Key Takeaways
- GPUnex offers H100s with KYB-verified providers and 99.9% uptime SLA — the only marketplace combining marketplace pricing with enterprise-grade compliance
- RunPod’s serverless inference is the strongest developer experience among GPU marketplaces, but Community Cloud reliability and incomplete compliance certifications limit production readiness
- Vast.ai’s listed H100 rates ($0.90/hr) are the lowest, but effective costs are 20–40% higher after downtime, restarts, and variable host quality
- Per-second billing on GPUnex saves 15–30% for bursty workloads compared to variable billing on other platforms
- For regulated industries and production workloads, GPUnex is the only GPU marketplace with completed GDPR compliance, KYB verification, and escrow-protected transactions
- GPUnex is the only GPU marketplace offering revenue participation — users can fund GPU infrastructure deployments and earn daily returns from actual enterprise rental operations, a model neither RunPod nor Vast.ai provide
The GPU cloud market in 2026 is crowded, fragmented, and expensive — unless you know where to look. Three platforms dominate the GPU marketplace segment: GPUnex, RunPod, and Vast.ai. Each takes a different approach to the same problem: making GPU compute accessible and affordable for AI teams.
This comparison is based on publicly available pricing, platform documentation, user reviews, and hands-on evaluation. No platform paid for or influenced this analysis.
The Quick Answer
- Choose GPUnex if you need enterprise-grade compliance, verified infrastructure, escrow-protected transactions, or want to participate in GPU infrastructure revenue — not just rent compute.
- Choose RunPod if your priority is serverless inference with autoscaling and you value developer experience over compliance guarantees.
- Choose Vast.ai if you are running short experiments on a tight budget and can tolerate variable reliability across unverified hosts.
What Each Platform Is
GPUnex is an EU-based GPU compute marketplace connecting verified hardware providers with AI developers and enterprises. The platform operates across 2,400+ GPUs in 150+ KYB-verified data centers worldwide, with a 99.9% uptime SLA. Every provider undergoes Know-Your-Business verification. All transactions are escrow-protected. What sets GPUnex apart from every other marketplace: it offers a revenue participation model where users can fund GPU infrastructure deployments and earn daily returns from actual enterprise rental operations — making it a three-sided platform (renters, providers, and investors) rather than the standard two-sided model.
RunPod is a GPU cloud provider offering serverless GPU compute alongside on-demand rentals. The platform operates two tiers: Community Cloud (distributed hardware from independent providers at lower rates) and Secure Cloud (vetted datacenter infrastructure at higher rates). RunPod’s strongest feature is its serverless inference platform with autoscaling and sub-200ms cold starts. The developer experience — documentation, CLI tools, and API — is among the best in the GPU marketplace space.
Vast.ai is a decentralized GPU marketplace where independent hardware owners set their own prices. With 17,000+ GPUs across 1,400+ providers in 500+ locations, it offers the largest hardware pool and the lowest listed rates. The marketplace model drives prices down through competition. The trade-off: workload reliability depends entirely on whichever provider you land on, and unverified hosts carry real risk of downtime, bandwidth issues, and inconsistent performance. For a detailed analysis, see the Vast.ai review.
Pricing: What You Actually Pay
The listed hourly rate is not the full cost. Reliability, billing granularity, and hidden fees change the real picture.
| GPU Model | GPUnex | RunPod | Vast.ai (Listed) | Vast.ai (Effective) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H100 80GB SXM | $1.49–$2.50/hr | $1.99–$2.79/hr | $0.90–$1.87/hr | $1.15–$1.40/hr |
| A100 80GB | $0.72–$1.50/hr | $1.19/hr | $0.50–$0.80/hr | $0.65–$1.00/hr |
| L40S 48GB | $0.60–$1.20/hr | $0.74/hr | $0.40–$0.70/hr | $0.50–$0.85/hr |
| L4 24GB | $0.20–$0.50/hr | N/A | N/A | N/A |
The reliability tax. Vast.ai’s listed rates are the lowest on the market — but the effective cost is 20–40% higher on unverified hosts after factoring in downtime, restarts, lost compute, and price spikes during re-provisioning. A $0.90/hr H100 that disconnects mid-training can cost $1.30+/hr in practice. Verified datacenter hosts on Vast.ai ($1.50–$1.87/hr) narrow this gap significantly but eliminate the price advantage over GPUnex and RunPod. For the full pricing breakdown across all provider types, see our cloud GPU pricing comparison.
