Comparing RunPod, Vast and owned boxes for all-day Comfy video generation workloads
EducationalGroup7245 · reddit · 2026-11-03
A daily Comfy image-to-video user compares four compute options:
- RunPod: easiest start with abundant Comfy templates; FlashBoot cuts cold starts to 500ms, but hourly billing adds up for all-day use
- Vast: cheapest per hour via a marketplace of independent hosts, though hardware and reliability vary; interruptible instances suit restartable jobs
- B3IQ: you own the box, hosted in Oregon with root access and no meter; idle capacity can be rented out; single-5090 systems available
- Buy and colo yourself (Supermicro): cheaper monthly if you can run hardware, more ops burden
For a few hundred gen-hours a month, renting wins — especially Vast spot. Owning pays off once you run most of the day, and the crossover point drops significantly if idle time earns rental income. Occasional hobby: rent. Continuous pipeline: model the owned options.
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