Does Fly.io have a free tier?

No — Fly.io has no free tier.

Fly.io

Runs full-stack apps and Docker containers as lightweight VMs in many regions, with a focus on low-latency, globally-distributed deployments.

Visit Fly.io →

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Fly.io is a container-hosting platform that runs standard Docker/OCI images as lightweight microVMs ("Fly Machines") across a global fleet of regions, routing traffic to the nearest instance via Anycast. It targets latency-sensitive and globally distributed applications through a CLI-first (flyctl), config-driven workflow rather than a click-to-deploy dashboard. Beyond compute it provides persistent volumes, managed Postgres, private WireGuard networking, and scale-to-zero machine scheduling.

Key features

Deploys Docker/OCI container images as microVM-based Fly Machines
Multi-region deployment with Anycast routing to the nearest instance
Auto start/stop and scale-to-zero machine scheduling
Persistent volumes with snapshots for stateful workloads
Managed Postgres and private WireGuard networking between apps
flyctl CLI with 'fly launch' scaffolding for common frameworks

Specs

Category	Container hosting
Pricing model	usage-based
Free tier	No
Managed database	Yes
Regions	30+
Self-hostable	No
Docker-native	Yes
Git deploy	No
Open source	No

Last reviewed 2026-07-16 — see our methodology. Specs, pricing and free tiers change often, so confirm current details on the provider before deciding.

Pros & cons

Our editorial assessment — not vendor-stated facts.

Pros

Runs full Docker containers globally, not just functions, so it fits stateful and long-running apps
CLI- and config-driven workflow makes provisioning multi-region deployments straightforward
Usage-based billing charged per second, with no required monthly plan commitment
Places compute close to users, which suits latency-sensitive applications
Includes stateful primitives (volumes, managed Postgres, private networking) that many edge/PaaS platforms lack

Cons

Has had publicized reliability incidents in recent years (some community reports attribute past outages to internal service-discovery systems); check Fly's status page and recent incident history before committing
Uptime SLA is offered only to Enterprise-plan customers; standard pay-as-you-go usage carries no contractual uptime guarantee
Billing can be hard to predict once you scale across instances and regions, and some users report unexpected charges
CLI- and config-first, region-centric model has a steeper learning curve than conventional click-to-deploy PaaS

Pricing

Usage-based pay-as-you-go: compute is billed per second and storage/bandwidth by usage, with no required fixed monthly plan (optional paid support tiers are available). There is no ongoing free tier for new signups, only a short trial (a few VM-hours or up to seven days); some accounts created before the late-2024 change retain grandfathered free allowances.

Who should use Fly.io?

Developers deploying containerized, globally distributed or latency-sensitive applications who want CLI-driven control over regions and machine placement. Less ideal for teams wanting a simple click-to-deploy experience, guaranteed SLAs on standard usage, or highly predictable flat-rate billing.

Visit Fly.io →

Frequently asked questions

Does Fly.io have a free tier?: No — Fly.io has no free tier.
How much does Fly.io cost?: Usage-based pay-as-you-go: compute is billed per second and storage/bandwidth by usage, with no required fixed monthly plan (optional paid support tiers are available). There is no ongoing free tier for new signups, only a short trial (a few VM-hours or up to seven days); some accounts created before the late-2024 change retain grandfathered free allowances.
Who should use Fly.io?: Developers deploying containerized, globally distributed or latency-sensitive applications who want CLI-driven control over regions and machine placement. Less ideal for teams wanting a simple click-to-deploy experience, guaranteed SLAs on standard usage, or highly predictable flat-rate billing.