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AI · head to head

Lambda Labs vs Vellum

Lambda Labs logo

Lambda Labs

AI

GPU cloud for deep learning

From
$1.1/per-hour
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vellum logo

Vellum

AI

Personalized AI assistant with persistent memory and autonomous action-taking

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Vellum has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lambda Labs on demand capacity is first come access rather than guaranteed, so an instance type can be unavailable when needed; Vellum pricing varies significantly by computational tier, making budget planning difficult
  • They diverge on capability: Lambda Labs covers NVIDIA GPUs, Vellum covers Persistent AI identity.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lambda Labs and Vellum actually diverge.

Attributes where Lambda Labs and Vellum differ
AttributeLambda LabsVellum
Starting price$1.1/per-hourFree
Pricing modelusage-basedFreemium with paid plans and pay-as-you-go credits
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloudWeb, macOS, iOS, Slack, Telegram, Terminal
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (AI).

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 Lambda Labs

  • NVIDIA GPUs
  • Pre-installed frameworks
  • Persistent storage
  • SSH access
  • JupyterLab
  • VSCode
  • SSH
  • Cloud support

Only in Vellum

  • Persistent AI identity
  • Long-term memory
  • Email automation
  • Calendar management
  • Autonomous task execution
  • Multi-device synchronization
  • Custom plugins
  • Open-source deployment

What people use each for

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

Lambda Labs

  • Renting GPU instances for model training and inferencenot Vellum
  • Short term access to high memory accelerators without buying hardwarenot Vellum

Vellum

  • Personal productivity automation across email and calendarnot Lambda Labs
  • CRM updates and pipeline managementnot Lambda Labs
  • Expense report generation and managementnot Lambda Labs
  • Document drafting and content creationnot Lambda Labs
  • Meeting scheduling and calendar coordinationnot Lambda Labs

Where each one falls short

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

Lambda Labs

  • On demand capacity is first come access rather than guaranteed, so an instance type can be unavailable when needed
  • H100 pricing varies within a band, at $3.99 to $4.29 an hour per GPU, so the rate is not fixed
  • Reserved capacity is arranged by contacting the team rather than self serve
  • Prices are quoted before applicable tax

Vellum

  • Pricing varies significantly by computational tier, making budget planning difficult
  • Requires explicit permission for sensitive actions, limiting autonomy
  • Self-hosting option may intimidate non-technical users
  • Learning curve to develop customizations with plugins

Pricing, plan by plan

Lambda Labs

$1.1/per-hour
  • On-Demand$1.1/per-hour
    • A10 GPU
    • Instant availability
  • ReservedFree
    • Volume discounts
    • Guaranteed capacity

Vellum

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Starter credits included
    • Basic features
  • Mighty$30/month
    • 1 vCPU, 2 GiB RAM
    • 10 GB storage
    • Included usage allowance
  • Super$100/month
    • 2.5 vCPU, 5 GiB RAM
    • 30 GB storage
    • Assistant email and subdomain
  • Ultra$200/month
    • 4 vCPU, 8 GiB RAM
    • 60 GB storage
    • Assistant email and subdomain

Which should you pick?

Choose Lambda Labs if

  • You need nvidia gpus.
  • You work on Cloud.
  • You also want pre-installed frameworks.
Lambda Labs review

Choose Vellum if

  • You need persistent ai identity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, iOS, Slack, Telegram, Terminal.
  • You also want long-term memory.
Vellum review

Questions people ask

Is Lambda Labs or Vellum better?
Neither clearly leads. Lambda Labs starts at $1.1/per-hour and Vellum at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lambda Labs or Vellum?
Vellum has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1.1/per-hour for Lambda Labs and Free for Vellum.
Does Lambda Labs or Vellum run on more platforms?
Lambda Labs runs on Cloud. Vellum runs on Web, macOS, iOS, Slack, Telegram, Terminal.
Can I use Vellum for free?
Yes. Vellum has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Lambda Labs starts at $1.1/per-hour.
What is Lambda Labs best used for?
Lambda Labs is most often used for renting gpu instances for model training and inference, short term access to high memory accelerators without buying hardware. Of those, renting gpu instances for model training and inference and short term access to high memory accelerators without buying hardware are not what Vellum is typically brought in for.
What can Lambda Labs do that Vellum cannot?
Lambda Labs covers NVIDIA GPUs, Pre-installed frameworks, Persistent storage, SSH access. Vellum covers Persistent AI identity, Long-term memory, Email automation, Calendar management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lambda Labs: What does Lambda Labs GPU pricing depend on?

Lambda Labs pricing depends on the GPU model (H100, B200, A100, V100, etc.), cluster size, and contract length. For example, a 16-GPU H100 cluster costs $6.16/GPU/hour for 2 weeks to 1 year, while A100 GPUs are $1.99-$2.79/GPU/hour.

Source
Vellum: How does Vellum protect my data privacy?

Vellum uses permission-based controls requiring explicit approval for sensitive actions. Data is encrypted and the option for self-hosting provides complete data control. Open-source deployment option allows hosting on your own infrastructure.

Source
Lambda Labs: Are there volume discounts for larger GPU clusters?

Yes. Pricing decreases with larger cluster orders. For example, NVIDIA H100 clusters cost $6.16/GPU/hour for 16 GPUs, $5.85/GPU/hour for 64 GPUs, and $5.54/GPU/hour for 256 GPUs (all for 2 weeks to 1 year terms).

Source
Vellum: Can I use Vellum for business team collaboration?

Vellum is primarily designed as a personal assistant with persistent identity. For team collaboration, platforms like Lindy offer better multi-user features with shared credit pools and Slack workspace integration.

Source
Lambda Labs: Can I get custom pricing for a long-term GPU contract?

Yes. For cluster orders of 16+ GPUs with 1-year or longer contracts, Lambda Labs offers custom pricing. Contact their sales team to request a quote.

Source
Vellum: What does the free tier include?

Vellum offers free starter credits to begin using the platform. Beyond that, it operates on a pay-as-you-go credit model with paid tiers starting at $30/month for increased computational resources and bundled credits.

Source
Lambda Labs: What additional costs should I expect beyond the hourly GPU rate?

All listed prices are plus applicable sales tax, VAT, or GST depending on your location.

Source
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