Hetzner vs Render: Which One Fits Your Solo Dev Stack?
Free tier limits, real costs for 1-10 users, and honest "not for" warnings. The Solo Dev decision guide for Hetzner vs Render.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Hetzner edges ahead with a 4.6/5 rating. However, the best choice depends on your team size, budget, and workflow needs. Read on for the full breakdown.
💰 Cost by Team Size
| Team Size | Hetzner | Render |
|---|---|---|
| Solo (1 user) | $3.29/mo | $0/mo |
| Small (5 users) | $5.39/mo | $19/mo |
| Growing (10 users) | $15.59/mo | $19/mo |
| Free Tier | ❌ No | ✅ Static sites unlimited. Free web services spin down after 15min of inactivity. 750 hours/mo free instance. |
Pricing Plans
| Plan | Hetzner | Render |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| CX22 | $3.29/mo | $7/mo |
| CX32 | $5.39/mo | $19/mo |
| CX42 | $15.59/mo | Custom |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Hetzner | Render |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Pricing | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Documentation | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
Pros & Cons
Hetzner
✅ Pros
- Most cost-effective cloud hosting in the market
- Excellent bare metal and VPS performance
- European data centers (GDPR-friendly)
- Transparent pricing — no hidden costs
❌ Cons
- Mostly EU/US regions (no Asia-Pacific)
- Less managed services than AWS/GCP
- Dashboard is functional but not modern
Render
✅ Pros
- Simple GitHub/GitLab deploy pipeline
- Generous free tier for static sites
- Built-in PostgreSQL databases
- Transparent pricing — no surprise bills
❌ Cons
- Free tier services spin down (cold starts)
- Performance can lag behind Vercel/Fly.io for edge workloads
- Limited regions compared to major clouds
Who Should Use What?
✅ Choose Hetzner if...
- You are a budget-conscious developers
- You are a self-hosted projects
- You are a eu-based companies
🚫 Skip if...
- Teams needing global CDN edge presence
- Users wanting fully managed PaaS
✅ Choose Render if...
- You are a side projects and mvps
- You are a full-stack apps needing managed db
🚫 Skip if...
- Enterprise with multi-region requirements
- Real-time low-latency apps
🏆 Our Verdict
Both Hetzner (4.6/5) and Render (4.4/5) are excellent tools in their category. Hetzner takes a slight edge overall, but the best choice ultimately depends on your team's specific needs, budget, and existing tool ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hetzner better than Render?
It depends on your needs. Hetzner excels in some areas while Render has its own strengths. Read our full comparison above to see which tool fits your specific requirements.
How does Hetzner pricing compare to Render?
Hetzner starts at $3.29/mo, while Render starts at Free / $7/mo. Both offer different value propositions — check our pricing comparison section for a detailed breakdown.
Can I migrate from Hetzner to Render?
Yes, most B2B tools offer data import/export features. Render typically provides migration guides and sometimes even dedicated support for switching from Hetzner.
Which is easier to use, Hetzner or Render?
Ease of use depends on your team's experience and workflow preferences. We evaluated both tools on usability — see our feature comparison scores above for details.
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