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RunPod vs Scaleway

RunPod logo

RunPod

AI

GPU cloud for AI and ML

From
$0.2/per-hour
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Scaleway logo

Scaleway

Cloud

European cloud for developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Scaleway has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; Scaleway no free tier or trial period mentioned on homepage
  • They diverge on capability: RunPod covers GPU instances, Scaleway covers Virtual Instances.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RunPod and Scaleway actually diverge.

Attributes where RunPod and Scaleway differ
AttributeRunPodScaleway
Starting price$0.2/per-hourFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, ApiWeb, Api, Cli
CategoryAICloud
Founded20221999

Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 RunPod

  • GPU instances
  • Serverless
  • Templates
  • Persistent storage
  • REST API
  • SSH access
  • Cloud support

Only in Scaleway

  • Virtual Instances
  • Bare Metal
  • Kubernetes Kapsule
  • Object Storage
  • Serverless Functions
  • Managed Databases
  • Container Registry
  • Load Balancer

Both cover

  • Docker
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

RunPod

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

Scaleway

  • Web hostingnot RunPod
  • Container orchestrationnot RunPod
  • Development environmentsnot RunPod
  • Data storagenot RunPod

Where each one falls short

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

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

Scaleway

  • No free tier or trial period mentioned on homepage
  • Specific pricing requires navigating to individual product category pages
  • Base pricing starts at 4.99 EUR per month but varies significantly by service type

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Scaleway

Free
  • DEV1-S$7.99/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 2GB RAM
    • 20GB SSD

Which should you pick?

Choose RunPod if

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

Choose Scaleway if

  • You need virtual instances.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want bare metal.
Scaleway review

Questions people ask

Is RunPod or Scaleway better?
Neither clearly leads. RunPod starts at $0.2/per-hour and Scaleway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RunPod or Scaleway?
Scaleway has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $0.2/per-hour for RunPod and Free for Scaleway.
Does RunPod or Scaleway run on more platforms?
RunPod runs on Cloud, Api. Scaleway runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Scaleway for free?
Yes. Scaleway has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RunPod starts at $0.2/per-hour.
What is RunPod best used for?
RunPod is most often used for renting gpu compute by the second for model training and inference, running serverless gpu workers that scale with request volume, attaching persistent network storage shared across gpu pods. Of those, renting gpu compute by the second for model training and inference and running serverless gpu workers that scale with request volume are not what Scaleway is typically brought in for.
What can RunPod do that Scaleway cannot?
RunPod covers GPU instances, Serverless, Templates, Persistent storage. Scaleway covers Virtual Instances, Bare Metal, Kubernetes Kapsule, Object Storage. Both handle Docker, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Scaleway: Does Scaleway have a free tier?

Scaleway does not mention a free tier or trial period on its pricing or homepage. Users must select specific services to see rates.

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
Scaleway: What is Scaleway's pricing model?

Scaleway uses transparent, usage-based pricing that varies by service. Different categories (bare metal, compute, AI, storage, network) have separate pricing. Dedibox servers start at 4.99 EUR per month.

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
Scaleway: How does Scaleway billing work?

Scaleway emphasizes transparent, predictable billing where customers know exactly what they'll pay. Users must select products and view pricing within each category.

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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