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Automated Vast.ai Idle Instance Alerts

Every morning, WebRun opens the Vast.ai console, reads which rented instances are running and whether they have an active job attached, logs the idle time to a Google Sheet, and drafts a Gmail nudge for anything idle more than 2 hours so rented GPU time doesn't quietly burn budget.

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Runs on WebRun · Strict Lockdown policy
Every morning at 8:00 AM WebRunorchestrates each step
1 Vast.ai check which instances are running and idle
2 Google Sheets log the idle time
3 Gmail draft a nudge to stop it
In short

How do I stop paying for idle Vast.ai GPU instances?

WebRun checks every Vast.ai rented instance every morning for ones running with no active job attached. It drafts a Gmail nudge to the owner for anything idle more than 2 hours and logs the idle time to a Google Sheet with its estimated cost. Stopping an instance always stays the owner's decision.

  • Idle instances get a same day nudge instead of running all week
  • Every idle period is logged with its estimated rental cost
  • Stopping an instance always stays the owner's decision

Built for ML engineers · independent researchers · startups renting GPU compute · data science teams

Step by step

What does WebRun do on every run?

The exact actions WebRun takes, in order - in plain language, so you can adjust anything.

  1. WebRun signs in and gets to work

    Opens cloud.vast.ai in a real browser with your saved login - no setup, no API keys.

  2. 1
    Vast.ai - check which instances are running and idle
    vast.ai
    WebRun in Vast.ai: check which instances are running and idle
    WebRun checks which instances are running and idle in Vast.ai.
    • Open the Vast.ai console and list every rented instance
    • Check whether each has an active job attached
    • Flag any instance idle for more than 2 hours

    Done when Every rented instance's idle status is checked.

  3. 2
    Google Sheets - log the idle time
    google.com
    WebRun in Google Sheets: log the idle time
    WebRun logs the idle time in Google Sheets.
    • Log the idle instance with how long it's been running unused
    • Keep a running history of idle time by instance and owner
    • Note the estimated rental cost of the idle hours

    Done when This instance's idle time is logged.

  4. 3
    Gmail - draft a nudge to stop it
    gmail.com
    WebRun in Gmail: draft a nudge to stop it
    WebRun drafts a nudge in Gmail to stop the idle instance.
    • Draft a nudge to the instance's owner naming the instance and idle time
    • Leave it in Drafts for the owner to review and send
    • Never stop or terminate the instance on its own

    Done when A draft nudge is waiting for every idle instance's owner.

Run settings

How is each run configured?

Starting pageWhere Chrome opens at the start of each run
cloud.vast.ai
ScheduleRuns automatically on this cadence
Every morning at 8:00 AM
DeliveryHow each run's result reaches you
Idle instance nudge · Gmail draft
OutputWhat each run produces - A drafted Gmail nudge for any idle Vast.ai instance, with idle time and cost logged to Google Sheets.
Draft email
Setup & safety

Secure by default

Connect once, stays signed in

WebRun signs in once and keeps each session in a persistent environment, so every run picks up right where it left off.

Your credentials stay in your own private environment - WebRun never stores your passwords.
Strict Lockdown

Every action is checked against this policy before it runs.

Domains ALLOWLIST
Typed input ALLOW
Shell command BLOCK
File uploads BLOCK
Runs in a contained environment More on policies
Good to know

Questions, answered

Does it stop the idle instance for me?

No. WebRun only reads instance status and drafts a nudge. Stopping or terminating a rented instance stays a manual step the owner takes.

What counts as idle?

An instance that's running and being billed but has had no active job attached for more than 2 hours.

Can we see how much idle time has cost over time?

Yes. Every idle period is logged to Google Sheets with an estimated rental cost, so the team can see the pattern, not just a single instance.

Keep going

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