Compare / FastAPI Cloud
Peter van Doorn
Like FastAPI Cloud, but for Django
FastAPI Cloud is built by the FastAPI team, and its pricing page talks about deploying FastAPI apps. Django has needs of its own: static files, migrations, the admin, and a relational database from day one.
The short answer. Pick FastAPI Cloud for FastAPI apps. Pick Django Cloud when your project is Django: it is the only thing we run, so everything is tuned for it, including Postgres and always-on apps in an AWS account you can own.
Why choose Django Cloud over FastAPI Cloud
- Run it in your own AWS account, or let us run it. On Self-hosted your app runs in your own AWS account: you pay AWS its list price directly and us $10 a month, with no markup on compute. On Fully managed we run a dedicated AWS account for you: $29 a month with a server and a database, and a bigger server or database adds the difference.
- Your own isolated environment, without cold starts. Your app is not squeezed onto servers shared with other customers' apps. It runs in an AWS environment of its own and stays on, so the first visitor after a quiet hour does not wait for a machine to wake up.
- Focused on Django, and nothing else. Static files, migrations before every release, encrypted secrets, rollbacks that warn about database changes and Postgres that connects itself. A generic platform asks you to work these out; we only do Django.
FastAPI Cloud and Django Cloud at a glance
| FastAPI Cloud | Django Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | FastAPI, by the FastAPI team | Django, and nothing else |
| Pricing | Hobby $0; Pro $20 per seat per month (beta pricing) | $10 a month flat plus AWS list prices on Self-hosted, or $29 a month Fully managed with a server and a database; no per-seat fee |
| Idle apps | Scale to zero on Hobby; scale to zero or always-on on Pro | Always on, no cold start |
| Databases | Not listed on the pricing page | Managed Postgres, connected automatically |
| Where it runs | Their platform | Your own AWS account, or a dedicated AWS account we run |
| Free tier | Yes, 3 apps on shared 0.1 vCPU / 512 MB | No free tier. We sponsor Self-hosted for students and open source projects, and AWS credits can cover the AWS bill |
Pricing models side by side
| FastAPI Cloud | Django Cloud Self-hosted | |
|---|---|---|
| Solo developer, one app | $0 on Hobby, or $20 on Pro | $29 Fully managed, or $32 Self-hosted (Nano $7 + 1 GB database $15 + $10), flat |
| Team of five | $100 a month on Pro, per-seat | Same bill as a team of one: there is no per-seat fee |
FastAPI Cloud's usage-based compute billing is not yet charged during its beta, so its real prices may change; the page promises advance notice. Its free Hobby plan is a good way to try it for FastAPI.
Start for free with AWS Activate credits
On the Self-hosted plan your app runs in your own AWS account, so AWS credits can pay for it. New AWS accounts can get up to $200 in credits, which is the amount most side projects can count on. Startups can also apply for up to $1,000 through AWS Activate, but AWS decides who qualifies and can change the terms.
Apply for AWS Activate creditsOpen an AWS account
When FastAPI Cloud is the better choice
- A free plan to start, and a team that builds FastAPI itself
- Scale to zero, which keeps idle apps nearly free
- The natural home for FastAPI projects
Questions
Can I run Django on FastAPI Cloud?
Its documentation and pricing page are written around FastAPI apps. Check with them for Django support; Django Cloud is built for Django alone.
Do I pay per team member on Django Cloud?
No. Pricing is per account, not per seat.
Can AWS credits pay for my Django hosting?
On the Self-hosted plan your app runs in your own AWS account, so AWS credits can cover the AWS bill. New AWS accounts can get up to $200 in credits, and startups can apply for up to $1,000 through AWS Activate. AWS decides who qualifies and can change the terms. You still pay Django Cloud $10 a month, unless we sponsor you: students, open source maintainers, non-profit and scientific projects and AWS Activate startups can apply.
Get your Django project live, the easy way
One command or a git push. We host it for you on AWS, or you keep it in your own AWS account, where AWS credits can cover the AWS bill.
Prices and features were checked in October 2026 against the vendors' own pages (FastAPI Cloud pricing), and may have changed since. FastAPI Cloud is a trademark of its owner; Django Cloud is not affiliated with it. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.