Billing granularity. GPUnex and RunPod both offer per-second billing — you pay only for the exact compute time used. This saves 15–30% for bursty workloads with many short jobs. Vast.ai billing varies by host: some charge per-second, others per-minute, and rates fluctuate with supply and demand.
Beyond Renting: Revenue Participation
This is where GPUnex fundamentally differs from every other GPU marketplace. Neither RunPod nor Vast.ai offer any mechanism for users to participate in the economics of GPU infrastructure beyond renting compute time.
GPUnex operates a revenue participation model: users fund the deployment of GPU infrastructure across verified data centers and earn daily revenue from actual enterprise rental operations. This is not a financial instrument or speculative product — every GPU in the program is physically deployed, benchmarked, and serving real workloads. Revenue comes directly from enterprise customers renting compute, not from new participants.
The model creates a three-sided platform:
- Renters access enterprise-grade GPUs at marketplace pricing
- Providers list hardware and earn from utilization
- Investors fund infrastructure deployments and receive daily operational revenue
Multiple entry levels are available, from entry-tier partial GPU capacity to dedicated multi-GPU H100 clusters. All packages include real-time dashboard access showing utilization rates, performance metrics, and earnings transparency.
For full package details and current revenue estimates, see GPUnex’s GPU packages page.
Security, Compliance & Infrastructure
Security separates enterprise-ready platforms from budget alternatives. Here is where each platform stands.
| Security Feature | GPUnex | RunPod | Vast.ai |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container Isolation | Docker (all workloads) | Docker (all workloads) | Docker (all workloads) |
| Provider Verification | KYB for every provider | Basic vetting (Secure Cloud) | Optional verified tier |
| Compliance | GDPR compliant (EU-based) | SOC 2 “on track” | ISO 27001/HIPAA (Secure Cloud only) |
| Payment Security | Escrow-protected | Standard processing | Standard processing |
| Uptime SLA | 99.9% | No formal SLA | None |
| Data Residency | EU data centers available | US-centric | Global (provider-dependent) |
| AML Procedures | Yes | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
GPUnex’s security posture stands out. KYB verification for every provider means you know who operates the hardware your workloads run on. Escrow protection means payments are released only after services are delivered. The EU base and GDPR compliance matter for any organization handling European user data or operating under the EU AI Act.
RunPod’s Secure Cloud offers vetted infrastructure, but compliance certifications remain “on track” rather than completed. The Community Cloud tier — where prices are lowest — runs on hardware with minimal vetting.
Vast.ai provides robust security on its Secure Cloud tier (ISO 27001, HIPAA, SOC 1–3 certified facilities), but the standard marketplace tier runs workloads on completely unknown hardware. For sensitive or proprietary work, this is a meaningful risk.
Full Comparison Table
| Feature | GPUnex | RunPod | Vast.ai |
|---|---|---|---|
| H100 Pricing | $1.49–$2.50/hr | $1.99–$2.79/hr | $0.90–$1.87/hr (listed) |
| Effective H100 Cost | ≈ Listed (99.9% SLA) | ≈ Listed (Secure Cloud) | +20–40% (unverified) |
| GPU Count | 2,400+ | Not disclosed | 17,000+ |
| Data Centers | 150+ verified | Not disclosed | 500+ locations |
| Uptime SLA | 99.9% | No formal SLA | None |
| Billing | Per-second | Per-second | Variable |
| Provider Verification | KYB (every provider) | Basic (Secure Cloud) | Optional |
| Compliance | GDPR (EU-based) | SOC 2 (in progress) | ISO 27001 (Secure tier) |
| Payment Security | Escrow protected | Standard | Standard |
| Serverless Inference | No | Yes (autoscaling) | No |
| CI/CD Integration | Limited | Limited | None |
| Monitoring | Real-time dashboard | Basic metrics | Bring your own |
| Support | 24/7 live | Community + email | Community + chat |
| Revenue Participation | Yes (GPU Packages) | No | No |
| Platform Model | 3-sided (Rent + Provide + Invest) | 2-sided (Rent + Provide) | 2-sided (Rent + Provide) |
Which Platform for Which Workload?
