Softwr

Technology · head to head

Terraform vs Terragrunt

Terraform logo

Terraform

Technology

Automate infrastructure on any cloud

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: Terraform hCL syntax requires learning a domain-specific language with limited GUI alternatives; Terragrunt additional complexity layer on top of Terraform
  • They diverge on capability: Terraform covers Infrastructure as code, Terragrunt covers Infrastructure orchestration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Terraform and Terragrunt actually diverge.

Attributes where Terraform and Terragrunt differ
AttributeTerraformTerragrunt
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsAWS, Azure, GCP
CategoryTechnologyCloud
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), 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 Terraform

  • Infrastructure as code
  • Resource graph
  • Plan & apply
  • State management
  • Provider ecosystem
  • Modules
  • Workspaces
  • Remote backends

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.

Terraform

  • Multi-cloud provisioningnot Terragrunt
  • Infrastructure automationnot Terragrunt
  • Environment replicationnot Terragrunt
  • Disaster recoverynot Terragrunt
  • Compliance automationnot Terragrunt

Terragrunt

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

Where each one falls short

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

Terraform

  • HCL syntax requires learning a domain-specific language with limited GUI alternatives
  • State file management is complex, especially at scale with multiple workspaces
  • terraform import workflow is fiddly and must be done one resource at a time
  • No native error handling or try-catch capabilities like traditional programming languages
  • No automatic rollback capability - must manually delete and re-run if needed

Terragrunt

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Terraform

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Terraform review.

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 Terraform if

  • You need infrastructure as code.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want resource graph.
Terraform 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 Terraform or Terragrunt better?
Neither clearly leads. Terraform 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, Terraform or Terragrunt?
Terraform starts at Free and Terragrunt at Free.
Does Terraform or Terragrunt run on more platforms?
Terraform runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Terragrunt runs on AWS, Azure, GCP.
Can I use Terraform for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Terraform best used for?
Terraform is most often used for multi-cloud provisioning, infrastructure automation, environment replication, disaster recovery. Of those, multi-cloud provisioning and infrastructure automation are not what Terragrunt is typically brought in for.
What can Terraform do that Terragrunt cannot?
Terraform covers Infrastructure as code, Resource graph, Plan & apply, State management. Terragrunt covers Infrastructure orchestration, Run Queue, DRY configuration, Automated hooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Terraform: Is there a free tier?

Yes. The free tier supports up to 500 managed resources and 1 concurrent run. The legacy free tier ends March 31, 2026; remaining organizations auto-convert to the enhanced free tier.

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
Terraform: What clouds does Terraform support?

Terraform supports AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Oracle Cloud, Docker, and HashiCorp's own HCP Terraform managed service, with over 2000 providers available.

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
Terraform: Do I need HCP Terraform Cloud or can I run locally?

Terraform runs locally by default, storing state on your machine. For team collaboration and production use, remote backends like S3, Azure Storage, or HCP Terraform are recommended for locking and security.

Source
Terraform: Is HCL hard to learn?

HCL is designed to be human-readable and sits between JSON and YAML. It supports comments, variables, functions, and conditional logic. While beginners can get started quickly, mastering advanced features takes practice.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Terraform

More on Terragrunt

Keep looking

Other head to heads