Linode vs Scaleway: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Linode and Scaleway side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Linode leads on higher user rating. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Linode
Cloud computing with simple and predictable pricing
Best for you if:
- • You want affordable VPS hosting
Scaleway
European cloud infrastructure provider
Best for you if:
- • You want european cloud
| At a Glance | Linode | Scaleway |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $5/mo, billed monthly Shared CPU plan | From $1.83/mo, billed yearly STARDUST1 plan |
Category | Hosting & Deployment Cloud & Infrastructure | Hosting & Deployment Cloud & Infrastructure |
Rating | 4.6/5 G2 4.6 · Capterra 4.6 336 reviews | 4.3/5 Capterra 4.5 · G2 4.6 · SourceForge 2.0 132 reviews |
Free plan | No | No |
Watch out for | Overage fees for exceeding bandwidth limits | Managed service add-ons |
Choose Linode or Scaleway?
Choose Linode if
- You want affordable VPS hosting
- You want simple pricing
Choose Scaleway if
- You want european cloud
- You want good pricing
In-Depth Analysis
Linode
Cloud computing with simple and predictable pricing
Linode's pricing is generally fair and competitive, especially for its entry-level Shared CPU tier at $5/month, which offers solid resources for small projects.
Watch out
Overage fees for exceeding bandwidth limits
Strengths
- Pro: Affordable VPS hosting
- Pro: Simple pricing
- Pro: Good performance
- Pro: Akamai backing now
- Pro: Good support
Weaknesses
- Con: Limited managed services
- Con: Smaller ecosystem
- Con: Fewer features than competitors
- Con: Some features still catching up
- Con: Less enterprise adoption
Key features
Scaleway
European cloud infrastructure provider
Scaleway's pricing, particularly with the STARDUST1 at $1.83/month and DEV1-S at $7.99/month, appears very competitive and generous for basic cloud infrastructure.
Watch out
Managed service add-ons
Strengths
- Pro: European cloud
- Pro: Good pricing
- Pro: Good bare metal
- Pro: GDPR compliant
- Pro: Active development
Weaknesses
- Con: Less features than AWS
- Con: Smaller ecosystem
- Con: Documentation gaps
- Con: Support varies
- Con: Learning curve
Key features
Plans and prices: Linode vs Scaleway
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Linode |
| linode.com read Oct 8, 2026 |
| Scaleway |
| scaleway.com/pricing read Oct 7, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Linode pricing and Scaleway pricing.
Key Takeaways
Linode
- Higher user rating: 4.6/5 vs 4.3/5
Scaleway
- Choose if you want european cloud infrastructure provider
What the data shows
On the data below, Linode leads on higher user rating. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Linode has the higher user rating (4.6/5 from 336 reviews for Linode, 4.3/5 from 132 reviews for Scaleway).
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Linode $5/mo, billed monthly; Scaleway $1.83/mo, billed yearly.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Linode and Scaleway compare in 2026?
On the data below, Linode leads on higher user rating. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Linode has the higher user rating (4.6/5 from 336 reviews for Linode, 4.3/5 from 132 reviews for Scaleway). Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Linode $5/mo, billed monthly; Scaleway $1.83/mo, billed yearly.
What are Linode and Scaleway used for?
Linode: Cloud computing with simple and predictable pricing. Scaleway: European cloud infrastructure provider.
What does Linode cost vs Scaleway?
Linode's cheapest paid plan is Shared CPU at $5/mo, billed monthly. Scaleway's cheapest paid plan is STARDUST1 at $1.83/mo, billed yearly. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 8, 2026.
What's the main difference between Linode and Scaleway?
Linode's main strength: affordable VPS hosting. Scaleway's main strength: european cloud.