Cloud · head to head
Hetzner Cloud vs Puppet
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable; Puppet no pricing published for commercial tiers; requires contacting sales
- They diverge on capability: Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Puppet covers Manifests.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Hetzner Cloud and Puppet actually diverge.
| Attribute | Hetzner Cloud | Puppet |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | quote |
| Platforms | Web, Api, Cli | Linux, Windows, Mac, Api |
| Founded | 1997 | 2005 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).
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 Puppet
- Manifests
- Modules
- Classes
- Variables
- Facts
- Puppet Master
- Hiera
- Facter
Both cover
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- Cloud deployment
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 Puppet
- European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot Puppet
- Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot Puppet
- Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot Puppet
Puppet
- Infrastructure automationnot Hetzner Cloud
- Configuration managementnot Hetzner Cloud
- DevOps at scalenot Hetzner Cloud
- Enterprise infrastructurenot 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
Puppet
- No pricing published for commercial tiers; requires contacting sales
- Enterprise and Advanced tiers require custom quote
- Free tier limited to 25 nodes maximum
Pricing, plan by plan
Hetzner Cloud
Free- CX11$3.29/month
- 1 vCPU
- 1GB RAM
- 25GB SSD
- CX21$6.59/month
- 2 vCPU
- 4GB RAM
- 40GB SSD
Puppet
Free- DeveloperFree
- Up to 25 nodes
- Core Commercial$null/custom
- 25+ nodes
- Vendor-backed SLAs
- Training with Certified Engineers
- Enterprise$null/custom
- Web GUI
- RBAC
- Multi-environment support
- Advanced$null/custom
- AI-powered features
- Advanced patching
- Vulnerability remediation
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.
Choose Puppet if
- You need manifests.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
- You also want modules.
Questions people ask
- Is Hetzner Cloud or Puppet better?
- Neither clearly leads. Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and Puppet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Hetzner Cloud or Puppet?
- Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and Puppet at Free.
- Does Hetzner Cloud or Puppet run on more platforms?
- Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli. Puppet runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
- 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 Puppet is typically brought in for.
- What can Hetzner Cloud do that Puppet cannot?
- Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. Puppet covers Manifests, Modules, Classes, Variables. Both handle Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud deployment.
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.
SourcePuppet: How much does Puppet cost?
Puppet's Developer tier is free for up to 25 nodes. Commercial, Enterprise, and Advanced tiers require contacting their sales team for a custom quote.
SourceHetzner 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.
SourcePuppet: Is there a free version of Puppet?
Yes, Puppet's Developer tier is free forever for up to 25 nodes of infrastructure.
SourceHetzner 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.
SourcePuppet: What does the Enterprise tier include?
Puppet's Enterprise tier includes web GUI, RBAC, and multi-environment support for organizations managing infrastructure at scale, with pricing available upon request.
SourceHetzner 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on Hetzner Cloud
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