Modal by Modal

# Fix list: Modal

From Anchor Terminal's listing at https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/modal, the October 2026 research run, assessed 1 October 2026. Grade B, 63.8 out of 100.

This is everything the published grade says the listing lacks, the biggest possible gain to the total first. It comes from the reason given for each score, the checklist each category was scored against (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist), the provenance checks, the deductions, what we couldn't check and what the review panel asked for. A fix counts at the next check, once it's public.

For a coding agent working on Modal: work through the items below in the product, its docs and its public pages. Each category gives the reason for its score, with the points each checklist item earned, and the checklist itself, so the gap is the items that earned less than their points. Change the product, not the wording, and keep a note of what you changed and where it's published.

## 1. Payments & pricing, 30 out of 100, up to 8.8 more on the total

Why it scored 30: No machine payment protocol (0). Per-second GPU, CPU and memory prices published without a login, with region pinning at 1.15 to 1.75 times base (20). $30 of compute every month on Starter; the pricing page doesn't say whether a card is needed (10 of 20). Signup is a browser flow (0).

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-payments):

The published rubric, also on the [x402 page](https://www.anchorterminal.com/x402/).

- 40, a machine payment protocol (x402, MPP or L402) on the tool's own endpoints. 10 to 30 when it covers only some endpoints or only goes through a third party, and the note says which.
- 20, per-call or per-unit pricing published without a login. 10 for public plan-only pricing, 0 for "contact sales" or prices behind a login.
- 20, a free tier or trial that doesn't need a card.
- 20, autonomous onboarding, meaning an agent can get access without a person signing up in a browser (keyless use, x402, a programmatic key API).

Payment platforms and agent wallets rarely charge for their own API over a machine protocol, so the first line has steps for them, and the highest one that applies counts. 40 when x402, MPP or L402 runs on all their own endpoints, 30 when it runs on part of their own API, 25 when their merchants can accept one, 20 for running a facilitator, 15 for paying as a buyer, and 0 when the only protocol is their own. Merchant acceptance sits above a facilitator because the platform's own customers can charge agents through it, while a facilitator settles for sellers who wire up the protocol themselves. The counter-argument (a facilitator does more for the protocol as a whole) has a point. Each note says which step applied.

Open-source software you run yourself is scored on its hosted or paid option if it has one. A free, self-hosted package with nothing to buy gets 20, 20 and 20 for the last three lines, and 0 to 40 for the first only if it ships a payment protocol.

## 2. Agent ergonomics, 57 out of 100, up to 7 more on the total

Why it scored 57: No MCP server or REST list endpoints to size; the CLI's `modal app list` and `modal function stats` are compact (10). Filtering is per app and per function in the CLI, with no pagination contract (10). Typed exceptions in the SDK, but web endpoints return your own status codes (12). `.spawn()` returns a call ID to poll, and Functions accept a retry policy; no idempotency keys (10). Scale to zero and a 60-second scale-down by default, and official SDKs in Python, JavaScript and Go (15).

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-ergonomics):

- 0 to 25, context cost. For MCP, the number and size of the tool definitions (25 for ten or fewer compact tools, 15 for 11 to 30, 5 for more than 30, plus up to 10 back for toolsets, dynamic loading or read-only subsets). For APIs, whether responses can be sized (field selection, limits, summaries).
- 20, pagination, filtering and output-size controls.
- 20, actionable, documented error responses, codes and messages an agent can recover from.
- 20, idempotency or safe retries, and for MCP the `readOnlyHint` and `destructiveHint` annotations.
- 15, sensible defaults, few required parameters, and official SDKs in at least two languages.

Models are read for tool use, structured output, prompt caching, context length, batch and SDKs. Frameworks for how much code and how many defaults a tool-calling agent with MCP needs.

## 3. Reliability, 70 out of 100, up to 6 more on the total

Why it scored 70: Status page at status.modal.com with per-component history and RSS (20). Four incidents from July to September 2026, all short or partial. Dashboard and Sandboxes out for 14 minutes on 16 September, elevated errors on Volume reads for about two hours on 4 September (marked degraded), function latency for 11 minutes on 26 August and slow `.spawn()` calls for about 15 minutes on 19 August (20). Web endpoints are rate limited to 200 requests a second with a 5-second burst, and plans cap concurrent GPUs at 10 (Starter) and 50 (Team) (15). We found no Retry-After or 429 guidance for web endpoints; Functions take a documented retry policy, which we didn't re-read this run (5 of 15). No SLA on the pricing page (0). Functions, web endpoints and Servers are GA (10).

