Softwr

Cloud · head to head

Porter vs SST

Porter logo

Porter

Cloud

Effortless app infrastructure, your own cloud

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SST logo

SST

Cloud

Build full-stack apps on your own infrastructure

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SST has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Porter pricing based on vCPU and memory can be expensive for small projects; SST primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support
  • They diverge on capability: Porter covers Rapid deployment, SST covers Single config file.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Porter and SST actually diverge.

Attributes where Porter and SST differ
AttributePorterSST
Starting price$6/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureAWS, Cloudflare, Node.js

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).

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 Porter

  • Rapid deployment
  • Framework agnostic
  • DevOps automation
  • Enterprise compliance
  • Cost optimization

Only in SST

  • Single config file
  • Resource linking
  • Local development
  • Multiple deployment stages
  • VPC tunneling

Both cover

  • Multi-cloud support

What people use each for

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

Porter

  • Deploying Next.js applications with serverless backendsnot SST
  • Scaling microservices across multiple cloud providersnot SST
  • Running applications without dedicated DevOps staffnot SST

SST

  • Deploying Next.js frontends with serverless backendsnot Porter
  • Managing databases and storage alongside application codenot Porter
  • Creating staging environments for feature testingnot Porter

Where each one falls short

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

Porter

  • Pricing based on vCPU and memory can be expensive for small projects
  • Vendor lock-in to Porter platform despite multi-cloud support
  • Limited customization for complex infrastructure requirements

SST

  • Primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support
  • Learning curve for developers unfamiliar with infrastructure concepts
  • Limited documentation for some advanced use cases

Pricing, plan by plan

Porter

$6/month
  • Standard$undefined/usage
    • RAM: $6 per month per GB
    • vCPU: $13 per month per vCPU
    • Unlimited applications
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Volume discounts available
    • All Standard features
    • Premium support

SST

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SST review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Porter if

  • You need rapid deployment.
  • You work on AWS, GCP, Azure.
  • You also want framework agnostic.
Porter review

Choose SST if

  • You need single config file.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js.
  • You also want resource linking.
SST review

Questions people ask

Is Porter or SST better?
Neither clearly leads. Porter starts at $6/month and SST at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Porter or SST?
SST has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $6/month for Porter and Free for SST.
Does Porter or SST run on more platforms?
Porter runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. SST runs on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js.
Can I use SST for free?
Yes. SST has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Porter starts at $6/month.
What is Porter best used for?
Porter is most often used for deploying next.js applications with serverless backends, scaling microservices across multiple cloud providers, running applications without dedicated devops staff. Of those, deploying next.js applications with serverless backends and scaling microservices across multiple cloud providers are not what SST is typically brought in for.
What can Porter do that SST cannot?
Porter covers Rapid deployment, Framework agnostic, DevOps automation, Enterprise compliance. SST covers Single config file, Resource linking, Local development, Multiple deployment stages. Both handle Multi-cloud support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Porter: How is Porter priced?

Porter uses pay-as-you-go pricing: $6 per month per GB of RAM and $13 per month per vCPU. You only pay for the resources your applications use, not cloud instance capacity.

Source
SST: Is SST free?

Yes, SST is open source and free. You only pay for cloud resources from AWS and other providers.

Source
Porter: Does Porter include cloud provider costs?

Porter pricing excludes underlying cloud provider costs (AWS, Azure, GCP), though cloud credits can offset those expenses.

Source
SST: What cloud providers does SST support?

SST supports over 150 providers through built-in AWS and Cloudflare components, plus Pulumi and Terraform providers.

Source
Porter: Do startups get special pricing?

Yes, nonprofits receive 50% off standard rates, and startups may qualify for special pricing programs.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Porter

More on SST

Keep looking

Other head to heads