What is the difference between Salad Cloud and Vast.ai?

Salad Cloud and Vast.ai are both cloud GPU providers offering different pricing models, features, and GPU availability. Use our comparison tool to see real-time pricing and feature differences.

Which is cheaper: Salad Cloud or Vast.ai?

Pricing varies by GPU model and usage requirements. Check our real-time comparison table to find the best deals for your specific needs.

Can I switch between Salad Cloud and Vast.ai?

Yes, both providers offer flexible cloud GPU services. However, consider factors like data transfer costs, setup time, and specific features when switching between providers.

How many GPU models are available for comparison?

We track pricing for 78 different GPU models across both Salad Cloud and Vast.ai, with 0 models available from both providers.

Salad Cloud vs Vast.ai

Compare GPU pricing between Salad Cloud and Vast.ai. Find the best rates for AI training, inference, and ML workloads.

Salad Cloud

Provider 1

GPUs Available

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Vast.ai

Provider 2

GPUs Available

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Comparison Overview

Total GPU Models

Salad Cloud GPUs

Vast.ai GPUs

Direct Comparisons

Average Price Difference: $0.12/hour between comparable GPUs

GPU Pricing Comparison

Total GPUs: 78Both available: 26Salad Cloud: 37Vast.ai: 67

Showing 15 of 78 GPUs

Last updated: 10/30/2026, 6:01:50 AM

GPU Model ↑	Salad Cloud Price	Vast.ai Price	Price Diff ↕	Sources
A100 PCIE 40GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.40/hr★ Best 8x GPU	—	Vast.ai
A100 PCIE 40GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.40/hour 8x GPU configuration Updated: 10/29/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
A100 PCIe 80GB 80GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.87/hr★ Best 4x GPU	—	Vast.ai
A100 PCIe 80GB 80GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.87/hour 4x GPU configuration Updated: 10/29/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
A100 SXM 80GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.99/hr★ Best 4x GPU	—	Vast.ai
A100 SXM 80GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.99/hour 4x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
A100 SXM 40GB 40GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.84/hr★ Best 4x GPU	—	Vast.ai
A100 SXM 40GB 40GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.84/hour 4x GPU configuration Updated: 10/29/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
A40 48GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.40/hr★ Best 2x GPU	—	Vast.ai
A40 48GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.40/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
B200 180GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$7.50/hr★ Best 2x GPU	—	Vast.ai
B200 180GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $7.50/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
GTX 1050 Ti 4GB VRAM • Salad Cloud	$0.01/hr★ Best	Not Available	—	Salad API
GTX 1050 Ti 4GB VRAM • Salad Cloud $0.01/hour Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Not Available Salad API
GTX 1060 6GB VRAM • Salad Cloud	$0.02/hr★ Best	Not Available	—	Salad API
GTX 1060 6GB VRAM • Salad Cloud $0.02/hour Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Not Available Salad API
GTX 1070 Ti 8GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.06/hr★ Best 2x GPU	—	Vast.ai
GTX 1070 Ti 8GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.06/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
GTX 1080 8GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.05/hr★ Best 4x GPU	—	Vast.ai
GTX 1080 8GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.05/hour 4x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
GTX 1080 Ti 11GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.06/hr★ Best 2x GPU	—	Vast.ai
GTX 1080 Ti 11GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.06/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
GTX 1650 4GB VRAM • Salad Cloud	$0.01/hr★ Best	Not Available	—	Salad API
GTX 1650 4GB VRAM • Salad Cloud $0.01/hour Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Not Available Salad API
GTX 1660 6GB VRAM • Salad CloudVast.ai	$0.02/hr★ Best	$0.68/hr	↓$0.66(97.1%)	Salad API Vast.ai
GTX 1660 6GB VRAM • Salad Cloud $0.02/hour Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai $0.68/hour Updated: 10/29/2026 Price Difference:↓$0.66(97.1%) Salad API Vast.ai
GTX 1660 SUPER 6GB VRAM • Salad CloudVast.ai	$0.02/hr★ Best	$0.06/hr 2x GPU	↓$0.04(67.2%)	Salad API Vast.ai
GTX 1660 SUPER 6GB VRAM • Salad Cloud $0.02/hour Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai $0.06/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/29/2026 Price Difference:↓$0.04(67.2%) Salad API Vast.ai
GTX 1660 Ti 6GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.06/hr★ Best 2x GPU	—	Vast.ai
GTX 1660 Ti 6GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.06/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai

