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Fly.io Review 2026: Deep Dive for Solo Devs & Small Teams

Free tier limits, real costs per team size, and honest "not for" warnings. Everything you need to decide if Fly.io fits your stack.

Last updated: Feb 2026·7 min read·Solo Score: 7/10

Quick Summary

Overall Rating★★★★ 4.2/5
Starting PriceFree / $0/mo
Free Plan✅ Yes
Solo Dev Score7/10
Best ForGlobally distributed apps, Docker-based deployments
Free Tier Limits3 shared-CPU VMs, 160 GB outbound data, 3 GB persistent volumes.

💰 Monthly Cost by Team Size

Solo (1)$0/mo
Small (5)$29/mo
Growing (10)$29/mo
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🚫 Not Recommended For

  • Beginners wanting one-click deploy
  • Static site hosting

Fly.io Pricing (2026)

PlanPriceBilling
Free$0Forever
Launch$0/mousage
Scale$29/momonthly
EnterpriseCustomyearly

Pros & Cons

✅ What We Like

  • Deploy to 30+ regions for low-latency globally
  • Run any Docker container — language agnostic
  • Real Machines API for custom orchestration
  • SQLite on Fly (LiteFS) for edge-native databases

❌ What Could Be Better

  • Steeper learning curve than Vercel/Render
  • CLI-centric workflow can frustrate dashboard users
  • Billing can be unpredictable with usage-based model

Feature Breakdown

Edge Performance★★★★★
Ease of Use★★★☆☆
Pricing★★★★
Documentation★★★★
Scaling★★★★★
DX★★★☆☆

🏆 Our Verdict

Fly.io scores 4.2/5 in our evaluation. Solo Dev Score: 7/10. It's best suited for Globally distributed apps, Docker-based deployments. It's a solid option worth considering, especially for its core use cases.

API: Offline: Mobile:
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fly.io worth the price in 2026?

Fly.io starts at Free / $0/mo. Based on our evaluation, it scores 4.2/5 overall. Whether it's worth it depends on your team size and feature requirements — read our detailed breakdown above.

What are the main alternatives to Fly.io?

Several tools compete with Fly.io in its category. Check our comparison section above for head-to-head matchups with the top alternatives.

Does Fly.io offer a free plan?

Check our pricing section above for the most up-to-date information on Fly.io's free tier and paid plans.

Is Fly.io good for small businesses?

Fly.io can work for small businesses depending on your budget and requirements. Review our "Best For" section to see if it matches your use case.

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