Spacelift vs Pulumi: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
Choosing between Spacelift and Pulumi comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
By Toolradar Team · Last updated February 28, 2026 · Methodology
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Spacelift
The IaC Orchestration Platform Engineers Trust for secure, cost-effective, and high-performance infrastructure.
Best for you if:
- • You need automation features specifically
- • Orchestrates IaC tools like Terraform, OpenTofu, and Ansible for automated infrastructure provisioning and configuration.
- • Provides robust governance, policy enforcement, and drift detection for secure and compliant infrastructure management.
Pulumi
Infrastructure as code in any language
Best for you if:
- • You want the higher-rated option (8.5/10 vs 7.2/10)
- • You need hosting & deployment features specifically
- • Pulumi is an infrastructure as code platform using general-purpose languages
- • It manages cloud resources with TypeScript, Python, Go, and other languages
| At a Glance |  Spacelift | |
|---|---|---|
Price | Free + Paid | Free + Paid |
Best For | Automation | Hosting & Deployment |
Rating | 72/100 | 85/100 |
| Feature | Spacelift | Pulumi |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Editorial Score | 72 | 85 |
| Community Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Total Reviews | 0 | 0 |
| Community Upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Categories | AutomationCI/CD | Hosting & DeploymentAutomation |
How Spacelift and Pulumi Compare
Spacelift
The IaC Orchestration Platform Engineers Trust for secure, cost-effective, and high-performance infrastructure.
Free tier available · 72/100 score
Pulumi
Infrastructure as code in any language
Free tier available · 85/100 score
Spacelift is a automation tool. Pulumi is in hosting & deployment.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Both are freemium. Compare plans on their websites.
Go with: Spacelift
Want the highest-rated option?
Spacelift: 72/100. Pulumi: 85/100.
Go with: Pulumi
Value user reviews?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Go with: Pulumi
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Both are freemium. Pricing won't help you decide here.
What's your use case?
Spacelift is a automation tool. Pulumi is in hosting & deployment. Pick the category that matches your needs.
How important are ratings?
Pulumi scores higher: 85/100 vs 72/100.
Key Takeaways
Pulumi
- Higher score: 85/100 vs 72
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Spacelift
- Better fit for automation
The Bottom Line
Pulumi (85/100) is our pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spacelift or Pulumi better?
Pulumi scores 85/100 in our evaluation. Both are freemium.
What are Spacelift and Pulumi used for?
Spacelift: The IaC Orchestration Platform Engineers Trust for secure, cost-effective, and high-performance infrastructure.. Pulumi: Infrastructure as code in any language.
What does Spacelift cost vs Pulumi?
Spacelift is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Pulumi is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.