Hosting
An honest comparison to help you pick the right hosting tool in 2026.
| Feature | Fly.io | Netlify |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Hosting | Hosting |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Paid Plan | Pay-as-you-go | $19/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
| Best For | Developers who need globally distributed Docker apps running close to users on bare metal | JAMstack developers who want a mature platform with built-in forms, identity, and CI/CD |
| Feature 1 | Global edge deployment | Serverless functions |
| Feature 2 | Docker containers | Form handling |
| Feature 3 | Built-in Postgres | Deploy previews |
| Feature 4 | Anycast networking | Split testing |
| Feature 5 | GPU machines | Edge functions |
| Website | Fly.io | Netlify |
Fly.io and Netlify are both popular choices in the hosting category, but they serve different types of developers. Fly.io is global application platform that runs Docker containers on bare-metal servers close to users with built-in Postgres and Redis. Meanwhile, Netlify is web hosting platform with serverless functions, form handling, identity management, and framework-agnostic deploy previews.
Both tools offer free tiers, which means you can try each one before committing. Fly.io's paid plan starts at Pay-as-you-go, while Netlify's starts at $19/mo.
Fly.io stands out with Global edge deployment and Docker containers, while Netlify differentiates itself through Serverless functions and Form handling. The right choice depends on which capabilities matter most for your workflow. Ultimately, developers who need globally distributed Docker apps running close to users on bare metal, while Netlify is best for jAMstack developers who want a mature platform with built-in forms, identity, and CI/CD.
Fly.io: Free tier available. Paid plans start at Pay-as-you-go. Enterprise pricing: Custom.
Netlify: Free tier available. Paid plans start at $19/mo. Enterprise pricing: Custom.
Choose Fly.io if you value global edge deployment and docker containers. Go with Netlify if jAMstack developers who want a mature platform with built-in forms, identity, and CI/CD. Both are solid hosting options in 2026 — the best pick depends on your team size, budget, and technical requirements. We recommend trying both (especially if they have free tiers) before committing to one.
Not sold on either Fly.io or Netlify? Check out these other hosting tools:
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