Equinix Metal (formerly Packet) vs UpCloud
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Equinix Metal provides automated, on‑demand bare metal infrastructure that can be deployed in seconds across global data centers. It combines the performance of dedicated hardware with the flexibility of cloud APIs, allowing developers to run any workload without virtualization overhead. The platform integrates with major cloud providers and orchestration tools, offering programmable networking, IPMI access, and a pay‑as‑you‑go pricing model. It is ideal for latency‑sensitive applications, high‑performance computing, and workloads that require full control over the hardware stack.
UpCloud provides high‑performance cloud infrastructure with instant provisioning, flexible scaling, and a 100 % uptime SLA. Its platform is built on proprietary MaxIOPS storage for low latency and high throughput. Developers, startups, and enterprises use UpCloud for everything from simple web sites to complex, container‑orchestrated applications, thanks to its pay‑as‑you‑go pricing and global data‑center network.
- True bare metal performance without hypervisor overhead
- Global data center footprint for low latency
- Extensive API and IaC support
- Pay‑as‑you‑go pricing with per‑hour billing
- Exceptional storage performance with MaxIOPS
- Instant server provisioning
- Transparent hourly billing
- Robust global data‑center presence
- Higher cost compared to shared cloud VMs for small workloads
- Limited managed services; requires more ops expertise
- No free tier for long‑term testing
- Higher price point than some low‑cost competitors
- Limited managed services compared to larger clouds
- No free tier for long‑term use
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataUpCloud offers fast, managed cloud VMs with strong storage performance and simple billing, while Equinix Metal provides bare‑metal servers for maximum hardware control but requires more ops expertise.
Key differences
- •UpCloud delivers virtual machines with MaxIOPS SSD storage; Equinix Metal supplies physical bare‑metal servers.
- •UpCloud provisions VMs in under 15 seconds via web console or API; Equinix Metal provisions physical servers in seconds via API/Terraform.
- •UpCloud includes integrated firewall, private networking, snapshots and backups; Equinix Metal offers out‑of‑band IPMI/KVM and custom networking/VLAN/BGP.
- •UpCloud’s pricing is hourly with a clear subscription model; Equinix Metal’s pricing is not specified in the provided data.
- •Both have 99.99 % SLA and global regions, but Equinix Metal lists more specific locations (30+ sites, including Canada).
Pricing & value
Equinix Metal mentions per‑hour billing but no price details; UpCloud’s pricing is known to be higher than low‑cost competitors.
Uptime & reliability
Both guarantee 99.99 % SLA backed by redundant infrastructure.
Performance
Equinix Metal offers true bare‑metal performance without hypervisor overhead; UpCloud provides high‑IOPS SSD but still virtualized.
Developer experience
UpCloud provides instant provisioning via web console and REST API plus snapshots/backups; Equinix Metal requires more ops skill.
Regions & compliance
Equinix Metal lists over 30 locations across US, Canada, EU, APAC; UpCloud lists only US, EU, APAC.
Support & managed services
UpCloud offers integrated firewall, private networking, and backup tools; Equinix Metal notes limited managed services.
Lock‑in
UpCloud uses standard VM images and APIs; Equinix Metal’s bare‑metal hardware may tie you to specific physical specs.
Choose Equinix Metal (formerly Packet) if…
Enterprises or dev teams requiring dedicated hardware, custom networking, and edge‑low latency.
Choose UpCloud if…
Developers or SMBs needing quick‑start VMs, managed networking, and simple billing.
Common questions
Which service is better for rapid prototyping?
UpCloud, because it provisions VMs in under 15 seconds via a web console and offers snapshots for easy rollback.
Do either of these options provide a free tier for testing?
Both list No free tier for long‑term use.
Can I get full hardware control (IPMI/KVM) with UpCloud?
No; only Equinix Metal provides out‑of‑band management such as IPMI/KVM.