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-reliability):

Hosted APIs, MCP servers, models and platforms.

- 20, a public status page with component history (Statuspage, Instatus, BetterStack or the vendor's own).
- 0 to 30, the incident record for the last 90 days on that page. 30 for a clean record or trivial incidents only, 20 for minor incidents only, 10 for one major outage (an hour or more of a core API down, or errors across the board), 0 for several. 5 when there's no history we could read, and the note says so.
- 15, rate limits documented with numbers.
- 15, documented 429 or overload handling (Retry-After, backoff guidance), and idempotency keys or safe-retry guidance where writes are involved.
- 10, an SLA published for any paid tier.
- 10, the surface agents use is generally available, not beta or preview.

Local packages, SDKs, frameworks and stdio MCP servers.

- 20, installs from an official package with supported runtimes stated.
- 25, a public CI and test suite, passing on the default branch.
- 0 to 25, open crash or regression issues relative to activity (25 for few and handled, 0 for many, old and unanswered).
- 15, semver discipline and breaking changes called out in a changelog.
- 15, version 1.0 or later, or declared stable.

Protocols are read from their reference implementations, the public facilitators or servers, spec stability and test vectors.

## 4. Security & auth, 68 out of 100, up to 5.6 more on the total

Why it scored 68: Token ID and secret pairs from `modal token new`, revocable and able to carry a TTL, plus invoke-only proxy tokens for web endpoints and Servers; no scopes on the main token (25). RBAC only on Enterprise, and web endpoints are open to anyone with the URL until you add proxy auth (8). Runs your own code and returns its output (10). Audit logs only on Enterprise (10). Disclosure to security@modal.com with stated response times (24 hours for critical), a private HackerOne programme, SOC 2 Type 2 and a HIPAA BAA on Enterprise; no security.txt (15).

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-security):

- 0 to 30, the credential model. 30 for OAuth 2.1 with scopes, or scoped and revocable keys with rotation. 20 for plain revocable API keys. 10 for one all-powerful key. 10 off when a secret can travel in a URL query string as a documented option.
- 0 to 20, read-only or least-privilege modes, and confirmation or approval for destructive actions.
- 0 to 15, prompt-injection posture where the tool returns untrusted content (documented mitigations or guidance). A tool that returns no untrusted content gets 10.
- 0 to 15, audit logs or per-call visibility for the operator.
- 0 to 20, a security programme. security.txt or a disclosure policy, a bug bounty, SOC 2 or ISO 27001, advisories handled in public.

Models are read for retention, whether API data trains models (and whether that's off by default), zero-retention options and certifications. Frameworks for telemetry defaults, approval hooks, guardrails and sandboxing.

## 5. Schema & documentation, 70 out of 100, up to 4.9 more on the total

Why it scored 70: No HTTP API for deploying, so no OpenAPI; the contract is the typed Python SDK with a generated reference (10 of 25). llms.txt at modal.com/llms.txt (10). Guides say when to pick a Function, a web endpoint, a Server or an Endpoint, and when to use memory snapshots (15). Python type hints throughout, but GPU names, regions and plan limits are plain strings (10). Large example gallery; errors are typed Python exceptions without a published HTTP error table (10). Dated SDK release notes (15).

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-schema):

APIs and MCP servers.

- 25, a machine-readable contract (a public OpenAPI file or similar; for MCP, typed JSON Schema inputs on every tool).
- 10, llms.txt or Markdown docs served for agents.
- 0 to 20, descriptions that say what a tool is for, when to use it and when not to, read from the tool definitions in the source or the API reference.
- 0 to 15, typed inputs with enums, constraints and required fields, and no free-form JSON blobs.
- 0 to 15, examples and documented error responses.
- 15, versioning and a public changelog.

Models are read from the API reference, the OpenAPI file, llms.txt, the structured-output and tool-use docs and the model cards. Frameworks from docs a model can follow, typed interfaces, examples and the API reference.

