Modal vs Vertex AI: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of Modal and Vertex AI. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Modal starts at Custom pricing and Vertex AI starts at $2/mo. Compare all 19 pricing tiers side by side.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
Modal vs Vertex AI: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | Modal | Vertex AI |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Custom pricing | $2/mo |
| Number of Plans | 7 | 12 |
| Free Tier | No | No |
| Pricing Model | usage-based | usage-based |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Modal and Vertex AI are both priced at Custom pricing, making them equally accessible AI & ML tools. Together they offer 19 pricing plans with 0 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 |  Modal Try it free |  Vertex AI Try it free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Compute costs Custom pricing | cached Custom pricing |
| Tier 2 | Credit grants for startups Custom pricing | $14 per 1,000 search queries $14/monthCheapest |
| Tier 3 | Modal Sandbox + Notebooks Pricing Custom pricing | $14 per 1,000 queries $14/monthCheapest |
| Tier 4 | Why serverless? Custom pricing | Gemini 2.0 Flash $2/monthCheapest |
| Tier 5 | Starter Custom pricing | $45 per 1,000 grounded prompts $45/monthCheapest |
| Tier 6 | Team Custom pricing | $25 per 1,000 grounded prompts $25/monthCheapest |
| Tier 7 | Enterprise Custom pricing | Gemini Flash Custom pricing |
| Tier 8 | — | $35 per 1,000 grounded prompts $35/monthCheapest |
| Tier 9 | — | Model Custom pricing |
| Tier 10 | — | Open Source Model Custom pricing |
| Tier 11 | — | Duration Custom pricing |
| Tier 12 | — | $10 per 1000 searches $10/monthCheapest |
Swipe to compare plans →
Vertex AI
Vertex AI offers 12 tiers vs 7.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Best value: Vertex AI
Try Vertex AI freeWhich 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
- •You value Modal's specific feature progression from free to advanced tier levels
Choose Vertex AI if:
- •You need 12 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
- •You prioritize Vertex AI's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)
- •You need predictable billing — Vertex AI's usage-based model avoids surprise overages
Modal and Vertex AI offer competitively positioned plans [1], with Modal starting at Custom pricing and Vertex AI at $2/mo. This pricing similarity means value differentiation comes down to feature alignment rather than cost. Modal provides 7 pricing tiers versus Vertex AI's 12 options, which affects your flexibility and cost-per-tier efficiency as your team scales and usage increases. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions: Modal vs Vertex AI
How many pricing plans does Modal have vs Vertex AI?
Does Modal or Vertex AI offer custom enterprise pricing?
How do Modal and Vertex AI compare for AI & ML?
Sources
- Modal Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
- Vertex AI Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
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