Is Fly.io's shared-cpu-6x - 6GB the best deal?

Machines (Shared CPU) · $35.49/mo

Better deals exist

Fly.io's $35.49/mo shared-CPU plan is significantly more expensive than most cloud alternatives and targets a different use case (containerized apps with built-in networking). For raw compute at comparable specs, you can get 6GB RAM + CPU for $2-4/mo elsewhere, though those are typically unmanaged shared hosting or entry-level VPS with renewal-price traps. If you need Fly.io's specific features (Machines, private networking, global deployment), the price is fair; if you just need a basic server, cheaper options exist.

Cloud VPS (Linux) - Cloud VPS XS

$2/mosave 94%

1GB RAM + 1 vCPU + 10GB NVMe at $2/mo intro price is 17x cheaper than Fly.io's 6GB plan, with unlimited traffic up to 1 Gbit/s.

Caveat: Intro pricing is a 3-month or 1-year promotional rate; renewal pricing is 2-6x higher after contract ends, and you get far fewer resources than Fly.io's 6GB allocation.

VPS Hosting - NVMe 2

$2.09/mosave 94%

2GB RAM + 1 vCPU + 50GB NVMe SSD + unmetered bandwidth at $2.09/mo intro is 17x cheaper and includes root SSH access.

Caveat: Steep renewal increases to $9.99-$15.99/mo after intro term; requires 36-month prepay for lowest price; far fewer resources than Fly.io's 6GB plan.

Cloud Servers - Starter STARTER-1xCPU-1GB

$3.5/mosave 90%

1GB RAM + 1 vCPU + 10GB SSD at $3.50/mo with 99.999% SLA and no renewal-price trap (transparent pricing).

Caveat: Only 1GB RAM vs Fly.io's 6GB; backups and data transfer overages cost extra despite 'free egress' marketing.

Droplets - Basic 512MB

$4/mosave 89%

512MB RAM + 1 vCPU + 10GB SSD + 500GB transfer at $4/mo with transparent, non-promotional pricing and 99.99% SLA.

Caveat: Only 512MB RAM vs Fly.io's 6GB; bandwidth overages at $0.01/GB; still 9x cheaper but much lower specs.

Before you switch

Fly.io's $35.49/mo is for a containerized app platform with managed networking, not a traditional VPS; the cheaper alternatives are bare VPS/shared hosting and not directly comparable in features.
Most sub-$5/mo alternatives use intro pricing with 2-6x renewal increases; factor in long-term cost if you plan to keep the service beyond year one.
Fly.io charges extra for additional RAM ($5/GB/mo), stopped machine storage ($0.15/GB/mo), cross-region traffic (up to $0.12/GB), and dedicated IPs ($3.60/mo); verify your actual usage pattern before committing.
If you need Fly.io's specific capabilities (global edge deployment, private networking, Machines API, automatic scaling), the price premium is justified; if you just need a basic server, the cheaper options are better value.
Confirm whether you need managed vs unmanaged hosting; most cheaper alternatives require you to manage OS updates, security, and deployments yourself.

This comparison is generated from publicly listed pricing and may contain errors or omissions. It is not financial or professional advice, and CloudHosting.io is not responsible for decisions made based on it. Pricing, promotions, and specs change frequently and may not reflect current terms, regional availability, taxes, or contract length. Always verify current pricing and terms directly on the provider's site before purchasing or switching.

Comparable plans across providers

Provider	Plan	Price	Specs
Scaleway	Virtual Instances · STARDUST1-S	$0.43/mo	1 GB RAM, 1 vCPU	Visit
IONOS	IONOS CLOUD vCPU Servers · vCPU RAM - per GB	$1.58/mo	Price per GB RAM per hour (building block)	Visit
Namecheap	Shared Hosting · Stellar	$1.98/mo	20 GB SSD	Visit
IONOS	Cloud VPS (Linux) · Cloud VPS XS	$2/mo	1 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 10 GB NVMe	Visit
Bluehost	VPS Hosting · NVMe 2	$2.09/mo	2 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 50 GB NVMe SSD	Visit
Hosting.com (formerly A2 Hosting)	Shared Hosting · Starter	$2.99/mo	15 GB NVMe SSD	Visit
InMotion Hosting	Shared Hosting · Core	$2.99/mo	512 MB RAM, 100 GB SSD	Visit
Vultr	Cloud Compute · Regular 1vCPU/0.5GB	$3.5/mo	512 MB RAM, 1 vCPU, 10 GB NVMe SSD	Visit
AWS Lightsail	Virtual Servers · GP 0.5GB (Linux, IPv6)	$3.5/mo	512 MB RAM, 2 vCPU, 20 GB SSD	Visit
UpCloud	Cloud Servers - Starter · STARTER-1xCPU-1GB	$3.5/mo	1 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 10 GB Standard SSD	Visit
HostGator	Shared Hosting · Hatchling	$3.75/mo	10 GB SSD	Visit
Microsoft Azure	Virtual Machines · B1ls	$3.8/mo	512 MB RAM, 1 vCPU	Visit
Namecheap	VPS Hosting · Spark	$3.88/mo	1 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 20 GB SSD	Visit
Bluehost	Shared Hosting · Starter	$3.99/mo	10 GB NVMe SSD	Visit
DigitalOcean	Droplets · Basic 512MB	$4/mo	512 MB RAM, 1 vCPU, 10 GB SSD	Visit

Visit Fly.io

Comparing prices across every provider we track...