Softwr

Cloud · head to head

Fly.io vs Traefik

Fly.io logo

Fly.io

Cloud

Deploy web applications globally

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Traefik logo

Traefik

Networking

Modern cloud-native edge router and API gateway

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Traefik has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fly.io egress is priced by destination region, from $0.02 per GB in North America and Europe to $0.12 per GB for Africa and India, so the same traffic costs six times more depending on where users are; Traefik no transparent pricing displayed for Traefik Hub API Gateway or API Management products
  • They diverge on capability: Fly.io covers Global deployment, Traefik covers API Gateway.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fly.io and Traefik actually diverge.

Attributes where Fly.io and Traefik differ
AttributeFly.ioTraefik
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Api, DockerKubernetes, Docker, Cloud
CategoryCloudNetworking
Founded20202015

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 Fly.io

  • Global deployment
  • Postgres databases
  • Redis support
  • Auto-scaling
  • Health checks
  • Backups
  • Monitoring
  • GitHub

Only in Traefik

  • API Gateway
  • Load Balancing
  • SSL/TLS Termination
  • Kubernetes
  • Consul
  • etcd
  • Linux support
  • Kubernetes support

Both cover

  • Docker support
  • Docker
  • Docker support

What people use each for

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

Fly.io

  • Deploying containerised applications close to users across regionsnot Traefik
  • Running full stack apps and databases on managed machinesnot Traefik

Traefik

  • API gateway for microservices architecturenot Fly.io
  • Kubernetes ingress controllernot Fly.io
  • Container and VM traffic routingnot Fly.io
  • Cloud-native application managementnot Fly.io

Where each one falls short

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

Fly.io

  • Egress is priced by destination region, from $0.02 per GB in North America and Europe to $0.12 per GB for Africa and India, so the same traffic costs six times more depending on where users are
  • Stopped machines still bill at $0.15 per GB of root filesystem a month, so a paused service is not a free one
  • Volumes are billed on provisioned capacity rather than usage, at $0.15 per GB a month
  • Reservation discounts of 40% require paying a year up front, from $36 to $1,440
  • Fly Kubernetes is a separate $75 a month per cluster
  • Dedicated IPv4 addresses are $2 a month each

Traefik

  • No transparent pricing displayed for Traefik Hub API Gateway or API Management products
  • No subscription period specified for paid tiers
  • Traefik Hub products require contacting sales for pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Fly.io

$29/month
  • Pay-as-You-Go$null/mo
    • Micro VMs and persistent storage charged by usage
    • FlyCTL CLI
    • Unlimited users and organizations
  • Serious Support$29/month
    • Access to dedicated engineering team
    • All Pay-as-You-Go features
  • Machine Reservation Blocks$null/mo
    • 40% discount on machine usage
    • Requires upfront payment for savings
  • Compliance Package$99/month
    • HIPAA compliance
    • BAAs
    • SOC2 documentation

Traefik

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Traefik review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Fly.io if

  • You need global deployment.
  • You work on Web, Api, Docker.
  • You also want postgres databases.
Fly.io review

Choose Traefik if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Docker, Cloud.
  • You also want load balancing.
Traefik review

Questions people ask

Is Fly.io or Traefik better?
Neither clearly leads. Fly.io starts at $29/month and Traefik at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fly.io or Traefik?
Traefik has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Fly.io and Free for Traefik.
Does Fly.io or Traefik run on more platforms?
Fly.io runs on Web, Api, Docker. Traefik runs on Kubernetes, Docker, Cloud.
Can I use Traefik for free?
Yes. Traefik has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fly.io starts at $29/month.
What is Fly.io best used for?
Fly.io is most often used for deploying containerised applications close to users across regions, running full stack apps and databases on managed machines. Of those, deploying containerised applications close to users across regions and running full stack apps and databases on managed machines are not what Traefik is typically brought in for.
What can Fly.io do that Traefik cannot?
Fly.io covers Global deployment, Postgres databases, Redis support, Auto-scaling. Traefik covers API Gateway, Load Balancing, SSL/TLS Termination, Kubernetes. Both handle Docker support, Docker, Docker support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fly.io: Is there a free tier for Fly.io?

Fly.io does not advertise a free tier. The base plan is pay-as-you-go with usage-based pricing for Micro VMs and persistent storage. All users get FlyCTL CLI, unlimited organizations, private networking, SSO, ACLs, and scoped tokens.

Source
Traefik: Is Traefik Proxy free to use?

Yes, Traefik Proxy is completely free and open source. You can download and use it at no cost.

Source
Fly.io: How much does Fly.io Serious Support cost?

Serious Support costs 29 USD per month and provides access to a dedicated engineering team while maintaining all pay-as-you-go features for Micro VMs and storage.

Source
Traefik: What pricing model does Traefik use for its paid products?

Traefik Hub products (API Gateway and API Management) use quote-based pricing. Specific rates are not published on the pricing page; you must contact sales to request pricing.

Source
Fly.io: What does Fly.io Compliance Package include?

The Compliance Package is 99 USD per month and includes HIPAA compliance, BAAs, and SOC2 documentation for organizations requiring compliance certifications.

Source
Fly.io: Does Fly.io offer discounts for upfront commitment?

Yes, Fly.io offers Machine Reservation Blocks with 40% discount on machine usage. This requires upfront payment but applies savings on infrastructure costs.

Source
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