Depot
Fly.io
| Feature | Depot | Fly.io |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $20/mo | Free / from $0/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | engineering-teams, ci-cd-pipelines, monorepo-teams, docker-heavy-teams | full-stack-developers, global-apps, edge-computing, hobby-projects |
| Founded | 2022 | 2017 |
| Fast Builds | ✓ | ✗ |
| Remote Caching | ✓ | ✗ |
| Github Actions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi Platform Builds | ✓ | ✗ |
| Buildkit Compatible | ✓ | ✗ |
| Build Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Global Deployment | ✗ | ✓ |
| Firecracker Vms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fly Postgres | ✗ | ✓ |
| Auto Scaling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Volumes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Private Networking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Gpu Support | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Depot Pros
- Dramatically faster Docker builds
- Drop-in replacement for docker build
- Native layer caching
- GitHub Actions integration
✗ Depot Cons
- Only for container builds
- Costs scale with usage
- Newer platform
✓ Fly.io Pros
- Deploy apps globally to 30+ regions easily
- Built-in Postgres and Redis for data at the edge
- Generous free tier for hobby projects
- Firecracker VMs start in milliseconds
✗ Fly.io Cons
- Operational complexity for simple apps
- Documentation can be hard to navigate
- Billing surprises if auto-scaling triggers unexpectedly
The Verdict
Depot is built for engineering teams and ci cd pipelines, with a focus on fast-builds and remote-caching. Fly.io targets full stack developers and global apps and leads with global-deployment and firecracker-vms.
On pricing, Fly.io is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0/mo compared to $20/mo for Depot. That $20/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Fly.io offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Depot takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Depot has a slight overall edge — but if deploy apps globally to 30+ regions easily matters most to you, Fly.io may still be the right call.