Side by side
marimo vs Val Town
Both stand on coding playgrounds. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Choose marimo for Python data work or interactive notebooks when reactive execution and Python-file storage suit your workflow. The open-source notebook is free, and molab provides a hosted option with defined compute and session limits. Review code from untrusted sources before running it, since notebook code can execute arbitrary code.
Visit marimo
Choose Val Town if you want a code-based way to build and host automations or internal tools, with a free plan that allows 100,000 runs per day. Look elsewhere if your project needs custom domains or one-minute cron intervals without moving to a paid plan.
Visit Val TownThe facts
| marimo | Val Town | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Extension, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | API, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Pro: $252 a year |
| Plans published | 3 | 4 |
| Maker | marimo | Not published |
| Website | marimo.io | val.town |
| On coding playgrounds | #39 of 138 | #35 of 138 |
marimo: what it does well
- Reactive cells keep dependent code and outputs aligned.
- Python notebooks can be tracked with Git and run as scripts.
- Interactive controls include sliders, dropdowns, tables, and plots.
- SQL supports multiple data backends, including DuckDB and Postgres.
- Notebook AI features support several model providers and compatible APIs.
What to know first
- molab notebooks are public by default.
- molab sessions run for up to 12 hours.
- molab does not save files larger than 1 GB after shutdown for notebooks created after August 26, 2026.
- Running notebook code can execute arbitrary code.
Val Town: what it does well
- Deploy web apps with live URLs and no configuration.
- Vals can create APIs, websites, scheduled jobs, and email workflows.
- Built-in SQLite and blob storage support persisted data.
- Imports work across several package sources and URLs.
- Free plan includes 100,000 runs per day.
What to know first
- Free plan cron jobs run at 15-minute intervals.
- Free plan logs are retained for three days.
- Free plan does not include custom domains.
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