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Databases · head to head

Firebolt vs Zeabur

Firebolt logo

Firebolt

Databases

Sub-second analytics at cloud data warehouse scale

From
$1.84/hour
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: Firebolt compute billed per second on Arm-based processors; small instances still incur measurable costs during idle periods despite auto-stop; Zeabur free plan limited to single server with 48-hour log retention
  • They diverge on capability: Firebolt covers Sub-second Queries, Zeabur covers AI Agent.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Firebolt and Zeabur actually diverge.

Attributes where Firebolt and Zeabur differ
AttributeFireboltZeabur
Starting price$1.84/hourFree
Pricing modelusage-basedFixed monthly plans
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud (AWS, GCP, Azure preview), Docker, KubernetesWeb, CLI
CategoryDatabasesCloud
Founded20192025

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 Firebolt

  • Sub-second Queries
  • Sparse Indexes
  • Data Pruning
  • Decoupled Storage/Compute
  • SQL Support
  • Semi-structured Data
  • Workload Isolation
  • Airflow

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.

Firebolt

  • Data analytics teams running gigabyte-to-petabyte datasets with sub-second query requirementsnot Zeabur
  • Real-time business intelligence platforms requiring ACID transactions and snapshot isolationnot Zeabur
  • Applications needing vector search on analytical data for similarity queriesnot Zeabur

Zeabur

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

Where each one falls short

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

Firebolt

  • Compute billed per second on Arm-based processors; small instances still incur measurable costs during idle periods despite auto-stop
  • Storage pass-through charged at $0.0264/GB monthly on compressed data; uncompressed storage could exceed this
  • Azure deployment currently in Preview status; production recommendations unclear
  • Vector indexes limited to float arrays; other data types require alternative indexing strategies
  • Free tier credits ($200) limited; no perpetual free tier for production use

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

Firebolt

$1.84/hour

No published plan breakdown. See the Firebolt review.

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 Firebolt if

  • You need sub-second queries.
  • You work on Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure preview), Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want sparse indexes.
Firebolt 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 Firebolt or Zeabur better?
Neither clearly leads. Firebolt starts at $1.84/hour and Zeabur at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Firebolt or Zeabur?
Zeabur has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1.84/hour for Firebolt and Free for Zeabur.
Does Firebolt or Zeabur run on more platforms?
Firebolt runs on Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure preview), Docker, Kubernetes. Zeabur runs on Web, CLI.
Can I use Zeabur for free?
Yes. Zeabur has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Firebolt starts at $1.84/hour.
What is Firebolt best used for?
Firebolt is most often used for data analytics teams running gigabyte-to-petabyte datasets with sub-second query requirements, real-time business intelligence platforms requiring acid transactions and snapshot isolation, applications needing vector search on analytical data for similarity queries. Of those, data analytics teams running gigabyte-to-petabyte datasets with sub-second query requirements and real-time business intelligence platforms requiring acid transactions and snapshot isolation are not what Zeabur is typically brought in for.
What can Firebolt do that Zeabur cannot?
Firebolt covers Sub-second Queries, Sparse Indexes, Data Pruning, Decoupled Storage/Compute. Zeabur covers AI Agent, Managed Servers, Domain and DNS Management, Email Service.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Firebolt: How does Firebolt's compute billing model work?

Firebolt uses per-second billing with scale-to-zero capability. The smallest S tier costs $1.84 per hour with 8 vCPU and 64GB memory, while the largest 4XL tier costs $58.88 per hour with 256 vCPU. Users only pay when compute is running.

Source
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
Firebolt: What is the cost for data storage on Firebolt?

Storage costs $0.0264 per GB per month on object storage, billed as pass-through cost at cloud provider rates.

Source
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
Firebolt: What free credits or trial does Firebolt offer new users?

New users receive $200 free credits to get started with the platform.

Source
Zeabur: Is there a free trial period?

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

Source
Firebolt: Does Firebolt publish pricing for commitment-based discounts?

The pricing FAQ lists a question about commitment-based discounts but does not provide published answers on the pricing page. This requires direct inquiry with sales.

Source
Firebolt: What deployment options does Firebolt offer besides managed service?

Firebolt offers self-hosted open source deployment (unlimited) and Bring Your Own Cloud (BYOC) options in addition to managed service.

Source
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