Looking for a Runpod alternative?
If you are comparing GPU clouds, here is how Lium works, so you can compare it with what you use today. Lium is a marketplace: independent providers list GPU machines at their own prices, and you rent pods on them by the second.
From nothing to a running pod in a terminal
pip install lium.io lium signup --email you@example.com lium ls --gpu RTX4090 lium up <node-id> --ttl 2h
How Lium works
Pods are containers on a provider’s machine, with SSH access and the template or Docker image you choose. Each pod has an hourly price and is billed per second with no minimum rental period.
Nodes come in two tiers: secure nodes, and spot nodes that can be reclaimed. lium ls --tier filters by tier.
Live prices and availability for every GPU model are public at lium.io/pricing, with one page per model.
Built for scripts and agents
Everything the dashboard does can be done from the lium CLI, the Python SDK or the REST API, including signup and API keys. Commands answer in JSON, and a rent can carry a time limit after which the pod removes itself.
The Python SDK can also run a single function on a rented GPU with the @lium.machine decorator, and remove the pod afterwards.
Moving a workload
Pods start from Docker images, so an image you already use elsewhere can run on Lium with lium up --image. Data moves with lium scp or lium rsync over the pod’s SSH connection.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lium cheaper than other GPU clouds?
Prices are set by each provider and change with supply, so compare the live price on lium.io/pricing for the GPU you need with what you pay today. This page does not quote other providers’ prices.
How is a pod billed?
Every pod has an hourly price and is billed per second, with no minimum rental period. Billing stops when the pod is removed. A pod rented with --ttl removes itself when the time is up.
Can an AI agent do this without a browser?
Yes. Signup, API keys, renting, running commands and removal all work from the CLI or the REST API with no browser and no e-mail confirmation. docs.lium.io/developers/agents is the one-page guide.
For AI agents — CLI install, agent skill, headless signup: llms-full.txt