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AI & ML

Replicate vs Vertex AI: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of Replicate and Vertex AI. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: Replicate starts at $0.015/mo, making it $2/mo cheaper than Vertex AI ($2/mo). Replicate offers a free plan.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026

Replicate vs Vertex AI: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureReplicateVertex AI
Starting Price$0.015/mo$2/mo
Number of Plans512
Free TierYesNo
Pricing Modelusage-basedusage-based
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Replicate is the more affordable option, starting at $0.015/mo compared to Vertex AI's $2/mo. Both are AI & ML tools with 17 combined pricing plans and 10 features compared.

Replicate stands out with a free plan for getting started.

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
Replicate
Replicate
Try it free
Vertex AI
Vertex AI
Try it free
Tier 1
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Pay for what you use
  • Access to public models
Start with Free
cached
Custom pricing
Start with cached
Tier 2
Basic
$0/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • $0.015 per thousand output tokens
  • $3.00 per million input tokens
Start with Basic
$14 per 1,000 search queries
$14/month
Start with $14 per 1,000 search queries
Tier 3
ProPopular
$0/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • $0.04 per output image
  • Faster and better quality
Start with Pro
$14 per 1,000 queries
$14/month
Start with $14 per 1,000 queries
Tier 4
Dev
$0/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • $0.025 per output image
  • 12 billion parameter model
Start with Dev
Gemini 2.0 Flash
$2/month
Start with Gemini 2.0 Flash
Tier 5
Schnell
$3/monthCheapest
$3 / year
Includes
  • $3.00 per thousand output images
  • Fastest image generation
Start with Schnell
$45 per 1,000 grounded prompts
$45/month
Start with $45 per 1,000 grounded prompts
Tier 6
$25 per 1,000 grounded prompts
$25/monthCheapest
Start with $25 per 1,000 grounded prompts
Tier 7
Gemini Flash
Custom pricing
Start with Gemini Flash
Tier 8
$35 per 1,000 grounded prompts
$35/monthCheapest
Start with $35 per 1,000 grounded prompts
Tier 9
Model
Custom pricing
Start with Model
Tier 10
Open Source Model
Custom pricing
Start with Open Source Model
Tier 11
Duration
Custom pricing
Start with Duration
Tier 12
$10 per 1000 searches
$10/monthCheapest
Start with $10 per 1000 searches

Swipe to compare plans →

Replicate

Run open-source ML models in the cloud via simple API

View all Replicate plans

Vertex AI

Google Cloud platform for building and deploying ML models

View all Vertex AI plans

What Reviewers Say

Our Pick

Replicate

Replicate offers a free plan, starts at $1.985/mo lower ($0.015/mo vs $2/mo).

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

Best value: Replicate

Try Replicate free

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Replicate if:

  • You want lower per-user costs—Replicate starts at $0.015/mo, saving $1.985/mo compared to Vertex AI at $2/mo
  • You need a free plan with Pay for what you use, Access to public models—Replicate offers no-cost access with no credit card required
  • You want more features built-in—Replicate offers 10 additional features across its plans

Choose Vertex AI if:

  • You need 12 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
  • Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—Vertex AI offers negotiated terms for large deployments
  • You prioritize Vertex AI's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)

Replicate is the more affordable choice [1], starting at $0.015/mo compared to Vertex AI's $2/mo. For a 50-person team on paid plans, this translates to Replicate saving approximately $99/month. Replicate offers 5 pricing tiers compared to Vertex AI's 12, giving you more granular control over scaling costs as your team grows. Across all tiers, Replicate provides 10 total features versus 0 for Vertex AI, offering a richer feature set depending on your specific needs. For budget-conscious teams seeking predictable costs, Replicate delivers superior value. Vertex AI may justify its premium for specialized needs, but most organizations will find Replicate the smarter financial choice.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Replicate vs Vertex AI

Which is cheaper, Replicate or Vertex AI?
As of March 2026, Replicate starts at a lower price point. Replicate starts at $0.015/mo while Vertex AI starts at $2/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does Replicate have vs Vertex AI?
Replicate offers 5 pricing plans, while Vertex AI offers 12 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Replicate or Vertex AI offer a free plan?
Replicate offers a free plan, while Vertex AI does not. If budget is a concern, Replicate lets you get started at no cost.
Can I save money by paying annually for Replicate or Vertex AI?
Both Replicate and Vertex AI offer annual billing options. Check each plan's yearly pricing for potential savings compared to monthly billing.
What is the most popular Replicate plan?
The Pro plan is Replicate's most popular tier, priced at $0.04/mo. Key features include $0.04 per output image, Faster and better quality.
Does Replicate or Vertex AI offer custom enterprise pricing?
Vertex AI offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. Replicate lists all its pricing publicly.
How do Replicate and Vertex AI compare for AI & ML?
Both Replicate and Vertex AI are AI & ML tools. Replicate offers 5 plans starting at $0.015/mo, while Vertex AI offers 12 plans starting at $2/mo. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your AI & ML needs.

Sources

  1. Replicate Official PricingVendor pricing page
  2. Vertex AI Official PricingVendor pricing page

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