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Modal vs Particle.AI
Particle.AI sells cheap per-token Flash models with 1M context through Vercel AI Gateway. Modal sells per-second GPUs for models you bring. Tokens on tap versus compute you run.
By The Subconscious Team · Updated
Modal vs Particle.AI: key differences
Particle.AI is an early startup selling tokens. On its own API it serves Particle-1, its own V4.1 Flash tune, and DeepSeek V4.1 Flash at $0.25 in and $1 out, and GLM 5.3 Flash at $0.15 in and $0.50 out, all with 1M context and cache reads at $0.03 per million. Modal sells no tokens. It is serverless GPU compute for Python, billed per second, where teams bring weights and serving code for whatever model they need. Particle is a price, Modal is a platform.
For cheap high-volume calls on those Flash models, Particle is simpler and likely cheaper than self-hosting, and it needs no new contract if you already use Vercel AI Gateway. Its gaps are a tiny catalog, a short track record and about 1.9 seconds to first token on Particle-1 via Vercel AI Gateway. Modal fits the jobs Particle cannot do: custom and fine-tuned models, embeddings, OCR, transcription and batch processing. Its costs climb when containers stay warm or run on non-preemptible capacity.
What Modal and Particle.AI do
Modal
Modal is serverless compute with GPUs attached. A developer decorates a Python function with the hardware it needs, such as gpu="H100", and Modal builds the container, schedules it, autoscales it and scales it back to zero. Billing runs per second with no minimum increment, from $0.59 an hour for a T4 to $3.95 for an H100 at list. Containers can hold up to 8 GPUs across T4 through B300.
Example models: none hosted by default; teams deploy their own, such as open LLMs on vLLM or Whisper
Full Modal profile
Particle.AI
Particle AI is an early San Francisco infrastructure startup with a mission to make intelligence as cheap and abundant as electricity. The team works on post-training, inference optimization and distributed systems, all aimed at pushing down cost per unit of intelligence. It is still hiring its founding team and works fully in person. Mixpanel founder Suhail Doshi started it, with backing from Y Combinator, 8VC, Caffeinated Capital and angels including Patrick Collison, Adam D'Angelo and Aaron Levie.
Example models: Particle-1, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, GLM 5.3 Flash
Full Particle.AI profileShould you choose Modal or Particle.AI?
Modal
Choose Modal for
- Any custom or fine-tuned model on demand.
- Non-LLM GPU jobs like OCR and embeddings.
- Python-native GPU services that scale to zero.
Particle.AI
Choose Particle.AI for
- Cheap Flash-model tokens with 1M context.
- A fallback route inside Vercel AI Gateway.
- High-volume calls with no infrastructure.
Modal vs Particle.AI at a glance
| Attribute | Modal |  Particle.AI |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Bring your own weights | Open weights plus its own Particle-1 tune |
| Flagship models | None hosted | Particle-1, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, GLM 5.3 Flash |
| Speed | ~1s container boot | ~110 tok/s on Particle-1 (Vercel AI Gateway) |
| Price | Per second; H100 $3.95/hr list | $0.15 in, $0.50 out (GLM 5.3 Flash); $0.25 in, $1 out (Particle-1) |
| Customization | Run any training code | Unknown |
| Deployment | Serverless GPU containers | Serverless API, Vercel AI Gateway |
| Long context | Depends on the model you deploy | 1M |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Modal and Particle.AI?
Particle.AI sells cheap per-token Flash models with 1M context through Vercel AI Gateway. Modal sells per-second GPUs for models you bring. Tokens on tap versus compute you run.
When should I choose Modal over Particle.AI?
Any custom or fine-tuned model on demand; Non-LLM GPU jobs like OCR and embeddings; Python-native GPU services that scale to zero.
When should I choose Particle.AI over Modal?
Cheap Flash-model tokens with 1M context; A fallback route inside Vercel AI Gateway; High-volume calls with no infrastructure.
Is Modal or Particle.AI cheaper?
Modal: Per second; H100 $3.95/hr list. Particle.AI: $0.15 in, $0.50 out (GLM 5.3 Flash); $0.25 in, $1 out (Particle-1). The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.
Which has more context, Modal or Particle.AI?
Modal: Depends on the model you deploy. Particle.AI: 1M.
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