Spacelift vs Terragrunt: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Spacelift and Terragrunt 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.
Bottom line: Terragrunt wins this matchup. Our overall Infrastructure as Code pick is Puppet. Our free Infrastructure as Code pick is AWS CDK. Pick Spacelift if you need DevOps.
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 DevOps 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.
Terragrunt
Terraform wrapper for DRY configurations
Best for you if:
- • You need something completely free
- • You need infrastructure as code features specifically
- • Terragrunt is a thin wrapper for Terraform that keeps configurations DRY
- • It manages multiple Terraform modules with reduced duplication
| At a Glance |  Spacelift |  Terragrunt |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | FreeFree tier available | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | DevOps | Infrastructure as Code |
Rating | - | 4.8/5 |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Choose Spacelift or Terragrunt?
Choose Spacelift if
The IaC Orchestration Platform Engineers Trust for secure, cost-effective, and high-performance infrastructure.
- IaC management
- Good for Terraform
- Policy engine
- Your work is DevOps-shaped, not infrastructure as code-shaped
Choose Terragrunt if
Terraform wrapper for DRY configurations
- Terraform wrapper
- DRY Terraform
- Good for modules
- You want a fully free tool (Spacelift requires payment)
- Your work is infrastructure as code-shaped, not DevOps-shaped
| Feature | Spacelift | Terragrunt |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Free |
| User Rating | No ratings yet | ★4.8/5 49 reviews |
| Categories | DevOpsCloud & Infrastructure | Infrastructure as CodeDevOps |
In-Depth Analysis
Spacelift
The IaC Orchestration Platform Engineers Trust for secure, cost-effective, and high-performance infrastructure.
Spacelift's pricing starts with a generous Free tier, but the jump to $399/month for Starter is quite steep for small teams, especially considering the limited worker count.
Strengths
- +IaC management
- +Good for Terraform
- +Policy engine
- +Active development
- +Good features
Weaknesses
- -Expensive
- -Learning curve
- -Per-run pricing
- -Complex platform
- -TFC alternative
Key features
Terragrunt
Terraform wrapper for DRY configurations
The pricing for Terragrunt is exceptionally fair and generous, especially with its robust open-source offering and a free 'Scale Free' tier.
Strengths
- +Terraform wrapper
- +DRY Terraform
- +Good for modules
- +Active development
- +Open source
Weaknesses
- -Learning curve
- -Added complexity
- -Terraform native catching up
- -Documentation gaps
- -Debugging harder
Key features
Pricing: Spacelift vs Terragrunt
| Plan | Spacelift | Terragrunt |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free Free | Free Open Source |
| Tier 2 | $399 month Starter | Free Terragrunt Scale Free |
| Tier 3 | custom Business | Custom Terragrunt Scale Team |
| Tier 4 | custom Enterprise | N/A |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Spacelift pricing and Terragrunt pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Terragrunt is free. Spacelift is freemium.
Go with: Terragrunt
Want the highest-rated option?
Terragrunt is rated 4.8/5. Spacelift has no ratings yet.
Go with: Terragrunt
Value user reviews?
Spacelift: no ratings yet. Terragrunt: 49 reviews (4.8/5).
Go with: Terragrunt
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Spacelift is freemium. Terragrunt is free. Go with Terragrunt if free matters most.
What's your use case?
Spacelift is a DevOps tool. Terragrunt is in infrastructure as code. Pick the category that matches your needs.
How important are ratings?
Terragrunt is rated 4.8/5; Spacelift has no ratings yet.
Key Takeaways
Terragrunt
- Completely free
- Our pick for this comparison
Spacelift
- Better fit for DevOps
The Bottom Line
Terragrunt wins this matchup. Our overall Infrastructure as Code pick is Puppet. Our free Infrastructure as Code pick is AWS CDK.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spacelift or Terragrunt better?
Terragrunt is rated in our evaluation. Spacelift is freemium and Terragrunt is free.
What are Spacelift and Terragrunt used for?
Spacelift: The IaC Orchestration Platform Engineers Trust for secure, cost-effective, and high-performance infrastructure.. Terragrunt: Terraform wrapper for DRY configurations.
What does Spacelift cost vs Terragrunt?
Spacelift is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Terragrunt is completely free. Visit their websites for detailed pricing.