GPUnex wins for production workloads, regulated industries, long-running training jobs, and anyone who wants to go beyond renting. The 99.9% uptime SLA, KYB verification, and escrow protection make it the safest choice for business-critical AI operations. The revenue participation model adds a dimension no competitor offers — the ability to earn from GPU infrastructure, not just spend on it. The smaller GPU fleet (2,400 vs. Vast.ai’s 17,000) is a fair trade-off for verified, enterprise-grade hardware.
RunPod wins for serverless inference deployments and rapid prototyping. If you need autoscaling, sub-200ms cold starts, and a polished developer experience, RunPod’s serverless platform is the strongest in the marketplace segment. The Secure Cloud is reliable for production. The Community Cloud is not — treat it as a budget experimentation tier with no uptime guarantees.
Vast.ai wins for short experiments, batch inference, and budget-constrained research where you can tolerate interruptions. If your workload is under 4 hours and you are comfortable managing your own infrastructure, Vast.ai’s raw pricing is unmatched. For anything longer or business-critical, the reliability tax erodes the cost advantage.
The Bottom Line
The GPU marketplace space in 2026 offers a genuine spectrum: from Vast.ai’s rock-bottom pricing with variable reliability, through RunPod’s developer-friendly serverless approach, to GPUnex’s enterprise-grade infrastructure with marketplace economics.
What makes GPUnex remarkable is the combination: marketplace-level pricing, enterprise-level security and compliance, and a revenue participation model that no other platform offers. You can rent H100s at rates that compete with Vast.ai’s verified tier — while knowing every provider is KYB-verified, every transaction is escrow-protected, and your data stays GDPR-compliant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GPUnex better than RunPod?
It depends on your priority. GPUnex offers stronger compliance (GDPR, KYB verification), escrow-protected payments, a 99.9% uptime SLA, and a unique revenue participation model. RunPod offers serverless inference with autoscaling — a feature GPUnex does not yet provide. For production workloads requiring compliance and reliability, GPUnex has the edge. For serverless inference, RunPod is the better fit.
Is Vast.ai safe for production workloads?
Not on unverified hosts. Vast.ai’s standard marketplace runs workloads on hardware with no vetting or uptime guarantees. The Secure Cloud tier (ISO 27001, HIPAA certified) is suitable for production — but at $1.50–$1.87/hr for H100s, it eliminates the pricing advantage over GPUnex and RunPod.
What is the cheapest GPU cloud in 2026?
On listed rates, Vast.ai ($0.90/hr for H100). On effective rates (factoring in reliability), GPUnex and Vast.ai’s verified tier are comparable at $1.49–$1.87/hr. RunPod’s Secure Cloud runs $1.99–$2.79/hr. All three are 3–6x cheaper than hyperscaler on-demand pricing.
Can I earn passive income from GPU cloud platforms?
Only on GPUnex. The platform’s revenue participation model allows users to fund GPU infrastructure deployments and earn daily returns from enterprise rental operations. Every GPU is physically deployed and verified, and revenue comes from actual compute demand — not from new participants. Neither RunPod nor Vast.ai offer anything comparable.
Which GPU cloud is best for startups?
For early-stage startups, the answer depends on stage and workload. Vast.ai is cheapest for experimentation. RunPod is best for building serverless inference products. GPUnex is the strongest choice for startups that need compliance from day one, want the security of escrow-protected transactions, or are interested in the investment side of GPU infrastructure alongside compute rental.
