Modal
Small (~110)
Vast AI
Small (~30)
Best For
Modal
Best for: Systems engineers who want to build developer-loved cloud infrastructure with elite teammates
Vast AI
Best for: Scrappy generalists who want a front-row seat to the AI compute revolution
Ratings
ModalVast AI
4.0
5.0
Overall
3.8
3.8
Work-Life Balance
4.2
5.0
Culture & Values
3.8
5.0
Comp & Benefits
4.0
5.0
Senior Mgmt
3.5
5.0
Career Opps
👍 82% Recommend
👤 88% CEO Approval (Erik Bernhardsson)
👍 100% Recommend
👤 100% CEO Approval (Jake Cannell)
Culture Values
Modal only
🎧 Deep Work / Low Meetings🔓 Open Source🎯 Direct Product Impact
Vast AI only
🤝 Flat Hierarchy💎 Strong Comp & Equity
Shared
⚙️ Engineering-Driven🚀 Ship Fast & Iterate🧩 Wears Many Hats
Pros & Cons
Modal
- World-class engineering team — includes creators of Luigi, Seaborn, and olympiad medalists
- High-impact product with 50x revenue growth — developers widely praise the platform
- Early-stage startup dynamics — roles shift quickly, requires high self-direction
- Limited HR infrastructure — benefits and career ladders still being developed
Vast AI
- Front-row seat to the AI compute revolution — demand for GPU cloud is surging
- Strong compensation and generous equity stakes for a bootstrapped startup
- Processes are still being defined — expect ad hoc workflows
- Intense workload — the team explicitly values high output
Bottom Line
Modal
Choose Modal if you want world-class engineering peers and 50x revenue growth — but expect early-stage startup dynamics.
Vast AI
Choose Vast AI if you want perfect Glassdoor scores and generous equity at a tiny GPU marketplace — but expect startup chaos.
Open Roles
Modal — 28 jobs
💻 Engineering
14
📣 Marketing
3
💼 Sales / GTM
3
🧠 ML / AI
2
⚙️ Operations
2
💰 Finance
1
Vast AI — 9 jobs
💻 Engineering
6
🧠 ML / AI
2
Summary
Modal scores 4.0/5.0 on Glassdoor with a 3.8 work-life balance rating. Vast AI scores 5.0/5.0 overall with a 3.8 WLB. That’s a 1.0-point gap on overall satisfaction.
Both companies share these culture values: Engineering-Driven, Ship Fast & Iterate, Wears Many Hats. Modal also emphasizes Deep Work / Low Meetings, Open Source, Direct Product Impact. Vast AI also emphasizes Flat Hierarchy, Strong Comp & Equity.
On the hiring front, Modal has 28 open roles and Vast AI has 9 open roles.