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Cloud · head to head

Render vs Terragrunt

Render logo

Render

Cloud

A modern cloud platform for the next generation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Terragrunt logo

Terragrunt

Cloud

The Open Source IaC Orchestrator Platform Teams Trust

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Render the free Hobby workspace is limited to 25 services and 5 GB of bandwidth; Terragrunt additional complexity layer on top of Terraform
  • They diverge on capability: Render covers Web services, Terragrunt covers Infrastructure orchestration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Render and Terragrunt actually diverge.

Attributes where Render and Terragrunt differ
AttributeRenderTerragrunt
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWeb, ApiAWS, Azure, GCP
Founded2019Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Render

  • Web services
  • Static sites
  • Background workers
  • Postgres database
  • Redis database
  • Scheduled jobs
  • Environment variables
  • Custom domains

Only in Terragrunt

  • Infrastructure orchestration
  • Run Queue
  • DRY configuration
  • Automated hooks
  • Infrastructure catalog
  • Least-privilege access

What people use each for

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

Render

  • Deploying web services, static sites and cron jobs from a Git repository without managing serversnot Terragrunt
  • Running managed Postgres and Redis alongside application servicesnot Terragrunt
  • Preview environments per pull request for small teamsnot Terragrunt

Terragrunt

  • Organizing Terraform code across multiple environmentsnot Render
  • Automating infrastructure deployment workflowsnot Render
  • Implementing infrastructure as code templates for developer self-servicenot Render

Where each one falls short

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

Render

  • The free Hobby workspace is limited to 25 services and 5 GB of bandwidth
  • Every paid plan charges the workspace fee plus compute on top, so $25 per month for Pro is a floor rather than a total
  • SAML SSO and SCIM require the Scale plan at $499 per month
  • HIPAA-compliant workspaces, inbound IP rules and advanced RBAC roles are Scale plan features
  • Organization-level audit logs require Scale; Pro provides only workspace audit logs
  • Contractual uptime SLAs, support response SLAs and a technical account manager are Enterprise only, and Enterprise is custom priced with no published rate
  • Included bandwidth is 25 GB on Pro and 1 TB on Scale, with usage beyond that billed separately

Terragrunt

  • Additional complexity layer on top of Terraform
  • Requires understanding of Terraform concepts
  • Paid tier pricing not clearly published

Pricing, plan by plan

Render

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 web service
    • 1 static site
    • Shared CPU
  • Starter$7/month
    • Unlimited services
    • Dedicated CPU
    • 2GB RAM

Terragrunt

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Terragrunt CLI - completely free
    • Community support
  • Terragrunt Scale FreeFree
    • Free CI/CD pipeline
    • Unlimited runs and resources
    • For up to 25 infrastructure units
  • Terragrunt Scale Paid$undefined/custom
    • Volume pricing for more than 25 infrastructure units
    • Enterprise support

Which should you pick?

Choose Render if

  • You need web services.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want static sites.
Render review

Choose Terragrunt if

  • You need infrastructure orchestration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS, Azure, GCP.
  • You also want run queue.
Terragrunt review

Questions people ask

Is Render or Terragrunt better?
Neither clearly leads. Render starts at Free and Terragrunt at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Render or Terragrunt?
Render starts at Free and Terragrunt at Free.
Does Render or Terragrunt run on more platforms?
Render runs on Web, Api. Terragrunt runs on AWS, Azure, GCP.
Can I use Render for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Render best used for?
Render is most often used for deploying web services, static sites and cron jobs from a git repository without managing servers, running managed postgres and redis alongside application services, preview environments per pull request for small teams. Of those, deploying web services, static sites and cron jobs from a git repository without managing servers and running managed postgres and redis alongside application services are not what Terragrunt is typically brought in for.
What can Render do that Terragrunt cannot?
Render covers Web services, Static sites, Background workers, Postgres database. Terragrunt covers Infrastructure orchestration, Run Queue, DRY configuration, Automated hooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Render: What is Render's pricing?

Render's pricing details are not disclosed on the public pricing page. The site references workspace plans, compute services, and features but does not display specific costs. Users must visit the pricing page directly or contact Render for detailed information.

Source
Terragrunt: Is Terragrunt free?

Yes, the Terragrunt CLI is completely free and open source. Terragrunt Scale offers a free tier for up to 25 infrastructure units.

Source
Terragrunt: What is the difference between Terragrunt and Terraform?

Terragrunt is an orchestration layer on top of Terraform that handles state management, DRY principles, and deployment automation without replacing Terraform itself.

Source
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