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Research · head to head

DNAnexus vs Zeabur

DNAnexus logo

DNAnexus

Research

Regulated cloud platform for genomic and multiomic data, with GxP and FedRAMP coverage

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zeabur logo

Zeabur

Cloud

AI-powered cloud deployment platform for developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zeabur has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DNAnexus no pricing is published, so an organisation cannot compare the total cost against running the same pipelines on its own cloud account until it is deep in a sales process.; Zeabur free plan limited to single server with 48-hour log retention
  • They diverge on capability: DNAnexus covers Governed data storage, Zeabur covers AI Agent.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DNAnexus and Zeabur actually diverge.

Attributes where DNAnexus and Zeabur differ
AttributeDNAnexusZeabur
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteFixed monthly plans
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, LinuxWeb, CLI
CategoryResearchCloud
FoundedUnknown2025

Identical on both: 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 DNAnexus

  • Governed data storage
  • Workflow execution
  • App building
  • Controlled collaboration
  • Compliance posture
  • Cohort browsing

Only in Zeabur

  • AI Agent
  • Managed Servers
  • Domain and DNS Management
  • Email Service
  • AI Hub
  • Deploy Templates
  • Git Integration

What people use each for

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

DNAnexus

  • A clinical diagnostics laboratory that needs a CLIA and CAP aligned environment for production sequencing pipelines without building the compliance evidence itselfnot Zeabur
  • A pharma sponsor analysing genomic endpoints in a registrational programme where 21 CFR Part 11 records are requirednot Zeabur
  • A biobank or consortium giving hundreds of external researchers governed access to a dataset too large to distributenot Zeabur
  • A diagnostics vendor packaging its pipeline as a versioned app so partner laboratories can run it without receiving the source codenot Zeabur

Zeabur

  • Deploying full-stack web applications without DevOps expertisenot DNAnexus
  • Building AI agent infrastructure with integrated API accessnot DNAnexus
  • Managing multi-region deployments with automated scalingnot DNAnexus
  • Running containerized services with built-in domain and emailnot DNAnexus

Where each one falls short

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

DNAnexus

  • No pricing is published, so an organisation cannot compare the total cost against running the same pipelines on its own cloud account until it is deep in a sales process.
  • Compute and storage are billed through the platform rather than at underlying cloud list price, so the compliance envelope carries a persistent margin on every terabyte and core hour, which grows with the science rather than staying fixed.
  • Data egress at genomic scale is slow and chargeable, so leaving the platform later is a real project rather than a contract decision, and that gravity weakens negotiating position at renewal.
  • The regulated and validated configurations sit in a higher commercial tier than the research configuration, so an organisation that starts in research mode and later needs GxP faces a repricing rather than a setting change.
  • Bioinformaticians used to running Nextflow on their own infrastructure find the platform abstractions constraining, and porting an existing pipeline into the app model is engineering work that does not carry over to any other platform.

Zeabur

  • Free plan limited to single server with 48-hour log retention
  • Small team size may limit support and feature velocity
  • Building spec upgrades limited on lower tiers
  • Enterprise support not clearly documented

Pricing, plan by plan

DNAnexus

On request
  • DNAnexus Platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per organisation through a sales process
    • Storage and compute billed through the platform rather than at cloud list price
    • Regulated and validated configurations are a separate commercial tier

Zeabur

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 manageable server
    • 2C4G build specs
    • 48-hour log retention
  • Dev$5/month
    • 3 manageable servers
    • 7-day log retention
    • 250 MB file uploads
  • Pro$19/month
    • 10 manageable servers
    • 4C8G build specs
    • 30-day log retention
  • Team$79/month
    • 3 included seats
    • Unlimited manageable servers
    • 90-day log retention

Which should you pick?

Choose DNAnexus if

  • You need governed data storage.
  • You work on Web, Linux.
  • You also want workflow execution.
DNAnexus review

Choose Zeabur if

  • You need ai agent.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, CLI.
  • You also want managed servers.
Zeabur review

Questions people ask

Is DNAnexus or Zeabur better?
Neither clearly leads. DNAnexus starts at On request and Zeabur at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DNAnexus or Zeabur?
Zeabur has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DNAnexus and Free for Zeabur.
Does DNAnexus or Zeabur run on more platforms?
DNAnexus runs on Web, Linux. Zeabur runs on Web, CLI.
Can I use Zeabur for free?
Yes. Zeabur has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DNAnexus starts at On request.
What is DNAnexus best used for?
DNAnexus is most often used for a clinical diagnostics laboratory that needs a clia and cap aligned environment for production sequencing pipelines without building the compliance evidence itself, a pharma sponsor analysing genomic endpoints in a registrational programme where 21 cfr part 11 records are required, a biobank or consortium giving hundreds of external researchers governed access to a dataset too large to distribute, a diagnostics vendor packaging its pipeline as a versioned app so partner laboratories can run it without receiving the source code. Of those, a clinical diagnostics laboratory that needs a clia and cap aligned environment for production sequencing pipelines without building the compliance evidence itself and a pharma sponsor analysing genomic endpoints in a registrational programme where 21 cfr part 11 records are required are not what Zeabur is typically brought in for.
What can DNAnexus do that Zeabur cannot?
DNAnexus covers Governed data storage, Workflow execution, App building, Controlled collaboration. Zeabur covers AI Agent, Managed Servers, Domain and DNS Management, Email Service.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DNAnexus: Why pay for DNAnexus instead of raw AWS?

For the compliance evidence. GxP, FedRAMP, CLIA, CAP and Part 11 coverage removes a validation programme most organisations would otherwise have to build and maintain themselves.

Zeabur: What is included in the free plan?

The free plan includes 1 manageable server, 2C4G build specifications, 48-hour log retention, 50 MB file upload limit, and community support.

Source
DNAnexus: Is validated use included?

No. Regulated and validated configurations sit in a separate commercial tier from ordinary research use.

Zeabur: How do additional seats work on the Team plan?

The Team plan includes 3 seats with additional seats available at $24 per seat per month.

Source
DNAnexus: Can I get my data out?

Yes, but egress at genomic scale is chargeable and slow, so plan exit costs at the point of signing.

Zeabur: Is there a free trial period?

The Dev and Pro plans include 14 days free before billing begins.

Source
DNAnexus: Does it host UK Biobank?

Yes, DNAnexus hosts the UK Biobank research analysis platform, which has its own access approval and cost terms.

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