Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs FastAPI

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

Cloud-based builds and CI runs 55x faster with less cost

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
FastAPI logo

FastAPI

Web Development

A modern, fast, high-performance web framework for building APIs with Python

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development; FastAPI no built-in ORM, requires separate database libraries
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and FastAPI actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and FastAPI differ
AttributeDepotFastAPI
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsCloud, GitHub, CLIWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsWeb Development
Founded2022Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Depot

  • Depot CI
  • Container builds
  • GitHub Actions runners
  • Distributed caching
  • Build API
  • Depot Registry
  • Cross-platform builds
  • SSH debugging

Only in FastAPI

Nothing recorded that Depot does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Depot

  • Accelerating Docker builds for container-based developmentnot FastAPI
  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster infrastructurenot FastAPI
  • Distributing cache across Monorepo buildsnot FastAPI
  • Debugging failed CI builds interactively with SSHnot FastAPI

FastAPI

  • Building production-ready REST APIs with automatic validationnot Depot
  • Serving machine learning model predictions as REST servicesnot Depot
  • Building crisis management and orchestration platformsnot Depot
  • Enabling real-time APIs with WebSocket connectionsnot Depot
  • Rapid API development reducing boilerplate code significantlynot Depot

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Depot

  • Developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development
  • Startup plan at $200/mo is expensive for smaller teams
  • Business plan requires custom pricing consultation
  • macOS M2 runners not available on Developer plan

FastAPI

  • No built-in ORM, requires separate database libraries
  • Python-only, cannot build with other languages
  • Async/await learning curve for developers new to async programming
  • Production deployment requires separate ASGI server configuration

Pricing, plan by plan

Depot

Free
  • Developer$20/month
    • 1 user
    • 500 Docker build minutes per month
    • 2,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Startup$200/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 5,000 Docker build minutes per month
    • 20,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Business$undefined/custom
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users
    • Custom monthly compute

FastAPI

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FastAPI review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Depot if

  • You need depot ci.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, GitHub, CLI.
  • You also want container builds.
Depot review

Choose FastAPI if

  • You want to start without paying.
FastAPI review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or FastAPI better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and FastAPI at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or FastAPI?
Depot starts at Free and FastAPI at Free.
Does Depot or FastAPI run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI. FastAPI runs on Web.
Can I use Depot for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Depot best used for?
Depot is most often used for accelerating docker builds for container-based development, replacing github actions runners with faster infrastructure, distributing cache across monorepo builds, debugging failed ci builds interactively with ssh. Of those, accelerating docker builds for container-based development and replacing github actions runners with faster infrastructure are not what FastAPI is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that FastAPI cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Depot: How much faster are Depot runners compared to GitHub Actions?

Depot runners offer 30% faster CPUs and 10x faster networking than standard GitHub-hosted runners, enabling builds to complete significantly faster.

Source
FastAPI: Is FastAPI free to use?

Yes. FastAPI is free and open-source under the MIT License. It costs nothing to download, use, or deploy in production. An optional paid service, FastAPI Cloud, offers one-command deployment for additional convenience, but the core framework is free.

Source
Depot: What is included in the Developer plan?

Developer plan ($20/month) includes 500 Docker build minutes, 2,000 Depot CI minutes, 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes, 25 GB storage, unlimited concurrency, and community support.

Source
FastAPI: Can I use FastAPI for commercial applications?

Yes. FastAPI's MIT License permits unrestricted commercial use, modification, and distribution. You can build and sell products powered by FastAPI without licensing fees or restrictions.

Source
Depot: Can I use Depot with my own AWS account?

Yes, Depot Managed allows deployment within customer AWS accounts. This is available to interested customers; contact sales for details.

Source
FastAPI: Does FastAPI include a database or ORM?

No. FastAPI does not include a built-in database or ORM. You must add separate libraries like SQLAlchemy for database access. This gives flexibility to choose the database solution best suited to your project.

Source
FastAPI: What Python versions does FastAPI support?

FastAPI supports Python 3.7 and later. Older Python versions are not compatible, so you must run at least Python 3.7 to use FastAPI.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Depot

More on FastAPI

Keep looking

Other head to heads