A100 PCIE 40GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.40/hr★ Best 8x GPU	—	Vast.ai
A100 PCIE 40GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.40/hour 8x GPU configuration Updated: 10/29/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
A100 PCIe 80GB 80GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.87/hr★ Best 4x GPU	—	Vast.ai
A100 PCIe 80GB 80GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.87/hour 4x GPU configuration Updated: 10/29/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
A100 SXM 80GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.99/hr★ Best 4x GPU	—	Vast.ai
A100 SXM 80GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.99/hour 4x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
A100 SXM 40GB 40GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.84/hr★ Best 4x GPU	—	Vast.ai
A100 SXM 40GB 40GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.84/hour 4x GPU configuration Updated: 10/29/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
A40 48GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.40/hr★ Best 2x GPU	—	Vast.ai
A40 48GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.40/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
B200 180GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$7.50/hr★ Best 2x GPU	—	Vast.ai
B200 180GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $7.50/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
GTX 1050 Ti 4GB VRAM • Salad Cloud	$0.01/hr★ Best	Not Available	—	Salad API
GTX 1050 Ti 4GB VRAM • Salad Cloud $0.01/hour Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Not Available Salad API
GTX 1060 6GB VRAM • Salad Cloud	$0.02/hr★ Best	Not Available	—	Salad API
GTX 1060 6GB VRAM • Salad Cloud $0.02/hour Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Not Available Salad API
GTX 1070 Ti 8GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.06/hr★ Best 2x GPU	—	Vast.ai
GTX 1070 Ti 8GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.06/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
GTX 1080 8GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.05/hr★ Best 4x GPU	—	Vast.ai
GTX 1080 8GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.05/hour 4x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
GTX 1080 Ti 11GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.06/hr★ Best 2x GPU	—	Vast.ai
GTX 1080 Ti 11GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.06/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai
GTX 1650 4GB VRAM • Salad Cloud	$0.01/hr★ Best	Not Available	—	Salad API
GTX 1650 4GB VRAM • Salad Cloud $0.01/hour Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Not Available Salad API
GTX 1660 6GB VRAM • Salad CloudVast.ai	$0.02/hr★ Best	$0.68/hr	↓$0.66(97.1%)	Salad API Vast.ai
GTX 1660 6GB VRAM • Salad Cloud $0.02/hour Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai $0.68/hour Updated: 10/29/2026 Price Difference:↓$0.66(97.1%) Salad API Vast.ai
GTX 1660 SUPER 6GB VRAM • Salad CloudVast.ai	$0.02/hr★ Best	$0.06/hr 2x GPU	↓$0.04(67.2%)	Salad API Vast.ai
GTX 1660 SUPER 6GB VRAM • Salad Cloud $0.02/hour Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai $0.06/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/29/2026 Price Difference:↓$0.04(67.2%) Salad API Vast.ai
GTX 1660 Ti 6GB VRAM • Vast.ai	Not Available	$0.06/hr★ Best 2x GPU	—	Vast.ai
GTX 1660 Ti 6GB VRAM • Not Available Vast.ai $0.06/hour 2x GPU configuration Updated: 10/30/2026 ★Best Price Vast.ai

Features Comparison

Salad Cloud

Community Cloud
On-demand pool of idle consumer GPUs with nodes in 190+ countries, deployed onto through Salad Container Engine.
Salad Container Engine
Managed orchestration that schedules Docker containers onto nodes it does not control, isolates them behind a hypervisor, streams logs, and reallocates work when a node disappears.
Priority Tiers
High, Medium, Low, and Lowest tiers price the same GPU class differently so a workload can trade preemption risk for cost; High is never preempted by other workloads.
Salad Dedicated
Reserved bare metal and virtual machines on contract, starting with RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell, quoted per allocation and term.
Private Cloud
Salad's orchestration stack licensed per deployment on hardware you already own, pooling idle workstation and server GPUs into a private OpenAI-compatible token service.
Managed APIs and Tooling
AI Gateway (an OpenAI-compatible endpoint for open-weight models, in closed beta), Transcription API, Recipes deployment templates, S4 temporary storage, Gateway Service residential IPs, and a Virtual Kubelet for Kubernetes.

