Comparisons · Google Cloud Run
DenkOps vs Google Cloud Run.
Cloud Run runs any container, scales to zero and bills per second, with Google's own guide for hosting MCP servers. DenkOps runs Bun and Python projects in always-on slots with a durable disk and OAuth sign-in for MCP users. Here is the comparison.
Free: 1 project, no credit card. 5 project slots €39/month, €5 per extra slot.
Side by side
| Spec | DenkOps | Google Cloud Run |
|---|---|---|
| Process model | Always-on slot, no cold start | Scales to zero; cold starts unless you pay for min instances |
| Request timeout | No per-request limit | 5 min default, up to 60 min |
| Filesystem | Durable /persist disk | In-memory, lost when the instance stops |
| Languages | Bun (TypeScript/JS), Python | Any container; source deploys for Node.js and Python |
| MCP auth | OAuth sign-in for Claude/ChatGPT users built in | IAM invoker, OIDC tokens or IAP; OAuth is yours to build |
| Scheduled jobs | Managed cron in denkops.json | Cloud Scheduler, separate product (3 jobs free per billing account) |
| EU regions | Managed EU infrastructure | Choose an EU region per service |
| Pricing | 1 project free; 5 slots €39/month, €5 per extra slot | Free monthly tier, then per vCPU-second, GiB-second and request |
| Setup | Agent says deploy; no cloud project or IAM | Google Cloud project, billing account, IAM roles |
Facts about Google Cloud Run come from its official documentation, checked November 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom of this page.
Which one fits
- You want an MCP server that claude.ai or ChatGPT users sign in to, without wiring IAM and OAuth
- Your server keeps state on disk or runs jobs longer than an hour
- You do not want to manage a Google Cloud project, billing alerts and IAM roles
- You already run on Google Cloud and want IAM, VPC and Cloud SQL next to your service
- Your traffic is bursty and scale to zero saves real money
- You need a language or binary outside Bun and Python
FAQ
Can Cloud Run host an MCP server?
Yes. Google documents hosting Streamable HTTP MCP servers on Cloud Run, authenticated with IAM, OIDC tokens or IAP. Public OAuth sign-in for assistant users is something you add yourself.
Does Cloud Run keep files between requests?
No. The container filesystem is in memory and disappears when the instance stops; durable state goes to services like Cloud SQL or Firestore. Every DenkOps slot has a durable /persist disk.
Which is cheaper?
Cloud Run's free tier and per-second billing are very cheap for low, bursty traffic. If you keep min instances warm or need a disk and scheduler, a flat DenkOps slot is easier to predict.