## 6. Transparency & trust, 69 out of 100, up to 2.7 more on the total

Made of editorial 63, provenance 75.

Why it scored 69: Closed service; the Python client is Apache-2.0 (20). Retention is spelled out on the security page. Function inputs and outputs are kept up to 7 days, logs 1 day on Starter and 30 on Team, memory snapshots 7 days, and volumes and images until you delete them (25). Deprecations show up in dated release notes, for example 1.6.0 dropping custom `__init__` on `@app.cls()` classes, but we found no written deprecation policy (10). Region selection is documented; the security page doesn't address subprocessors (8).

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-transparency):

- 0 to 30, source availability and licence clarity. 30 for open source under an OSI licence, 15 for closed with clear terms, 0 for unclear terms.
- 0 to 30, data handling and retention statements that agree with each other (privacy policy, DPA, retention periods, subprocessors).
- 0 to 20, a deprecation policy or notices with dates.
- 0 to 20, telemetry disclosed with an opt-out (local software), or subprocessors and data locations disclosed (hosted).

The other half of Transparency and trust is the provenance score, computed from checked facts (below). The category score is the mean of the two.

Provenance checks not met in full (half of this category, computed from checked facts):

- Endpoint on the vendor's domain:  is not on modal.com (0 of 15)
- security.txt: not found (0 of 10)

## 7. Maintenance & community, 85 out of 100, up to 1.3 more on the total

Why it scored 85: SDK 1.6.0 on 28 September 2026 per the release notes (30). Several dated SDK releases in the last 90 days (20). Closed service with dated release notes and community Slack; we didn't review GitHub issue response times this run (10 of 25). Python, JavaScript and Go SDKs are current (15). The Python package supports current runtimes and ships frequently (10).

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-maintenance):

- 0 to 30, time since the last release, or the last published model or API change for a closed service. 30 within 30 days, 20 within 90, 10 within 180, 0 older.
- 20, at least three releases or dated changelog entries in the last 90 days.
- 0 to 25, responsiveness. Issues and pull requests answered on GitHub (the open issues and how recent the replies are). For closed services, a public changelog and a support or community channel that answers, 0 to 15.
- 15, presence in the official MCP registry under a verified namespace (MCP servers), or current official SDKs (APIs and models).
- 10, package health, current dependencies and CI.

Models are read for deprecation notice periods and model churn rather than release counts.

## What we couldn't check

What we couldn't read counted as absent. Publishing it on a page a plain HTTP fetch can read (not only in a browser) lets the next check count it.

- We couldn't reload the SDK release notes or the GitHub issue tracker during this run because of fetch limits; the 1.6.0 date comes from last week's research.
- Whether Starter's $30 monthly credit needs a card isn't stated on the pricing page.
- No subprocessor list found on the security page; it may sit in the security portal behind a request.

## Weaknesses

- No REST API or OpenAPI spec for deploying or invoking Functions
- Web endpoints are open by default until proxy tokens are added
- RBAC, audit logs and HIPAA only on Enterprise
- No published SLA, and Starter caps concurrent GPUs at 10
- Region pinning costs 1.15 to 1.75 times the base price

## What costs an agent a turn today

The notes we give agents before they call it. Each one is a workaround an agent shouldn't need.

- Create a proxy token and require it on every web endpoint before sharing the URL; endpoints are public by default
- Pass a list to `gpu=` (for example `["H100", "A100-80GB"]`) so a job still runs when the first choice is unavailable
- Set `scaledown_window` and `min_containers` explicitly; the defaults are 60 seconds and 0
- Use `.spawn()` and poll the call ID for long work instead of holding a web request open
- Keep web endpoint traffic under 200 requests a second or ask Modal to raise the limit

## What the review panel asked for

- state the card requirement on the pricing page
- document spend limits, if any exist
- Document 429 and Retry-After on web endpoints
- Publish an SLA

## When it's done

Send what changed and where it's published as a dispute (https://www.anchorterminal.com/builders/#disputes, or `POST https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/contact` with `"kind": "dispute"`). Disputes are answered in public, and the listing is checked again by the same checklist. Paying for an audit or a listing claim changes nothing here.