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Django vs Spacelift

Django logo

Django

Web Development

The web framework for perfectionists with deadlines

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Spacelift logo

Spacelift

Developer Tools

Infrastructure-as-code orchestration for Terraform, OpenTofu, Pulumi and Kubernetes

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Django does not fully support asynchronous database access; Spacelift users are unlimited and private workers are metered, so deployment concurrency rather than headcount drives the bill, which inverts how most engineering budgets are built and is easy to under-forecast.
  • They diverge on capability: Django covers Model-View-Template (MVT), Spacelift covers Multi-tool orchestration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Django and Spacelift actually diverge.

Attributes where Django and Spacelift differ
AttributeDjangoSpacelift
Pricing modelfreeBy private worker and tier, not by user
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWeb, Self-hosted, Cloud
CategoryWeb DevelopmentDeveloper Tools
Founded2005Unknown

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 Django

  • Model-View-Template (MVT)
  • Object-relational mapping
  • Automatic admin interface
  • URL routing
  • Template engine
  • Form handling
  • Authentication system
  • Internationalization

Only in Spacelift

  • Multi-tool orchestration
  • Policy as code
  • Private workers
  • Spaces
  • Blueprints
  • Drift detection

What people use each for

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

Django

  • Web application developmentnot Spacelift
  • Content management systemsnot Spacelift
  • E-commerce platformsnot Spacelift
  • API developmentnot Spacelift
  • News websitesnot Spacelift
  • Social networksnot Spacelift

Spacelift

  • Platform teams running infrastructure changes through approval gates rather than through application CInot Django
  • Organisations standardising Terraform and OpenTofu across many teams with policy enforcementnot Django
  • Estates needing private runners so cloud credentials never leave the networknot Django
  • Teams wanting drift detection and reconciliation rather than plan-time checks alonenot Django

Where each one falls short

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

Django

  • Does not fully support asynchronous database access
  • Monolithic design can feel restrictive for small-scale or lightweight applications
  • Batteries-included approach adds overhead if features are not needed
  • Slower framework evolution due to backward compatibility requirements

Spacelift

  • Users are unlimited and private workers are metered, so deployment concurrency rather than headcount drives the bill, which inverts how most engineering budgets are built and is easy to under-forecast.
  • There is no affordable paid entry point. The free tier stops at two users and the next tier is a five-figure commitment with nothing in between.
  • Three of the five tiers are quote-only, so a shortlist cannot be costed without entering a sales process with each vendor on it.
  • The self-hosted build lags the hosted one, has no public worker pool and lacks the Azure and Google Cloud integrations available in the SaaS product, with OIDC federation offered as the workaround.
  • Stacks, Rego policies, Blueprints, Spaces and Spacelift-managed state are proprietary constructs, so leaving means rebuilding the orchestration layer rather than pointing it at a different runner.

Pricing, plan by plan

Django

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full web framework
    • Admin interface
    • ORM system

Spacelift

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Two users
    • Public workers only
    • No private workers
  • Starter Plus$undefined/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Two public workers
    • One to two private workers
  • Business$undefined/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Three private workers
    • Quoted
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Five to thirty private workers
    • Self-hosted option

Which should you pick?

Choose Django if

  • You need model-view-template (mvt).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want object-relational mapping.
Django review

Choose Spacelift if

  • You need multi-tool orchestration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud.
  • You also want policy as code.
Spacelift review

Questions people ask

Is Django or Spacelift better?
Neither clearly leads. Django starts at Free and Spacelift at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Django or Spacelift?
Django starts at Free and Spacelift at Free.
Does Django or Spacelift run on more platforms?
Django runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Spacelift runs on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud.
Can I use Django for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Django best used for?
Django is most often used for web application development, content management systems, e-commerce platforms, api development. Of those, web application development and content management systems are not what Spacelift is typically brought in for.
What can Django do that Spacelift cannot?
Django covers Model-View-Template (MVT), Object-relational mapping, Automatic admin interface, URL routing. Spacelift covers Multi-tool orchestration, Policy as code, Private workers, Spaces.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Django: What databases does Django support?

Django natively supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite3, and Oracle databases through its ORM, allowing developers to switch databases without rewriting code.

Source
Spacelift: How is Spacelift priced?

By tier and by private worker count rather than per user. Users are unlimited on every paid plan. The published figure on the pricing page carries no period label, and the FAQ describes the tier as an annual subscription, so confirm the period in writing.

Django: How does Django handle database schema changes?

Django includes a built-in migration system. Developers use makemigrations to create migration files and migrate to apply changes to the database schema.

Source
Spacelift: Does it support OpenTofu?

Yes, and Spacelift sponsors the OpenTofu project, which is a substantive hedge for anyone avoiding Terraform under the Business Source Licence.

Django: Does Django support asynchronous programming?

Django added basic async/await support, but full asynchronous database access remains limited. The framework does not fully support asynchronous programming, which can be a limitation for real-time applications.

Source
Spacelift: Is there a self-hosted version?

Yes, described as carrying Enterprise functionality, but it is priced on request and lags the hosted product on cloud integrations.

Django: Is Django free and open source?

Yes, Django is free and open-source software maintained by the Django Software Foundation, founded in June 2008.

Source
Spacelift: Why not just use the CI system we already have?

That is the real comparison. General purpose CI handles state, drift, approval gates and concurrency control for infrastructure poorly, and whether that is worth a five-figure floor depends on how much infrastructure change your organisation actually ships.

Spacelift: What happens to our pipelines if we leave?

They do not port. Rego policies, Blueprints, Spaces and managed state are Spacelift constructs and the orchestration has to be rebuilt elsewhere.

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