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Vast.ai vs Lambda: what can actually be verified (2026)
Vast.ai = open marketplace — every listing priced by its host, prices float hour to hour. Lambda = fixed on-demand plus reserved instances (datacenter-focused). Below: only numbers we can cite, with their dates — and the gaps stay visible as gaps instead of being smoothed over.
Cloud-rate check date: 2026-10-22 (us, re-fetching the cited source table: values unchanged since its own stated check 2026-09-29 — the rates below are 3+ weeks old. Provider pages are JS-rendered; verify visually before spending. Commission rates: unverified, no public data.)
| GPU | Vast.ai | Lambda |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 32GB | no citable rate — no public data (2026-10-22) | no citable rate — no public data (2026-10-22) |
| A100 40GB | no citable rate — no public data (2026-10-22) | $1.99/h |
| A100 80GB | no citable rate — no public data (2026-10-22) | no citable rate — no public data (2026-10-22) |
| H100 80GB | no citable rate — no public data (2026-10-22) | $3.29/h |
| H200 141GB | no citable rate — no public data (2026-10-22) | no citable rate — no public data (2026-10-22) |
Cross-provider rows come from the one table that cites both sides consistently: modelvram.com public table (self-stated check 2026-09-29, our re-fetch 2026-10-22 unchanged), CC BY 4.0. Where a cell says "no citable rate" we found nothing verifiable — no public data, not zero.
Vast.ai — sourcing notes
Vast.ai is a marketplace: prices are per-listing and change constantly, so no single citable hourly rate exists at a fixed date. Its pricing page is JS-rendered — no extractable static figures by us (checked 2026-10-22). We publish no numbers for it rather than invent any: no public data we could verify as of 2026-10-22.
Lambda — sourcing notes
Lambda A100 40GB $1.99/h confirmed by us directly on lambda.ai/pricing (2026-10-20). Other rows come only from the third-party table we cite (self-stated 2026-09-29, re-fetched 2026-10-22); Lambda H100 on-page figures were ambiguous for us ($3.99 vs $4.09 configs, 2026-10-20) and are NOT adopted.
Decide with the tool, not with vibes
Your model's GiB need picks the GPU — start there: calculator · rent-vs-buy break-even · Flux VRAM (official figures). Set on a platform? Start from: Vast.ai → · Lambda → (may earn commission; commission rate unverified — no public data)
FAQ
Is Vast.ai or Lambda cheaper?
We cannot say with a dated source: one side publishes nothing we could extract (see table notes). Anyone printing a hard number for both is guessing — that is the whole point of this page.
Which is better for ComfyUI or image work?
Rent only for active render hours and stop the instance when done — billing runs while it exists. Flux/SD footprint: our sourced Flux VRAM page. A marketplace can undercut fixed rates for short bursts but adds host-reputation vetting; fixed providers are simpler to budget.
Do the rental links on this page earn you money?
Yes, where marked, via our /go/ redirect links; commission rates: unverified, no public data (as of 2026-10-22). Rates and inventory are never guaranteed — every figure here carries a source and a date, gaps included.
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