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Cloud · head to head

Hetzner Cloud vs Nixpacks

Hetzner Cloud logo

Hetzner Cloud

Cloud

Affordable cloud servers in Europe

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Nixpacks logo

Nixpacks

Developer Tools

Build system that turns a source directory into an OCI image, now in maintenance mode

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable; Nixpacks the project is in maintenance mode with no commits on the default branch since May 2026 and no release since October 2025, so support for new language versions arrives only if someone forks it.
  • They diverge on capability: Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Nixpacks covers Automatic language detection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hetzner Cloud and Nixpacks actually diverge.

Attributes where Hetzner Cloud and Nixpacks differ
AttributeHetzner CloudNixpacks
Pricing modelusage-basedOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliLinux, macOS, CLI, Docker
CategoryCloudDeveloper Tools
Founded1997Unknown

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 Hetzner Cloud

  • Cloud servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Networks
  • Firewalls
  • Floating IPs
  • Backups

Only in Nixpacks

  • Automatic language detection
  • No Dockerfile required
  • Nix toolchains
  • Configuration escape hatches
  • Docker layer caching

What people use each for

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

Hetzner Cloud

  • Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot Nixpacks
  • European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot Nixpacks
  • Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot Nixpacks
  • Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot Nixpacks

Nixpacks

  • Understanding the build behaviour of a platform that adopted Nixpacks before it was frozennot Hetzner Cloud
  • Producing container images from a polyglot monorepo where nobody wants to own several Dockerfilesnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Reproducing an existing Railway build locally while planning a migration to Railpacknot Hetzner Cloud
  • Comparing what a Nix based builder does differently from a buildpack before choosing a successornot Hetzner Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

Hetzner Cloud

  • Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
  • Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
  • The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
  • Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel

Nixpacks

  • The project is in maintenance mode with no commits on the default branch since May 2026 and no release since October 2025, so support for new language versions arrives only if someone forks it.
  • Build determinism is softer than it appears, because providers pin a nixpkgs archive commit and bumping that archive silently moves compiler and runtime versions underneath a build that looks unchanged.
  • Caching is limited to Docker layers rather than a content addressed graph, so a small change early in the build invalidates everything after it, which is exactly the limitation Railpack was rewritten to fix.
  • Images carry Nix store layers and come out larger than an equivalent tuned Dockerfile or buildpack output, which costs registry storage and slows cold pulls on scale-out.
  • There is no specification, no vendor neutral governance and no third party provider ecosystem, so a single company was able to redirect strategy and leave every downstream user with a frozen build tool.

Pricing, plan by plan

Hetzner Cloud

Free
  • CX11$3.29/month
    • 1 vCPU
    • 1GB RAM
    • 25GB SSD
  • CX21$6.59/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 4GB RAM
    • 40GB SSD

Nixpacks

Free
  • NixpacksFree
    • MIT licensed, no usage limits
    • No commercial edition and no support contract
    • In maintenance mode, superseded by Railpack

Which should you pick?

Choose Hetzner Cloud if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want block storage.
Hetzner Cloud review

Choose Nixpacks if

  • You need automatic language detection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, CLI, Docker.
  • You also want no dockerfile required.
Nixpacks review

Questions people ask

Is Hetzner Cloud or Nixpacks better?
Neither clearly leads. Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and Nixpacks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hetzner Cloud or Nixpacks?
Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and Nixpacks at Free.
Does Hetzner Cloud or Nixpacks run on more platforms?
Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli. Nixpacks runs on Linux, macOS, CLI, Docker.
Can I use Hetzner Cloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hetzner Cloud best used for?
Hetzner Cloud is most often used for low-cost virtual servers for development and testing, european hosting with data held in germany or finland, workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic matters, self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalers. Of those, low-cost virtual servers for development and testing and european hosting with data held in germany or finland are not what Nixpacks is typically brought in for.
What can Hetzner Cloud do that Nixpacks cannot?
Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. Nixpacks covers Automatic language detection, No Dockerfile required, Nix toolchains, Configuration escape hatches.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hetzner Cloud: What types of cloud plans does Hetzner Cloud offer?

Hetzner Cloud offers Shared Resource plans (Cost-Optimized and Regular Performance) for development and testing, and Dedicated Resource plans (General Purpose) for business applications. Plans are available with a price calculator on their website.

Source
Nixpacks: Should I start a new project on Nixpacks?

No. The documentation and README both say it is in maintenance mode and recommend Railpack. Choose Railpack, Cloud Native Buildpacks or a Dockerfile instead.

Hetzner Cloud: What is included with Hetzner Cloud servers?

Every cloud server comes with free one-click apps like Docker, WordPress, Nextcloud, and GitLab. All servers include stateful firewalls at no additional cost, networking capabilities, APIs, and CLI tools.

Source
Nixpacks: Will my existing Nixpacks builds stop working?

Not immediately. Pinned nixpkgs archives keep resolving, so builds continue. What you lose is support for new runtime major versions and any fix for a provider bug.

Hetzner Cloud: Where are Hetzner Cloud servers located?

Hetzner Cloud servers are available in Germany, Finland, Singapore, and the USA, with data centers in Falkenstein, Nuremberg, Helsinki, Hillsboro (Oregon), Ashburn (Virginia), and Singapore.

Source
Nixpacks: What replaces it?

Railpack, also from Railway and also MIT licensed, rebuilt as a BuildKit custom frontend for finer grained caching and parallel steps.

Hetzner Cloud: What uptime guarantee does Hetzner Cloud provide?

Hetzner Cloud provides an SLA with 99.9% guaranteed uptime and clearly defined credits in case of malfunction. They also offer 24/7 support by email for business-critical workloads.

Source
Nixpacks: Is it still open source?

Yes, MIT, and the repository is not archived. Being open source does not help much when nobody is merging provider updates.

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