Equinix Metal (formerly Packet) vs Hivelocity
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Equinix Metal provides automated, on‑demand bare metal infrastructure that can be deployed in seconds across global data centers. It combines the performance of dedicated hardware with the flexibility of cloud APIs, allowing developers to run any workload without virtualization overhead. The platform integrates with major cloud providers and orchestration tools, offering programmable networking, IPMI access, and a pay‑as‑you‑go pricing model. It is ideal for latency‑sensitive applications, high‑performance computing, and workloads that require full control over the hardware stack.
Hivelocity is a hosting provider that specializes in bare-metal dedicated servers and colocation hosting. Their services cater to businesses and organizations that require high-performance, customizable, and secure hosting solutions.
- True bare metal performance without hypervisor overhead
- Global data center footprint for low latency
- Extensive API and IaC support
- Pay‑as‑you‑go pricing with per‑hour billing
- High-performance hosting solutions
- Customizable and scalable hosting options
- Secure and reliable data center space
- 24/7 support team
- Higher cost compared to shared cloud VMs for small workloads
- Limited managed services; requires more ops expertise
- No free tier for long‑term testing
- No free trial or free tier available
- Limited availability of data center locations
- No managed hosting options available
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataBoth offer enterprise‑grade bare‑metal with 99.99% SLA, but Hivelocity is a traditional subscription with limited regions, while Equinix Metal provides on‑demand, API‑driven provisioning across a broader global footprint.
Key differences
- •Provisioning speed: Equinix Metal provisions servers in seconds via API; Hivelocity requires manual ordering.
- •Geographic coverage: Equinix Metal spans >30 locations in US, Canada, EU, APAC; Hivelocity only US and EU.
- •Pricing model: Equinix Metal uses per‑hour pay‑as‑you‑go; Hivelocity uses fixed subscription (no detail).
- •Automation support: Equinix Metal offers REST/Terraform, Prometheus, BGP; Hivelocity lists no API or IaC features.
- •Managed services: Neither offers managed hosting, but Hivelocity lacks any managed option entirely.
Pricing & value
Equinix Metal bills per hour, enabling pay‑as‑you‑go; Hivelocity uses a fixed subscription with no disclosed rates.
Uptime & reliability
Both guarantee 99.99% SLA.
Performance
Both provide enterprise‑grade bare‑metal hardware; no performance metrics differ in the facts.
Developer experience
Equinix Metal offers API, Terraform, Prometheus exporters; Hivelocity lists no automation tools.
Regions & compliance
Equinix Metal covers US, Canada, EU, APAC (>30 sites); Hivelocity limited to US and EU.
Support
Hivelocity explicitly provides 24/7 support; Equinix Metal support details not specified.
Lock‑in
Equinix Metal’s hourly billing reduces long‑term commitment; Hivelocity’s subscription may lock customers in.
Choose Equinix Metal (formerly Packet) if…
Developers or businesses that want rapid, automated provisioning, global reach, and pay‑as‑you‑go pricing.
Choose Hivelocity if…
Enterprises needing 24/7 human support and willing to commit to a subscription, with data centers only in US/EU.
Common questions
Is there a free trial or tier for testing?
No; both products state "Free Tier: No".
Can I automate server deployment?
Yes with Equinix Metal via REST API, Terraform, and IaC tools; Hivelocity does not list automation capabilities.
What regions are available for deployment?
Equinix Metal offers US, Canada, EU, and APAC locations (>30 sites); Hivelocity offers only US and EU.