiring criterion; they test exam knowledge, not production judgment
Ask specifically about failure: "Tell me about an engagement that didn't go as planned." How they answer reveals more than their wins
Prefer someone who has worked across multiple accounts and teams, not just one long-term client
Watch for consultants who apply the same solution to every problem
Ask about handoff — are they building something your team can maintain, or optimizing for return visits?
Hoola Labs is a senior AWS consultancy specializing in infrastructure architecture, cost optimization, security, and full-stack development. We work with startups and growing companies on the same types of engagements AWS IQ experts handled — directly, without a platform in the middle.