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npm vs Pulumi

npm logo

npm

Software

Package manager for JavaScript

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pulumi logo

Pulumi

Software

Modern infrastructure as code using programming languages

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: npm private packages require a paid user or organization account; the free registry publishes publicly only; Pulumi the free Individual plan allows one user and one concurrent stack update
  • They diverge on capability: npm covers Package installation, Pulumi covers Multi-language support.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which npm and Pulumi actually diverge.

Attributes where npm and Pulumi differ
AttributenpmPulumi
PlatformsWindows, Macos, LinuxLinux, Windows, Mac, Api
Founded20142017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 npm

  • Package installation
  • Dependency management
  • Version management
  • Script running
  • Package publishing
  • Security auditing
  • Package discovery
  • CLI interface

Only in Pulumi

  • Multi-language support
  • Multi-cloud
  • State management
  • Secrets management
  • RBAC
  • Stacks
  • Automation API
  • Policy as Code

Both cover

  • GitHub

What people use each for

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

npm

  • Package managementnot Pulumi
  • Dependency installationnot Pulumi
  • Project scaffoldingnot Pulumi
  • Build automationnot Pulumi
  • Package publishingnot Pulumi
  • Version controlnot Pulumi

Pulumi

  • Defining cloud infrastructure as code in TypeScript, Python, Go, C# or Java rather than a DSLnot npm
  • Managing Pulumi state and secrets in a hosted backend instead of self-managed storagenot npm
  • Policy, drift detection and deployment workflows for platform engineering teamsnot npm

Where each one falls short

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

npm

  • Private packages require a paid user or organization account; the free registry publishes publicly only

Pulumi

  • The free Individual plan allows one user and one concurrent stack update
  • The Team plan is $40 per month base including 40 credits, and caps the organisation at 10 users
  • SAML/SSO, RBAC, audit logs and drift detection require the Enterprise plan at $400 per month base
  • The per-resource rate rises from $0.1825 per resource per month on Team to $0.365 on Enterprise, so upgrading raises the unit price as well as the base fee
  • Managed secrets are billed separately at $0.50 per secret per month on Team and $0.75 on Enterprise
  • Self-hosting, SCIM user sync, audit log export and 24x7 support are only in Business Critical, which is custom priced with no published rate
  • Team includes up to 500 resources and Enterprise up to 2,000, with everything beyond billed on demand as credits

Pricing, plan by plan

npm

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited public packages
    • Package discovery
    • npm CLI
  • Pro$7/month
    • Unlimited private packages
    • Package analytics
    • Support
  • Teams$7/month
    • Team management
    • Organization packages
    • Audit logs

Pulumi

Free
  • Pulumi CommunityFree
    • Open source
    • Community support
    • Self-hosted
  • Pulumi Cloud$10/month
    • Hosted backend
    • Team collaboration
    • RBAC

Which should you pick?

Choose npm if

  • You need package installation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux.
  • You also want dependency management.
npm review

Choose Pulumi if

  • You need multi-language support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
  • You also want multi-cloud.
Pulumi review

Questions people ask

Is npm or Pulumi better?
Neither clearly leads. npm starts at Free and Pulumi at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, npm or Pulumi?
npm starts at Free and Pulumi at Free.
Does npm or Pulumi run on more platforms?
npm runs on Windows, Macos, Linux. Pulumi runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
Can I use npm for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is npm best used for?
npm is most often used for package management, dependency installation, project scaffolding, build automation. Of those, package management and dependency installation are not what Pulumi is typically brought in for.
What can npm do that Pulumi cannot?
npm covers Package installation, Dependency management, Version management, Script running. Pulumi covers Multi-language support, Multi-cloud, State management, Secrets management. Both handle GitHub.
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