Fly.io
5.9/10Fly.io is a developer cloud that runs containerized apps as fast-booting Machines in regions worldwide, billed by usage, with managed Postgres and object storage.
Data last updated November 2026 · Our methodology
Overview
Fly.io turns Docker images into lightweight virtual machines it calls Machines, and runs them in data center regions close to users. Developers drive it mainly through the fly CLI and the Machines API, and they configure each app with a fly.toml file. Anycast networking and global load balancing come at no extra cost. Managed Postgres plans include high availability, automated backups and connection pooling. S3-compatible object storage is provided through Tigris. Fly.io also sells Sprites, a metered sandbox runtime. Pricing is pay-as-you-go with no seat-based plans. In Ashburn, a shared-cpu-1x Machine with 256MB of RAM costs about $2.19 a month, and a performance-16x with 32GB costs about $528. Some regions cost more, for example 1.135 times in London and 1.615 times in Sao Paulo. Volumes cost $0.15 per GB a month, and egress starts at $0.02 per GB. Managed Postgres runs from $38 to $1,922 a month. Support is sold separately: Standard is $29 a month, Premium $199, and Enterprise from $2,500. A $99-a-month HIPAA package adds a pre-signed BAA. New accounts get a $1 trial credit, and invoices under $5 are waived. One-year reserved compute blocks save 40 percent. It suits developers, startups and SaaS teams who want global placement without running Kubernetes. Its main weakness is reliability. Fly.io's CEO admitted problems in 2023, and status trackers logged regular network incidents through 2025 and 2026. The 99.9% uptime SLA comes only with Enterprise support, and costs are spread across many metered line items, which makes them hard to predict.
Our Rating
Who Fly.io is best for
Good fit
The product is CLI-first and built around containers and APIs, aimed squarely at software engineers.
Low entry prices, waived small invoices and a startup program offering up to $15,000 in credits suit early-stage teams.
Running apps across many regions with managed Postgres fits SaaS backends, though only Enterprise support includes an SLA.
Less suited
Enterprise support, an SLA and a HIPAA package exist, but the platform's reliability history and minimum spend are concerns.
It needs Dockerfile and config knowledge, so it is a poor fit for non-technical small businesses.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Very low entry cost: a small shared Machine is about $2.19 a month, and invoices under $5 are waived.
- Apps can run in many regions with Anycast routing and global load balancing included at no extra cost.
- Per-hour billing and one-year reserved blocks that save 40 percent give flexible ways to manage cost.
- Managed Postgres plans include high availability, automated backups and connection pooling.
- A HIPAA package with a pre-signed BAA costs $99 a month on any paid plan.
Cons
- Status trackers show recurring network and API incidents through 2025 and 2026, and the CEO admitted reliability problems in 2023.
- The 99.9% uptime SLA is available only with Enterprise support, which starts at $2,500 a month.
- Bills spread across Machines, volumes, egress, IPs and support, which makes costs harder to predict.
- Apps need a Dockerfile and a fly.toml, which adds setup work compared with buildpack-style PaaS products.
- Compute costs more in some regions, up to 1.615 times in Sao Paulo.
Key Features
Fly.io Pricing
Pay-as-you-go (Machines)
- Invoices under $5 waived
- Regional price multipliers apply
- $1 trial credit with no card required
- Up to $528.02/mo for performance-16x with 32GB
- Shared IPv4 and unlimited Anycast IPv6 included
- From $2.19/mo for shared-cpu-1x with 256MB (Ashburn)
Managed Postgres Basic
- shared-2x CPU with 1GB RAM
- High availability, automated backups, connection pooling
Frequently Asked Questions
Not a permanent one. New accounts get a $1 trial credit with no card required, and monthly invoices under $5 are waived.
Yes, but only on Enterprise support, which starts at $2,500 a month and includes a 99.9% uptime SLA.
Community support is free. Standard costs $29 a month with a 36-hour first response, and Premium costs $199 a month with a 24-hour first response and a dedicated Slack channel.
Yes. A $99-a-month HIPAA package with a pre-signed BAA is available on any paid plan.
Yes. Managed Postgres plans run from $38 to $1,922 a month, with storage at $0.28 per GB and a maximum of 1,000GB per cluster.
Yes, through Tigris, which is S3-compatible object storage that runs on Fly.io infrastructure.
Eligible early-stage companies can get up to $15,000 in credits. One-year reserved compute blocks save 40 percent, and custom committed-spend plans are available from sales.
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