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Cloud · head to head

Hetzner Cloud vs RunPod

Hetzner Cloud logo

Hetzner Cloud

Cloud

Affordable cloud servers in Europe

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RunPod logo

RunPod

AI

GPU cloud for AI and ML

From
$0.2/per-hour
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Hetzner Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable; RunPod idle volume disk storage is billed at $0.20 per GB per month, double the $0.10 per GB per month charged while the pod is running
  • They diverge on capability: Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, RunPod covers GPU instances.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Hetzner Cloud and RunPod differ
AttributeHetzner CloudRunPod
Starting priceFree$0.2/per-hour
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliCloud, Api
CategoryCloudAI
Founded19972022

Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), 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 RunPod

  • GPU instances
  • Serverless
  • Templates
  • Persistent storage
  • REST API
  • SSH access
  • Cloud support

Both cover

  • Docker
  • Api support

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 RunPod
  • European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot RunPod
  • Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot RunPod
  • Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot RunPod

RunPod

  • Renting GPU compute by the second for model training and inferencenot Hetzner Cloud
  • Running serverless GPU workers that scale with request volumenot Hetzner Cloud
  • Attaching persistent network storage shared across GPU podsnot 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

RunPod

  • Idle volume disk storage is billed at $0.20 per GB per month, double the $0.10 per GB per month charged while the pod is running
  • Reserved clusters of all terms from 1 to 12 months are priced by contacting sales with no published rate
  • L40S, H100 SXM and B200 cluster configurations are listed as contact sales rather than at a published hourly rate
  • High performance network storage costs $0.14 per GB per month, twice the standard sub 1TB rate of $0.07

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

RunPod

$0.2/per-hour
  • Community Cloud$0.2/per-hour
    • Affordable GPUs
    • Spot instances
  • Secure Cloud$0.44/per-hour
    • Enterprise security
    • Dedicated hardware

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 RunPod if

  • You need gpu instances.
  • You work on Cloud, Api.
  • You also want serverless.
RunPod review

Questions people ask

Is Hetzner Cloud or RunPod better?
Neither clearly leads. Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and RunPod at $0.2/per-hour, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hetzner Cloud or RunPod?
Hetzner Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Hetzner Cloud and $0.2/per-hour for RunPod.
Does Hetzner Cloud or RunPod run on more platforms?
Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli. RunPod runs on Cloud, Api.
Can I use Hetzner Cloud for free?
Yes. Hetzner Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RunPod starts at $0.2/per-hour.
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 RunPod is typically brought in for.
What can Hetzner Cloud do that RunPod cannot?
Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. RunPod covers GPU instances, Serverless, Templates, Persistent storage. Both handle Docker, Api support.

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
RunPod: What is the pricing model for Runpod GPU compute?

Runpod uses usage-based pricing billed per second rather than fixed subscriptions. GPU pod pricing ranges from $0.27/hour for budget options like RTX A5000 to $7.89/hour for high-end options like B300. Serverless inference is billed based on worker usage.

Source
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
RunPod: Are there minimum contracts or commitments required to use Runpod?

No minimum contracts or commitments are required for on-demand services. Per-second billing is available, and you pay only for what you use. Long-term commitments offer additional savings through reserved capacity options.

Source
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
RunPod: What are the storage costs on Runpod?

Storage pricing is tiered: Container Disk costs $0.10/GB/month, Volume Disk costs $0.10/GB/month when running or $0.20/GB/month when idle, and Network Storage ranges from $0.05-$0.07/GB/month for standard to $0.14/GB/month for high-performance.

Source
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
RunPod: Does Runpod charge egress fees for data transfer?

No, Runpod does not charge egress fees when using persistent network storage, which helps reduce data transfer costs for workloads that need to move data in and out frequently.

Source
RunPod: How does Runpod Serverless handle cold starts and idle costs?

Runpod Serverless offers zero idle cost and sub-200ms cold starts via FlashBoot technology. There is no warm-up tax, meaning you don't pay for idle capacity or accept cold-start latency penalties.

Source
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