Developer Tools
Fly.io
Run application containers close to users.
What it is
Fly.io runs application containers in multiple regions close to users, with a networking layer that makes a multi-region deployment feel like one app. Running the same container in several regions is a configuration choice rather than an architecture project, which matters when latency is the product. In exchange you take on multi-region data questions, since replicating state is still your problem.
Fly.io pricing
Fly.io publishes 5 plans. Paid tiers start at $2/mo.
| Plan | Price | What the vendor’s page says |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated IPv4 | $2/mo | Dedicated IPv4 is $2.00/month; every app gets a shared IPv4 and unlimited Anycast IPv6 |
| Starter | $72/mo | Managed Postgres cluster plans: Basic $38, Starter $72, Launch $282, Scale $962, Performance $1,922 per month; database storage $0.28 per provisioned GB, max 1,000 GB per cluster |
| Launch | $282/mo | Managed Postgres cluster plans: Basic $38, Starter $72, Launch $282, Scale $962, Performance $1,922 per month; database storage $0.28 per provisioned GB, max 1,000 GB per cluster |
| Scale | $962/mo | Managed Postgres cluster plans: Basic $38, Starter $72, Launch $282, Scale $962, Performance $1,922 per month; database storage $0.28 per provisioned GB, max 1,000 GB per cluster |
| Performance | $1,922/mo | Managed Postgres cluster plans: Basic $38, Starter $72, Launch $282, Scale $962, Performance $1,922 per month; database storage $0.28 per provisioned GB, max 1,000 GB per cluster |
Prices read from the vendor's own pricing page on 2026-09-09. Vendors change plans without notice — check the source before you budget. Source
Cheaper alternatives to Fly.io — same category, ordered by verified starting price.
Key features
Multi-region deploys
Runs the same application in several regions behind one anycast address.
Machines API
Starts and stops per-request virtual machines programmatically.
Private networking
Connects application instances across regions on a private mesh.
Strengths and trade-offs
What works well
- Genuinely easy multi-region deployment
- Runs full containers, not a restricted runtime
- Good fit for latency-sensitive workloads
Where it falls short
- Multi-region data is still your problem to solve
- Operational rough edges reported by users
- Pricing needs attention once you add regions
Who it is for
Teams with users spread across continents who care about latency.
Pick it or skip it
Pick Fly.io if
- Small always-on services: a shared-cpu-1x with 256MB is $0.0027/hour, about $1.94/month, and compute bills by the second
- Multi-region apps served to North America or Europe, where egress is $0.02/GB — the cheapest of Fly's regional bands
- Predictable workloads willing to commit: reserved compute is 40% off in one-year blocks from $36/yr shared, $144/yr performance
- Teams that want managed Postgres alongside compute — cluster plans start at $38/month with high availability, backups and connection pooling included
Skip it if
- You expect storage to bill like compute: volumes charge $0.15 per GB of provisioned capacity whether you use it or not, and a stopped Machine still costs $0.15 per GB of rootfs
- Your audience is in Africa or India — egress there is $0.12/GB, six times the $0.02/GB charged for North America and Europe
- You need a support commitment: only community support is free, and paid tiers are $29/month, $199/month, or from $2,500/month for the 24x7 SLA
- You want a memory-heavy box cheaply: extra RAM is $5.00 per GB per month on top of the preset's price
Our verdict
Compelling when latency actually matters. Single-region apps get little benefit from the added complexity.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Fly.io cost?
- Compute bills by the second: presets run from shared-cpu-1x 256MB at $1.94/month to performance-16x 32GB at $496/month, with extra RAM at $5 per GB per month. Storage and egress are billed separately — volumes $0.15 per provisioned GB/month and egress $0.02/GB in North America and Europe.
- Is Fly.io free?
- There is no free plan on the pricing page; the smallest preset is $0.0027 per hour (about $1.94 a month) and community support is the free part. New accounts start with pay-as-you-go compute billed by the second.
- How much is Fly.io Postgres?
- Managed Postgres clusters are $38 (Basic), $72 (Starter), $282 (Launch), $962 (Scale) and $1,922 (Performance) per month, plus $0.28 per provisioned GB of storage, capped at 1,000 GB per cluster.
- Does Fly.io charge for bandwidth?
- Yes, and the rate depends on the region: $0.02/GB for North America and Europe, $0.04/GB for Asia Pacific, Oceania and South America, and $0.12/GB for Africa and India.
- How much does Fly.io cost?
- Fly.io publishes 5 plans: Dedicated IPv4 at $2/mo, Starter at $72/mo, Launch at $282/mo, Scale at $962/mo, Performance at $1,922/mo. Every figure is read from the vendor's own pricing page; the pricing section above shows the source sentence for each tier.
- Does Fly.io have a free plan?
- Yes. Fly.io offers a free tier with limits; paid plans unlock higher usage or team features.
- Who is Fly.io best for?
- Teams with users spread across continents who care about latency.
- What are the main drawbacks of Fly.io?
- The trade-offs we noted: Multi-region data is still your problem to solve; Operational rough edges reported by users; Pricing needs attention once you add regions.
- When should you not use Fly.io?
- Skip Fly.io if: You expect storage to bill like compute: volumes charge $0.15 per GB of provisioned capacity whether you use it or not, and a stopped Machine still costs $0.15 per GB of rootfs; Your audience is in Africa or India — egress there is $0.12/GB, six times the $0.02/GB charged for North America and Europe; You need a support commitment: only community support is free, and paid tiers are $29/month, $199/month, or from $2,500/month for the 24x7 SLA.
What we checked
- Public APIOffers a documented API you can build against.Yes
- Mobile appHas a native app for iOS or Android, not just a mobile website.No
- Open source / self-hostableSource is open and the tool can be run on your own infrastructure.No
- SSO (SAML)Supports SAML single sign-on on at least one plan.Yes
“Not checked” means exactly that — we have not verified it, and we do not guess.
Evidence and freshness
Status: Vendor pricing page verifiedReviewed: 2026-09-09
- Fly.io — Pricing ↗
Checked 2026-09-09 · Supports: Machines compute is billed by the second while a Machine runs; presets from shared-cpu-1x 256MB at $0.0027/hour ($1.94/month) to performance-16x 32GB at $0.6889/hour ($496.00/month), Every preset takes more RAM at $5.00 per GB per month, up to 128GB; a stopped Machine costs $0.15 per GB of rootfs, Volumes bill on provisioned capacity, not usage: $0.15 per GB/month; snapshots $0.08 per GB/month with the first 10GB free each month, Egress is regional: $0.02/GB North America and Europe, $0.04/GB Asia Pacific, Oceania and South America, $0.12/GB Africa and India, Dedicated IPv4 is $2.00/month; every app gets a shared IPv4 and unlimited Anycast IPv6, Reserved compute saves 40% in one-year blocks from $36/yr for shared and $144/yr for performance, Managed Postgres cluster plans: Basic $38, Starter $72, Launch $282, Scale $962, Performance $1,922 per month; database storage $0.28 per provisioned GB, max 1,000 GB per cluster, Sprites are metered per hour of active use: $0.07 per CPU-hour, $0.04375 per GB-hour of memory, hot storage $0.50 and cold storage $0.02 per GB-month, Support: community support is free; Standard $29/mo (36-hour first response), Premium $199/mo (24-hour, 1-hour urgent), Enterprise from $2,500/mo (4-hour 24x7, 99.9% uptime SLA)
Limit: Vendor pricing page was reviewed by an editor on this date; this record is not a ToolCompare benchmark. Prices and limits change.
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