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AI & ML

Modal vs RunPod: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of Modal and RunPod. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: Modal starts at Custom pricing and RunPod starts at $0.27/mo. Compare all 20 pricing tiers side by side.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026

Modal vs RunPod: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureModalRunPod
Starting PriceCustom pricing$0.27/mo
Number of Plans713
Free TierNoNo
Pricing Modelusage-basedusage-based
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Modal and RunPod are both priced at Custom pricing, making them equally accessible AI & ML tools. Together they offer 20 pricing plans with 21 features compared, so the best choice comes down to which features match your needs.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your AI & ML needs.

Pricing Plans
Tier 1
Compute costs
Custom pricing
Start with Compute costs
A40
$0/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • 48 GB VRAM
  • 50 GB RAM
  • 9 vCPUs
Start with A40
Tier 2
Credit grants for startups
Custom pricing
Start with Credit grants for startups
RTX A6000
$0/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • 48 GB VRAM
  • 50 GB RAM
  • 9 vCPUs
Start with RTX A6000
Tier 3
Modal Sandbox + Notebooks Pricing
Custom pricing
Start with Modal Sandbox + Notebooks Pricing
L40
$1/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • 48 GB VRAM
  • 94 GB RAM
  • 8 vCPUs
Start with L40
Tier 4
Why serverless?
Custom pricing
Start with Why serverless?
RTX 3090
$0/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • 24 GB VRAM
  • 125 GB RAM
  • 16 vCPUs
Start with RTX 3090
Tier 5
Starter
Custom pricing
Start with Starter
RTX 4090
$1/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • 24 GB VRAM
  • 41 GB RAM
  • 6 vCPUs
Start with RTX 4090
Tier 6
Team
Custom pricing
Start with Team
RTX A5000
$0/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • 24 GB VRAM
  • 25 GB RAM
  • 9 vCPUs
Start with RTX A5000
Tier 7
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Start with Enterprise
H100 PCIe
$2/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • 80 GB VRAM
  • 188 GB RAM
  • 16 vCPUs
Start with H100 PCIe
Tier 8
H100 SXM
Custom pricing
Start with H100 SXM
Tier 9
B200
Custom pricing
Start with B200
Tier 10
H200 SXM
$4/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Start with H200 SXM
Tier 11
A100 SXM
$2/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Start with A100 SXM
Tier 12
H100 NVL
Custom pricing
Start with H100 NVL
Tier 13
L40S
Custom pricing
Start with L40S

Swipe to compare plans →

Modal

Serverless cloud for running GPU-intensive AI workloads

View all Modal plans

RunPod

On-demand GPU cloud for AI training and inference

View all RunPod plans
Our Pick

RunPod

RunPod offers 13 tiers vs 7.

Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.

Best value: RunPod

Try RunPod free

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Modal if:

  • You prioritize Modal's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)
  • You need predictable billing — Modal's usage-based model avoids surprise overages
  • Modal keeps its feature set lean, which means faster onboarding and less complexity

Choose RunPod if:

  • You need 13 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
  • You want more features built-in—RunPod offers 21 additional features across its plans
  • You prioritize RunPod's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)

Modal and RunPod offer competitively positioned plans [1], with Modal starting at Custom pricing and RunPod at $0.27/mo. This pricing similarity means value differentiation comes down to feature alignment rather than cost. Modal provides 7 pricing tiers versus RunPod's 13 options, which affects your flexibility and cost-per-tier efficiency as your team scales and usage increases. Feature-wise, Modal offers 0 total features across its tiers, while RunPod provides 21. Map your required features to each tier to determine which tool delivers the capabilities you need at your target price point. With similar pricing, your final decision should prioritize feature requirements, integration ecosystem, and hands-on user experience testing. Request demos or activate trials with both vendors to validate long-term fit before committing to annual contracts.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Modal vs RunPod

How many pricing plans does Modal have vs RunPod?
Modal offers 7 pricing plans, while RunPod offers 13 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Can I save money by paying annually for Modal or RunPod?
Both Modal and RunPod offer annual billing options. Check each plan's yearly pricing for potential savings compared to monthly billing.
Does Modal or RunPod offer custom enterprise pricing?
Yes, both Modal and RunPod offer custom enterprise pricing tiers with quote-based pricing. Contact each vendor for a tailored quote.
How do Modal and RunPod compare for AI & ML?
Both Modal and RunPod are AI & ML tools. Modal offers 7 plans starting at Custom pricing, while RunPod offers 13 plans starting at $0.27/mo. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your AI & ML needs.

Sources

  1. Modal Official PricingVendor pricing page
  2. RunPod Official PricingVendor pricing page

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