Fly.io vs Railway
Fly.io: Run containers close to users. Railway: Platform for deploying apps and databases from a repo.
Pricing, free tier, and features on this page come from each tool's own site. Google autocomplete (suggestqueries.google.com, client=firefox, hl=en) for "<tool> vs", fetched 2026-10-14; a pair is kept when the suggestion appears from both sides (2+ hits). Sorted by how much you can use for free (free or open source first, then free plan with paid tiers, then paid only), then by the number of documented features, then alphabetically. No ratings or reviews are used. Read the comparison methodology. How benchmark evidence is labeled.
| Fly.io | Railway | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Run containers close to users. | Platform for deploying apps and databases from a repo. |
| Category | Hosting | Hosting |
| Pricing | Freemium (free plan + paid tiers) | Freemium (free plan + paid tiers) |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Who it's for | Developers and teams running AI agents and deploying the apps those agents build. | Developers and teams deploying web apps, servers, and databases. |
| Key features | Virtual machines start in less than one second | Deploy apps, servers, and databases from a connected repo |
| Sprites keep files, services, and dependencies across sleep | Read code to set config and edit it on a canvas | |
| Save checkpoints and restore them within seconds | Private networking, SSL, public endpoints, and load balancing | |
| Storage expands up to 100 GB and bills stored bytes | Scale CPU, RAM, or replicas across global regions | |
| Postgres plans include high availability, backups, and pooling | Logs, metrics, traces, dashboards, and custom alerts | |
| Website | fly.io | railway.com |
Who should pick which
Pick Fly.io if…
- Its stated audience fits you (developers and teams running AI agents and deploying the apps those agents build).
- You need: Virtual machines start in less than one second.
Pick Railway if…
- Its stated audience fits you (developers and teams deploying web apps, servers, and databases).
- You need: Deploy apps, servers, and databases from a connected repo.
FAQ
Is Fly.io or Railway free?
Fly.io: Freemium (free plan + paid tiers). Railway: Freemium (free plan + paid tiers). Both can be used without paying.
What is the difference between Fly.io and Railway?
Fly.io: Run containers close to users. Railway: Platform for deploying apps and databases from a repo.
Data comes from each tool's homepage and pricing page. Pair chosen from search suggestions (fly.io vs railway; railway vs fly.io).