Quick answer
Leapcell - Leapcell wins for most builders who want to actually run an app on the free tier, while Upstash wins only if you specifically need a free serverless data store with Redis-compatible access.
How the free tiers compare
These free tiers solve different problems. Leapcell is a broader app platform: you get projects, serverless compute, build minutes, logs, async tasks, custom domains, and a small database option, so it can host and operate a real service end to end. Upstash is narrower and more database-centric: the free plan is centered on one database with command, storage, request-size, and bandwidth caps. That makes it better as a backend primitive than as a place to deploy the whole app. The practical difference is not just quota size, but surface area. Leapcell gives you more of the stack in one place, while Upstash gives you a focused data service that fits edge and serverless patterns. If you are deciding where to start for a full product, Leapcell is the more complete free tier. If you only need a fast, managed Redis-compatible database, Upstash is the cleaner fit.
Leapcell vs Upstash free tier, side by side
| LeapcellFTV 56 | UpstashFTV 32 | |
|---|---|---|
| Projects / databases includedLeapcell’s free tier is app-platform shaped; Upstash’s is database-shaped. | 20 projects | 1 free database |
| Compute / runtimeUpstash free tier is for data services, not app hosting. | Up to 3 vCPUs per project, 4 GB RAM | Not included |
| Serverless usageDifferent meters, so these are not directly comparable. | 100,000 invocations per month; 3 GB-hours per month | 500K monthly commands included |
| Data transfer / bandwidthUpstash also says free bandwidth usage, but the listed cap is 10 GB. | 2 GB data transfer per month; 10 GB inbound large payloads | 10 GB monthly bandwidth limit |
| Build / ops toolingLeapcell includes more runtime operations features on the free plan. | 60 minutes build execution; 100 MB logs; 7-day metrics retention | Community support included |
| Redis / storage capBoth support Redis-compatible workflows, but the free limits differ in shape. | 100,000 Redis commands; 1 GB bandwidth; 30-day record retention | 256 MB data size limit; 100 MB max record size |
| Credit card requiredBased on the provided ftv_no_cc_required fields. | No card required | Card required |
After you outgrow the free tier
Leapcell’s paid plans are per-seat, with Hobby at $0, Plus at $5.9 per seat per month for the first month then $12.9 thereafter, and Pro at $29.9 per seat per month. Upstash splits into usage-based Pay as you go at $0.2 per 100K commands, a flat Fixed 250MB plan at $10/month, and custom Enterprise pricing. Leapcell is easier to price for a small team because it is seat-based. Upstash gets cheaper for very light usage, but costs scale with command volume unless you move to a fixed plan.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Leapcell | Upstash |
|---|---|---|
| 500K commands/mo, 1 small database, minimal hostingUpstash’s command pricing is explicit; storage pricing beyond the free tier is also listed in the rationale, but no exact storage rate was provided in the input. | $0/mo within free tier if usage fits the free app quotas | $1/mo est. for commands, plus storage if above free limits |
| 1M commands/moUsing $0.2 per 100K commands. | $0/mo within free tier if the app itself stays under Leapcell limits | $2/mo est. |
| 5M commands/moAt this point Upstash’s per-command cost reaches the same order as its fixed 250MB plan price. | $0/mo within free tier if app usage stays within Leapcell limits | $10/mo est. |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Leapcell when…
- You want to deploy a web app, API, or background worker on the free tier.
- You need both compute and a database in one platform.
- You want build minutes, logs, metrics, and async jobs included without stitching services together.
- You are testing multiple small projects and want a broad free allowance across projects and runtime features.
Pick Upstash when…
- You only need a managed Redis-compatible database, not a hosting platform.
- You are building cache, sessions, counters, or queue-like data access for a serverless app.
- You want a database-first service with a simple free cap on commands, storage, and bandwidth.
- You are okay with bringing your own hosting and just need the data layer.
Bottom line
For the most common builder, Leapcell is the better free-tier starting point because it can host the app, run jobs, and include a database and ops tooling in one place. Upstash is the better pick when your free-tier decision is really about the data layer and you want a Redis-compatible service with a simple usage cap. If you are building a full product from scratch, Leapcell covers more of the stack before you need to pay.
Read the full listings: Leapcell and Upstash. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.