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AI · head to head

Modal vs RunPod

Modal logo

Modal

AI

Cloud functions for AI and ML

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 Modal has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Modal the Team plan carries a $250 monthly base fee and returns only $100 of that as free credits, so $150 is a flat charge before any compute; 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: Modal covers Serverless GPUs, RunPod covers GPU instances.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Modal and RunPod actually diverge.

Attributes where Modal and RunPod differ
AttributeModalRunPod
Starting priceFree$0.2/per-hour
Free tierYesNo
Founded20212022

Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), platforms (Cloud, Api), 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 Modal

  • Serverless GPUs
  • Python functions
  • Auto-scaling
  • Fast cold starts
  • Python SDK
  • GitHub Actions
  • Cloud storage

Only in RunPod

  • GPU instances
  • Serverless
  • Templates
  • Persistent storage
  • Docker
  • REST API
  • SSH access

Both cover

  • Cloud support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Modal

  • Running serverless GPU workloads for model inference and trainingnot RunPod
  • Executing Python functions on cloud compute without managing serversnot RunPod

RunPod

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

Where each one falls short

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

Modal

  • The Team plan carries a $250 monthly base fee and returns only $100 of that as free credits, so $150 is a flat charge before any compute
  • Compute is billed per second across separate GPU and CPU meters, so total cost depends on execution time rather than any fixed rate
  • The Starter plan's $30 monthly free credit is the only allowance below the paid base fee
  • Enterprise volume discounts are custom and unpublished

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

Modal

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 3 seats
    • 100 containers
    • 10 GPU concurrency
  • Team$250/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • 5,000 containers
    • 50 GPU concurrency
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Custom seats, containers, and GPU concurrency

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 Modal if

  • You need serverless gpus.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Api.
  • You also want python functions.
Modal review

Choose RunPod if

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

Questions people ask

Is Modal or RunPod better?
Neither clearly leads. Modal 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, Modal or RunPod?
Modal has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Modal and $0.2/per-hour for RunPod.
Does Modal or RunPod run on more platforms?
Both run on Cloud, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Modal for free?
Yes. Modal has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RunPod starts at $0.2/per-hour.
What is Modal best used for?
Modal is most often used for running serverless gpu workloads for model inference and training, executing python functions on cloud compute without managing servers. Of those, running serverless gpu workloads for model inference and training and executing python functions on cloud compute without managing servers are not what RunPod is typically brought in for.
What can Modal do that RunPod cannot?
Modal covers Serverless GPUs, Python functions, Auto-scaling, Fast cold starts. RunPod covers GPU instances, Serverless, Templates, Persistent storage. Both handle Cloud support, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Modal: How much does Modal cost?

Modal uses pay-as-you-go pricing with Team plan at 250 USD/month base. Starter includes 30 USD/month free credits; Team includes 100 USD/month free credits. Compute charges per second for CPU cores, memory, and GPU instances.

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
Modal: Is there a free tier?

Yes, Starter plan is free plus 30 USD/month in compute credits included monthly for new users.

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
Modal: What are the seat limits?

Starter plan includes 3 seats; Team plan provides unlimited seats; Enterprise tier has custom seat allocations.

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
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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