Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

HCP Terraform vs Octopus Deploy

HCP Terraform logo

HCP Terraform

Developer Tools

Infrastructure as code provisioning and management, formerly Terraform Cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Octopus Deploy logo

Octopus Deploy

Developer Tools

Continuous delivery and runbook automation for releases

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HCP Terraform legacy free version deprecated; no current freemium tier; Octopus Deploy free tier caps at 10 projects, 10 tenants, 10 machines, 10 users, 5 concurrent tasks and 1 space
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HCP Terraform and Octopus Deploy actually diverge.

Attributes where HCP Terraform and Octopus Deploy differ
AttributeHCP TerraformOctopus Deploy
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Developer Tools).

What people use each for

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

HCP Terraform

  • Infrastructure as Code managementnot Octopus Deploy
  • Cloud resource provisioningnot Octopus Deploy

Octopus Deploy

  • Automating software deployments across development, testing, productionnot HCP Terraform
  • Automating emergency tasks like website failover and incident responsenot HCP Terraform
  • Managing multi-tenant deployments without duplicating configurationnot HCP Terraform
  • Tracking DORA metrics and enforcing deployment approval gatesnot HCP Terraform

Where each one falls short

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

HCP Terraform

  • Legacy free version deprecated; no current freemium tier
  • New users receive $500 credit but still require usage to continue service
  • Terraform Enterprise requires custom pricing

Octopus Deploy

  • Free tier caps at 10 projects, 10 tenants, 10 machines, 10 users, 5 concurrent tasks and 1 space
  • Annual billing is the only option for both Octopus Cloud and Octopus Server; there is no monthly plan
  • Professional cloud tier is $4,330 per year and Enterprise cloud is $24,600 per year, with tenants and machines sold as add-ons beyond the free allotment

Pricing, plan by plan

HCP Terraform

Free
  • Essentials$0.1/month
    • Per resource pricing
    • Remote state storage
    • VCS connection
  • Standard$0.47/month
    • Per resource pricing
    • Essentials features plus unlimited modules
    • Module deprecation
  • Premium$0.99/month
    • Per resource pricing
    • Standard features plus module revocation
    • Waypoint actions

Octopus Deploy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 projects
    • 10 tenants
    • 10 machines
  • Professional (Cloud)$4330/year
    • Up to 100 projects
    • Unlimited spaces and users
    • Tenants and machines available as add-ons
  • Professional (Server)$2080/year
    • Up to 100 projects
    • Unlimited spaces and users
    • Tenants and machines available as add-ons
  • Enterprise (Cloud)$24600/year
    • 100+ projects supported
    • Unlimited spaces and users
    • 20 concurrent tasks

Which should you pick?

Choose HCP Terraform if

  • You want to start without paying.

Choose Octopus Deploy if

  • You want to start without paying.

Questions people ask

Is HCP Terraform or Octopus Deploy better?
Neither clearly leads. HCP Terraform starts at Free and Octopus Deploy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HCP Terraform or Octopus Deploy?
HCP Terraform starts at Free and Octopus Deploy at Free.
Does HCP Terraform or Octopus Deploy run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use HCP Terraform for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is HCP Terraform best used for?
HCP Terraform is most often used for infrastructure as code management, cloud resource provisioning. Of those, infrastructure as code management and cloud resource provisioning are not what Octopus Deploy is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HCP Terraform: How much does HCP Terraform cost?

HCP Terraform uses per-resource pricing starting at $0.10/month/resource for Essentials, $0.47/month/resource for Standard, and $0.99/month/resource for Premium.

Source
Octopus Deploy: How much does Octopus Deploy cost?

Octopus Deploy offers a free tier at $0/year with limits on projects (10), users (10), and tenants (10). Professional plans start at $2,080/year for self-hosted or $4,330/year for cloud hosting.

Source
HCP Terraform: Does HCP Terraform offer a free tier?

No, the legacy free version has been deprecated. However, new users receive $500 credit to try the service.

Source
Octopus Deploy: What does the free Octopus Deploy tier include?

The free tier includes 10 projects, 10 tenants, 10 machines, 10 users, 5 concurrent tasks, 1TB file storage, 100GB database storage, and community support only.

Source
HCP Terraform: What does the Standard plan include?

Standard plan at $0.47/month/resource includes unlimited modules, module deprecation, team notifications, no-code provisioning, and Waypoint templates.

Source
Octopus Deploy: Can I try Octopus Deploy for free before purchasing?

Yes, a free tier is available with unlimited duration but capped usage, plus a 30-day free trial with full Enterprise features is offered to evaluate the platform.

Source
Octopus Deploy: What are the Enterprise pricing differences between Cloud and Server hosting?

Enterprise Cloud hosting costs $24,600/year and includes 20 concurrent tasks and 24/7 support. Enterprise Server self-hosted costs $15,600/year with flexible concurrent task configuration and 24/7 support.

Source
Share

Related pages

Other head to heads