Baseten vs Lambda Pricing (2026)

Which one is cheaper?

One or both use custom pricing, so it depends on your specific needs.

Can I use either one for free?

Baseten has a free plan. Lambda doesn't — you'll need to pay from day one.

How do they charge?

Both use a usage-based model, so the comparison is straightforward — it comes down to features and limits at each price point.

Which one is a better deal?

Depends on what you need. Baseten: They're competing in the ML inference infrastructure space against Replicate, Modal, and cloud-native options like AWS SageMaker — positioned as a developer-friendly middle ground that's more flexible than managed APIs but less DIY than raw cloud. The GPU pricing is granular enough to appeal to cost-conscious ML teams who want to optimize spend. Lambda: Lambda positions as a serious alternative to hyperscalers (AWS, GCP, Azure) for ML teams who want raw GPU access without cloud markup or complexity. They're not the cheapest bare-metal option, but the no-egress-fees policy and 1-Click Clusters are a direct shot at teams burned by AWS networking costs.

Still deciding? See the best Baseten alternatives or the best Lambda alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.