Modal vs Northflank
| Modal | Northflank | |
|---|---|---|
| Isolation | gVisor | Kata / gVisor microVM (selectable) |
| Cold start | 800ms | 300ms |
| Price / vCPU-hr | $0.14 | $0.01667 |
| GPU | T4 → B200, incl. H100 | H100 ~$2.74/hr |
| Session limit | Configurable | Unlimited |
| Persistence | Volumes; ephemeral compute | Persistent volumes |
| MCP support | n/a | n/a |
| Free tier | $30/mo free credits | Free trial |
| Best for | Python/ML workloads and agents that need GPU inside the sandbox. | Cost-sensitive teams and enterprises needing BYOC and unlimited sessions. |
The verdict
Choose Modal for Python/ML workloads and agents that need GPU inside the sandbox. Choose Northflank for cost-sensitive teams and enterprises needing BYOC and unlimited sessions.
Headline rates rarely equal your bill. Idle time, session length, creation fees and GPU minutes dominate. Model your actual workload in the cost calculator.
FAQ
Modal vs Northflank: which is better?
It depends on your priority. Northflank leads on both cold start (300ms vs 800ms) and the headline vCPU-hour price. Modal is best for Python/ML workloads and agents that need GPU inside the sandbox. Northflank is best for cost-sensitive teams and enterprises needing BYOC and unlimited sessions.
Is Modal or Northflank cheaper?
Northflank is cheaper on the headline vCPU-hour rate ($0.01667 vs $0.14). Total cost depends on idle time, session length and creation fees. Model your workload in the cost calculator.
Still choosing between Modal and Northflank?
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