Amazon WorkSpaces Personal on Simple AD at small scale — setup, cost, and scaling paths

I set up a single-purpose Windows desktop on Amazon WorkSpaces Personal with Simple AD, for a small team that needs a browser and client certificates for a specific line of business. As of July 30, 2026, Simple AD is closed to new customers, and existing customers keep full functionality. This post covers the minimum setup, Tokyo-region monthly costs, what Simple AD gets you and where it falls short, the trade-offs of AWS Managed Microsoft AD and AD Connector, and the limits of WorkSpaces backup and restore, with citations to AWS official documentation.