What it is
Replicate is a platform for running AI models through a cloud API. Its docs say you can "run AI models with a cloud API, without having to understand machine learning or manage your own infrastructure," whether you use published models, fine-tune on your own data, or deploy custom models1.
My plan
Replicate bills by usage, and its pricing page lists no monthly plan, so there's no flat monthly price to add up. As of November 5, 2026, most public models are billed by run time at a per-second rate set by the hardware, and some are billed per unit instead2. Examples from the page:
| Model or hardware | Price |
|---|---|
| flux-1.1-pro | $0.04 per output image2 |
| flux-dev | $0.025 per output image2 |
| wan-2.1-i2v-480p | $0.09 per second of output video2 |
| wan-2.1-i2v-720p | $0.25 per second of output video2 |
| T4 GPU | $0.81 per hour2 |
| H100 GPU | $5.49 per hour2 |
Private models are different: you pay for all the time instances are online, including setup and idle time2.
What it's good at
The docs' examples span image generation with Stable Diffusion, FLUX fine-tuning, AI upscaling, stylized video, and audio1. You can call models from Node.js or Python, or over an HTTP API, with streaming output and webhooks that tell your app when a prediction finishes1. Replicate's stated strength is that you don't need machine learning expertise or your own infrastructure1.
The limits are cost and capacity. Run time is metered, private models bill for idle time, and multi-GPU setups cost more, with extra capacity for some of them requiring committed-spend contracts2. The docs link to pages on rate limits and data retention, but the overview itself doesn't give numbers1.
What I use it for
Running open image, video, and audio models through an API.
The company
Replicate is owned by Cloudflare. Cloudflare announced on November 17, 2025, that it had agreed to acquire Replicate, naming Ben Firshman as its co-founder and CEO, and didn't disclose financial terms in the announcement3. Replicate's own post, "Replicate is joining Cloudflare," said it would keep operating as its own brand and that "The API isn't changing"4. Cloudflare's 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, says it acquired all the outstanding shares of Replicate on December 1, 2025, for total purchase cash consideration of $57.4 million5. Replicate grew out of Cog, an open-source tool for defining models4.
I couldn't confirm Replicate's founding year, full founder list, or headquarters from a page I could open, so I'm leaving them out.
Sign up
Sources
- Documentation. Replicate, dated November 5, 2026.DocumentationRead
What it says: Replicate lets you "run AI models with a cloud API, without having to understand machine learning or manage your own infrastructure." Examples cover image, video, and audio; Node.js and Python clients, HTTP API, streaming, webhooks. Links to rate limit and data retention pages without numbers. Undated, checked today.
- Pricing. Replicate, checked November 5, 2026.Vendor pageRead
What it says: Most public models bill by run time at a per-second hardware rate; some bill per unit (flux-1.1-pro $0.04 per image, flux-dev $0.025, wan-2.1-i2v-480p $0.09 per second, wan-2.1-i2v-720p $0.25 per second). T4 $0.81 an hour, H100 $5.49 an hour. Private models bill for all online time including idle.
- Cloudflare to Acquire Replicate to Build the Most Seamless AI Cloud for Developers. Cloudflare, dated November 17, 2025.Press releaseRead
What it says: Cloudflare agreed to acquire Replicate; Ben Firshman is named co-founder and CEO; financial terms not disclosed; expected to close within two months.
- Replicate is joining Cloudflare. Replicate, dated November 17, 2025.ArticleRead
What it says: Replicate will keep operating as its own brand; "The API isn't changing." Replicate grew out of Cog, an open-source tool for defining models.
- Cloudflare, Inc. Form 10-Q (quarter ended March 31, 2026). SEC EDGAR (Cloudflare, Inc.), dated March 31, 2026.Regulatory filingRead
What it says: "On December 1, 2025, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of Replicate" for total purchase cash consideration of $57.4 million. Date shown is the period end; the filing date was not on the page I read.