AWS EC2 vs RunPod: GPU pricing
RunPod is cheaper on 7 of 7 shared GPU models. AWS EC2 is a hyperscaler (deepest cloud ecosystem); RunPod is a specialist neocloud (widest gpu catalog incl. rtx 4090/a6000). Their cheapest published GPU rates are $0.81/hr and $0.39/hr respectively. The table below compares the 7 GPU models they both list. Snapshot June 2026 — cloud GPU prices change weekly; verify on the provider's pricing page before relying on a figure.
Data as of June 2026.
AWS EC2 vs RunPod overview
| Factor | AWS EC2 | RunPod |
|---|---|---|
| Type | hyperscaler | specialist neocloud |
| GPUs priced | 7 | 11 |
| Cheapest GPU /hr | $0.81/hr | $0.39/hr |
| Billing | Per second (60s min) | Per second |
| Discount tier | Spot | Community Cloud |
| Free credits | AWS Free Tier does not cover GPU instances; credits via AWS Activate for startups. | No standing free credit; pay-as-you-go with per-second billing. |
Sources: Amazon Web Services pricing · RunPod, Inc. pricing.
Price per GPU, side by side
| GPU | AWS /hr | RunPod /hr | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA B200 | $14.24/hr | $5.89/hr | RunPod |
| NVIDIA H100 SXM | $6.88/hr | $3.29/hr | RunPod |
| NVIDIA H200 | $7.91/hr | $3.59/hr | RunPod |
| NVIDIA A100 40GB | $2.75/hr | $1.19/hr | RunPod |
| NVIDIA A100 80GB | $3.43/hr | $1.39/hr | RunPod |
| NVIDIA L4 | $0.81/hr | $0.39/hr | RunPod |
| NVIDIA L40S | $1.86/hr | $0.86/hr | RunPod |
Verdict
On the GPUs they both offer, RunPod comes out cheaper more often. But price is not everything: weigh reliability, region coverage, billing granularity and free credits. Read each provider's full breakdown — AWS EC2 and RunPod — and model your own job in the calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is AWS EC2 or RunPod cheaper for GPUs?
On the GPUs they both offer, RunPod is cheaper on 7 of 7 shared GPU models. RunPod wins more head-to-heads in our June 2026 snapshot. Snapshot June 2026 — cloud GPU prices change weekly; verify on the provider's pricing page before relying on a figure.
What GPUs do AWS EC2 and RunPod both offer?
Both publish prices for: NVIDIA B200, NVIDIA H100 SXM, NVIDIA H200, NVIDIA A100 40GB, NVIDIA A100 80GB, NVIDIA L4, NVIDIA L40S. See the side-by-side table above for each per-hour price.
AWS EC2 vs RunPod: which should I pick?
AWS EC2 (deepest cloud ecosystem) versus RunPod (widest gpu catalog incl. rtx 4090/a6000). Beyond sticker price, weigh reliability, region, billing granularity (Per second (60s min) vs Per second) and free credits. Model your real job in the calculator before deciding.
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Last updated: 2026-06-21