Softwr

Software · head to head

IBM Cloud vs Fly.io

IBM Cloud logo

IBM Cloud

Software

Enterprise cloud solutions from a trusted partner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fly.io logo

Fly.io

Software

Deploy web applications globally

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: IBM Cloud the USD 200 starter cloud credit is valid for 30 days only; 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
  • They diverge on capability: IBM Cloud covers Virtual Servers, Fly.io covers Global deployment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IBM Cloud and Fly.io actually diverge.

Attributes where IBM Cloud and Fly.io differ
AttributeIBM CloudFly.io
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Api, CliWeb, Api, Docker
Founded20132020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 IBM Cloud

  • Virtual Servers
  • Bare Metal
  • Cloud Foundry
  • Kubernetes
  • Watson AI
  • Blockchain
  • Databases
  • API Gateway

Only in Fly.io

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

Both cover

  • Docker
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

IBM Cloud

  • Running containerized and VM workloads on IBM's public cloudnot Fly.io
  • Building on Watson APIs and IBM middleware as managed servicesnot Fly.io

Fly.io

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

Where each one falls short

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

IBM Cloud

  • The USD 200 starter cloud credit is valid for 30 days only
  • The larger promotional credits are time boxed: USD 1,000 for Bare Metal Servers for VPC over 120 days, USD 2,500 for Power Virtual Server over 90 days, and USD 5,000 for Backup and Recovery over 90 days
  • The USD 5,000 Backup and Recovery promotion is valid for new clients only and requires a checkout promo code
  • The listed promotions carry an expiry date of 31 December 2026
  • Beyond the free tier the account is pay as you go, so cost tracks usage with no published cap

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

Pricing, plan by plan

IBM Cloud

Free
  • Lite PlanFree
    • Free services
    • Limited resources
    • 30-day trial
  • Standard PlanFree
    • Pay-as-you-go
    • Enterprise support
    • Advanced services

Fly.io

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 shared-cpu-1x VMs
    • 3GB persistence storage
    • 160GB outbound data/month
  • Pay-as-you-goFree
    • Unlimited applications
    • Dedicated machines
    • Global deployment

Which should you pick?

Choose IBM Cloud if

  • You need virtual servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
  • You also want bare metal.
IBM Cloud review

Choose Fly.io if

  • You need global deployment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Docker.
  • You also want docker support.
Fly.io review

Questions people ask

Is IBM Cloud or Fly.io better?
Neither clearly leads. IBM Cloud starts at Free and Fly.io at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IBM Cloud or Fly.io?
IBM Cloud starts at Free and Fly.io at Free.
Does IBM Cloud or Fly.io run on more platforms?
IBM Cloud runs on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli. Fly.io runs on Web, Api, Docker.
Can I use IBM Cloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is IBM Cloud best used for?
IBM Cloud is most often used for running containerized and vm workloads on ibm's public cloud, building on watson apis and ibm middleware as managed services. Of those, running containerized and vm workloads on ibm's public cloud and building on watson apis and ibm middleware as managed services are not what Fly.io is typically brought in for.
What can IBM Cloud do that Fly.io cannot?
IBM Cloud covers Virtual Servers, Bare Metal, Cloud Foundry, Kubernetes. Fly.io covers Global deployment, Docker support, Postgres databases, Redis support. Both handle Docker, Cloud deployment.
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Related pages

More on IBM Cloud

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