Vast.ai

Real-Time GPU Pricing
Prices set by supply and demand across the platform with no list prices or hidden fees
Three Deployment Options
GPU Cloud for full control, Serverless for zero-ops inference, Clusters for large-scale training
Developer-Focused Tools
CLI, Python SDK, and REST API for programmatic GPU provisioning, installed together via a single package
Agent-Ready Provisioning
API-native workflow intended for AI agents to search, procure, and release compute autonomously
Model Library and Templates
Prebuilt templates for popular open-source models, plus custom templates any GPU can run with one click
Flexible Infrastructure
Scale from a small starting balance to 20,000 GPUs across 40+ data centers without contracts or minimums

Pros & Cons

Salad Cloud

Advantages

Aggregating idle consumer hardware gives some of the lowest published per-GPU-hour rates available
Per-second billing with no contracts or minimums; allocation, image download, and cold start are not billed
vCPU and RAM are included with every GPU class at no additional charge
Four priority tiers make interruptibility an explicit, priced choice per container group

Considerations

On-demand catalog is consumer RTX GPUs only — data center accelerators are not offered outside the contracted Dedicated product
Published GPU classes top out at 32 GB of VRAM, limiting the size of a model that fits on a single GPU
Nodes are individually owned machines that can disconnect at any time, so workloads must be stateless or retryable

Vast.ai

Advantages

Significant cost savings with supply-demand pricing
Flexible pricing with on-demand, interruptible, and reserved options
Real-time transparent pricing with no hidden fees
Docker ecosystem for quick software deployment

Considerations

Primarily focused on Linux-based Docker instances
Performance may vary across different community providers
Learning curve for users unfamiliar with marketplace-based pricing

Compute Services

Salad Cloud

Salad Container Engine on Community Cloud

On-demand container orchestration across the distributed pool of idle consumer GPUs, with more than 40 GPU classes selectable by priority tier.

Salad Dedicated

Reserved bare metal and virtual machines on contract, separate from the on-demand community pool.

CPU-only container groups

Container groups with no GPU attached, billed per vCPU-hour and per GB of RAM per hour, running at the Lowest priority tier.

Vast.ai

GPU Cloud

On-demand instances across 40+ data centers and 20,000+ GPUs

Serverless

Deploy models as endpoints with autoscaling to zero

Clusters

Dedicated multi-node GPU clusters with InfiniBand networking

Pricing Options

Salad Cloud

Per-second on-demand billing

Published per-GPU-hour rates billed by the second for the time each replica spends running; allocation, image download, and cold start are not charged, and vCPU and RAM are included.

Priority tiers

High, Medium, Low, and Lowest tiers price each GPU class differently - lower tiers cost less and are more interruptible, with Lowest intended for retryable batch work.

CPU-only container groups

Billed per vCPU-hour plus per GB of RAM per hour for container groups that need no GPU.

Volume discounts

Large deployments, long-running jobs, and committed spend are priced below list by sales.

Salad Dedicated contracts

Reserved bare metal and virtual machines quoted separately per allocation and term.

Private Cloud licensing

Licensed per deployment to run the orchestration stack on hardware you already own.

Vast.ai

On-Demand

Guaranteed uptime with per-second billing. Best for production workloads.

Interruptible

50%+ cheaper preemptible instances. Best for fault-tolerant batch training.

Reserved

Up to 50% off with 1, 3, or 6 month commitments. Guaranteed capacity with volume discounts.

Serverless

Endpoint rates billed only for compute time, with no charge while workers are scaled to zero.

Getting Started

Salad Cloud

Get Started

1
Create a SaladCloud account
Sign up at portal.salad.com to reach the dashboard, API keys, and deployment tools.
2
Pick a GPU class and priority tier
Compare published per-GPU-hour rates and live availability on the pricing page, then choose the tier that matches how interruptible the workload is.
3
Deploy a container group
Supply a Docker image, CPU/memory/GPU resources, and a replica count through the portal or the public API; Recipes provide ready-made templates for popular open models.
4
Monitor and scale
Track replicas in the portal and adjust GPU class, priority, or replica count; the container engine reallocates work as nodes join and leave the network.
5
Talk to sales for reserved or volume capacity
Large deployments, committed spend, and Salad Dedicated allocations are quoted directly rather than bought self-service.

Vast.ai

Get Started

1
Add credit and get your API key
Add credit and grab an API key from the console. No contracts, no sales calls.
2
Search GPUs
Filter by model, VRAM, price, and availability via the console or API
3
Deploy
Launch instances in seconds. Scale up or down programmatically.

Support & Global Availability

Salad Cloud

Global Regions

Nodes in 190+ countries across the distributed network; capacity is chosen by GPU class and priority tier rather than by selectable region, and availability varies by class.

Support

Documentation at docs.salad.com, a developer hub and Recipes library, status page at cloud-status.salad.com, Trust Center, Discord and GitHub communities, and direct engineering and sales contact for volume and enterprise deployments.

Vast.ai

Global Regions

40+ data centers with global coverage including community and enterprise providers

Support

24/7 support chat in the console, email support at contact@vast.ai, Discord community, and documentation covering the CLI, SDK, and REST API