Quick answer
Leapcell - Leapcell wins for most builders because its free tier is cardless, broader for ongoing app workloads, and easier to keep using before you need to pay.
How the free tiers compare
Koyeb and Leapcell both target the same builder set, but the free experience is shaped differently. Koyeb’s free tier is more like a limited credit on a production-oriented hosting platform: you get $10 included compute in Pro, 1 TB bandwidth, 100 services, 10 users, and a small managed Postgres allowance, but the core compute is still consumption-driven and the free tier is tied to a paid plan structure. Leapcell’s Hobby plan is a more complete standing free tier for app hosting: 20 projects, serverless invocations, Redis, builds, logs, metrics, and no card requirement stated. If you want to test or run small apps with less friction, Leapcell is the easier default. Koyeb makes more sense if you specifically want its compute and Postgres shape, or you expect to move into a paid hosting workload quickly.
Koyeb vs Leapcell free tier, side by side
| KoyebFTV 40 | LeapcellFTV 56 | |
|---|---|---|
| Credit card required on free tierKoyeb's input does not state this; Leapcell explicitly does not require a card. | Unknown | No |
| Projects / servicesKoyeb phrases this as services, while Leapcell uses projects. | Up to 100 services | 20 projects |
| UsersLeapcell does not provide a user quota in the supplied free-tier data. | Up to 10 users | Not stated |
| Compute allowanceKoyeb is credit-based; Leapcell is capacity-based per project. | $10 included compute credit | Up to 3 vCPUs per project, 4 GB RAM per project |
| Bandwidth / transferKoyeb's free bandwidth allowance is much larger in the supplied data. | 1 TB per month | 2 GB per month |
| DatabaseLeapcell lists the database at the paid-plan feature level for Hobby, but the free-tier item list does not give storage or runtime quotas. | Free Postgres: 5 hours per month, 1 GB storage, 0.25 vCPU and 1 GB RAM | 1 free PostgreSQL database |
| Build limitsDifferent limit styles, so they are not directly interchangeable. | 5 concurrent builds | 60 minutes of build execution per month; 10-minute maximum build duration |
| Logs and metrics retentionLeapcell adds ingestion/storage volume caps. | 7 days logs, 7 days metrics | 100 MB log ingestion/storage, 3-day logs, 7-day metrics |
| Async or background workLeapcell explicitly includes background-work quota. | Not stated | 10,000 async invocations per month |
After you outgrow the free tier
Koyeb’s paid path is usage-based overall, but the first named paid tier is Pro at $29/mo +compute, followed by Scale at $299/mo +compute, with Enterprise on a sales basis. That means spend can grow with runtime on top of the base plan. Leapcell is simpler to forecast: Hobby is $0, Plus is $5.9 per seat per month for the first month then $12.9 thereafter, and Pro is $29.9 per seat per month. For small teams, Leapcell is usually cheaper to start and easier to budget; Koyeb can become more expensive once compute usage climbs because the base fee does not include all runtime cost.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Koyeb | Leapcell |
|---|---|---|
| 1 seat, light app usageKoyeb's base plan is plus compute; Leapcell's Hobby stays free. | $29/mo +compute | $0/mo |
| 2 seats on the first month of PlusLeapcell Plus is $5.9 per seat per month for the first month. | $29/mo +compute | ~$11.8/mo |
| 2 seats after the first month on PlusLeapcell Plus is $12.9 per seat per month thereafter. | $29/mo +compute | ~$25.8/mo |
| 5 seats on ProLeapcell Pro is $29.9 per seat per month. | $29/mo +compute | $149.5/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Koyeb when…
- You want a usage-based hosting setup with included compute credit and are comfortable thinking in dollars of runtime, not just free quotas.
- You need Koyeb-specific pieces like 1 TB bandwidth, 10 custom domains, or its native Postgres allowance on the free tier.
- You are building around many services and users, since the free tier includes up to 100 services and 10 users.
- You want to stay close to Koyeb’s Pro plan structure before adding spend.
Pick Leapcell when…
- You want a free tier you can start using without a credit card requirement stated.
- You need multiple small projects, since Hobby includes 20 projects on day one.
- You are testing serverless workloads, async jobs, logs, metrics, and Redis in one place.
- You want a free tier that covers ongoing app development rather than a capped compute credit.
- You expect to stay free for a while and want clear monthly quotas instead of a credit balance.
Bottom line
For the most common builder who wants to deploy a small app, try it free, and avoid putting in a card, Leapcell is the better pick. Its Hobby plan is a true standing free tier with enough included quota to keep building, plus clear upgrade steps. Koyeb is still attractive if you care more about its compute credit, bandwidth, and managed Postgres shape, but its free offer is more constrained by the paid-plan framework and the runtime cost can start mattering sooner.
Read the full listings: Koyeb and Leapcell. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.