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AI · head to head

RunPod vs Wasabi

RunPod logo

RunPod

AI

GPU cloud for AI and ML

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

Wasabi

Cloud

Hot cloud storage without egress fees

From
$7.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Wasabi 90-day minimum storage duration with no option to delete before full period without penalty
  • They diverge on capability: RunPod covers GPU instances, Wasabi covers Hot Cloud Storage.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RunPod and Wasabi actually diverge.

Attributes where RunPod and Wasabi differ
AttributeRunPodWasabi
Starting price$0.2/per-hour$7.99/month
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsCloud, ApiWeb, API
CategoryAICloud
Founded20222015

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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
  • Docker
  • REST API
  • SSH access
  • Cloud support

Only in Wasabi

  • Hot Cloud Storage
  • S3 Compatible API
  • Object Lock
  • Versioning
  • Multi-region
  • Data Migration Tools
  • Immutability
  • Ransomware Protection

Both cover

  • 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 Wasabi
  • Running serverless GPU workers that scale with request volumenot Wasabi
  • Attaching persistent network storage shared across GPU podsnot Wasabi

Wasabi

  • Backup and recoverynot RunPod
  • Media storagenot RunPod
  • Archive replacementnot RunPod
  • Ransomware protectionnot 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

Wasabi

  • 90-day minimum storage duration with no option to delete before full period without penalty
  • Significantly smaller global footprint than AWS with only 16 regions, resulting in higher latency for users in underserved regions
  • Performance can degrade with high-volume transactions requiring throughput management strategies
  • Hot storage only, no cold/archival storage tier for long-term data at lower cost
  • Support responsiveness gaps with teams experiencing multi-day waits for critical issue resolution

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

Wasabi

$7.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Wasabi review.

Which should you pick?

Choose RunPod if

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

Choose Wasabi if

  • You need hot cloud storage.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want s3 compatible api.
Wasabi review

Questions people ask

Is RunPod or Wasabi better?
Neither clearly leads. RunPod starts at $0.2/per-hour and Wasabi at $7.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RunPod or Wasabi?
RunPod starts at $0.2/per-hour and Wasabi at $7.99/month.
Does RunPod or Wasabi run on more platforms?
RunPod runs on Cloud, Api. Wasabi runs on Web, API.
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 Wasabi is typically brought in for.
What can RunPod do that Wasabi cannot?
RunPod covers GPU instances, Serverless, Templates, Persistent storage. Wasabi covers Hot Cloud Storage, S3 Compatible API, Object Lock, Versioning. Both handle 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
Wasabi: What is Wasabi's pricing structure?

Wasabi offers pay-as-you-go pricing at $7.99 per TB per month as of July 2026, with no egress or API request fees. Reserved capacity plans are available for multi-year terms with volume discounts.

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
Wasabi: Does Wasabi charge for data downloads or API calls?

No. Wasabi includes zero egress fees and zero API request fees, which is a major cost advantage over AWS S3. Customers can plan their budget to the penny without worrying about surprise data transfer charges.

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
Wasabi: Is there a minimum storage duration requirement?

Yes. Wasabi enforces a 90-day minimum storage term. Users who delete data before 90 days are still charged for the full 90-day period.

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
Wasabi: Is Wasabi S3-compatible?

Yes. Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage is fully S3-compatible, meaning organizations can integrate it into existing workflows without rewriting application code used with AWS S3.

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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