What should I use for a simple hosted API for my model?

If you want a simple hosted API for your model, the best choice depends on whether you want maximum simplicity, low cost, or more control. Here are the most common good options:

Easiest options

• Hugging Face Inference Endpoints
  Great if your model is already on Hugging Face or can be deployed there. Simple deployment, managed hosting, scaling, and an API out of the box.

• Replicate
  Very easy to get a model online as an API with minimal setup. Good for quick demos and smaller production use.

• Modal
  Nice if you want to deploy Python code and a model with very little DevOps. Good for custom inference logic.

If you want something more production-oriented

• AWS SageMaker Endpoint
  Powerful, but more setup and more complexity.
• Google Vertex AI
  Similar: solid managed hosting, but heavier than the “simple” options.
• Azure ML Online Endpoints
  Also robust, but not the simplest.

If you want the simplest possible self-hosted route

• FastAPI + Docker on Render / Fly.io / Railway / Cloud Run If your model is small or can run on CPU, this is often the simplest “real API” setup:
  • wrap inference in FastAPI
  • containerize it
  • deploy to a platform that handles hosting

My recommendation

• For quickest setup: Replicate or Hugging Face Inference Endpoints
• For custom Python inference: Modal
• For lightweight self-hosted API: FastAPI on Cloud Run or Render

If you tell me:

1. what model you’re using,
2. whether it needs GPU,
3. expected traffic,
4. and whether you want cheapest or easiest,

I can recommend one specific stack.