Shadow review
Updated September 29, 2026 · DeployCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 28, 2026
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Our verdict
Shadow suits developers and small teams seeking simple hourly GPU access with trial credit, billed by the minute with egress marked as Included. Entry starts at €0.29 for workstation cards, across locations noted at 6. Support is help center led, which suits self directed users comfortable without live chat.
Key facts
- Best for
- Hourly workstation GPU with minute billing and trial credit
- GPU models
- RTX 2000 Ada, RTX A4500↗
- GPU hour from
- €0.29↗
- Billing granularity
- Per minute↗
- Egress fee
- Included↗
- Free credits
- 100 hours↗
- Locations
- 6↗
- Legal entity
- SHADOW SAS↗
- Headquarters
- France↗
- Founded
- 2015↗
- Support channels
- Help-centre↗
- Pricing model
- Hourly billing, Free tier
- Official website
- shadow.tech
Facts checked September 28, 2026, 5 sources
Apps and profiles
Pros and cons
Pros
- Entry GPU time at €0.29 with per minute billing keeps short runs economical
- Trial credit at 100 hours allows evaluation before paid use
- Egress listed as Included simplifies budgeting for output heavy projects
Cons
- Card choice stays narrow at RTX 2000 Ada and RTX A4500, limiting fit for teams needing varied accelerators
- Support runs on help centre only, without live chat or phone paths
- Plans center on hourly and free tier terms, with limited appeal for monthly commitments
Ready to try Shadow?
Scored 9.1 / 10 by DeployCue.
Who it suits
- Design and rendering teams using workstation cards on hourly terms
- Developers trialling GPU workflows before scaling spend
- Users seeking minute billing and included egress for clearer budgets
Who should look elsewhere
- Heavy training teams needing flagship accelerators may prefer Clore.ai for broader high end coverage
- Shoppers seeking wide consumer card choice may prefer Nosana for catalog depth
What it does well
Shadow keeps the GPU offer focused, listing workstation cards at RTX 2000 Ada and RTX A4500 for design, rendering and light training tasks. The tight catalog keeps choice clear for teams that know the card they need. Availability spans locations noted at 6, giving scope for latency aware placement while staying within a curated footprint.
Who runs it
Shadow is operated by SHADOW SAS, based in France, founded in 2015. The background points to a consumer cloud operator extending toward GPU instances. Help is organized around help centre, which suits users comfortable with self serve docs and tickets rather than live calls.
How Shadow compares
Shadow vs RunPod9.1 vs 9.5
Shadow vs ScalaHosting9.1 vs 8.3
Shadow vs Contabo9.1 vs 9.2
Shadow vs Kamatera9.1 vs 9.5
Shadow vs Cloudways9.1 vs 9.2
Shadow vs PlanetHoster9.1 vs 8.7
Shadow vs Acronis9.1 vs 9.9
Shadow vs Aruba9.1 vs 9.3
Shadow vs Decodo9.1 vs 9.1
Shadow vs Hostinger9.1 vs 9.1
Shadow vs MarsProxies9.1 vs 9.0
Shadow vs hide.me9.1 vs 8.7
Shadow vs Proton Drive9.1 vs 8.3
Where Shadow is available
- Available
- Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 28, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Which GPU models can users rent?+
Shadow lists workstation cards noted at RTX 2000 Ada and RTX A4500. The focus suits visual work, rendering and mainstream compute rather than broad accelerator choice. Users should confirm card availability at checkout, as catalog scope stays narrow compared with marketplaces that carry wider lineups.
What is the entry GPU rate?+
Entry GPU time starts at €0.29 under hourly and free tier terms. Rates vary by card and region, so the cited figure marks the floor rather than a fixed quote. Hourly access suits burst work and testing, with spend scaling to active time rather than long term commitment.
How does Shadow bill GPU time?+
Usage bills at per minute granularity, so short sessions accrue credit for minutes used rather than full hours. The approach helps control spend on tests, renders and iterative runs. Users should still monitor active time, as idle sessions continue to accrue until stopped.
Does Shadow include trial credit?+
Accounts can access trial credit noted at 100 hours under hourly and free tier terms. The allowance supports evaluation of performance and workflow fit before paid use. Terms and eligibility may apply by region and card, so users should review account notices for current allowance details.
Are egress fees charged?+
Egress is listed as Included, which keeps data transfer budgeting simple for output heavy work. Users moving large renders or result sets avoid a separate per unit transfer line. Card time remains the spend driver, so attention should stay on active GPU minutes.
Who operates Shadow and how is help provided?+
Shadow is operated by SHADOW SAS based in France and founded in 2015. Help is provided through help centre. The setup suits self directed troubleshooting with docs and tickets, so teams needing live calls should plan workflows around async responses.
Sources
- gpu-instances.shadow.tech/en checked September 28, 2026
Backs: Billing granularity, Free credits, GPU hour from, GPU models, Locations, Pricing model
“Pay-as-you-go : per-minute billing”
- shadow.tech/eu/about-us checked September 28, 2026
Backs: Founded
“After the creation of the company in 2015”
- shadow.tech/eu/legal-notice checked September 28, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity
“registered office located at 42 avenue de la Porte de Clichy 75017 Paris, France”
- shadow.tech/eu/shadowpc/offers checked September 28, 2026
Backs: Egress fee
“Included 1 Gbps ultra-fast bandwidth”
- support.shadow.tech/hc/en-us checked September 28, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Shadow Help Center home page”
Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 28, 2026. We did not open an account.