Which is cheaper, Buildkite or Depot?

Depot is 1.5x cheaper than Buildkite. Buildkite starts at $0/mo, Depot starts at $20/mo.

Does Buildkite have a free tier?

Yes, Buildkite offers a free tier with activeUsers: 1, concurrentJobs: 3, buildRetentionDays: 90, packageRegistriesStorageGB: 1, testEngineWorkflows: 1.

What is the switching cost between Buildkite and Depot?

Buildkite has moderate switching cost. Depot has drop-in switching cost. Depot is easier to switch away from.

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Buildkite vs Depot

Ci Cd

Buildkite

CI/CD platform for running fast, secure, and scalable pipelines on your own infrastructure or hosted agents

Switching Cost: moderate

Depot

← More affordable

Fast container builds and CI runners with persistent caching and GitHub Actions integration

Switching Cost: drop-in

Analysis

You're paying a premium for Buildkite — expect around a 1.5x higher bill compared to Depot.

For experimentation and testing, Buildkite wins with its free tier option — something Depot doesn't offer.

You'll notice different pricing structures: per-seat for Buildkite versus flat-rate for Depot.

For early-stage teams or experimental projects, Buildkite's free tier provides valuable runway without commitment.

Bottom Line

For early-stage teams or experimental projects, Buildkite's free tier provides valuable runway without commitment.

Price Difference

1.5x

Depot is cheaper by $10/mo

Free Tier

Buildkite

Has a free tier option

Pricing Model

Different

Tools charge using different pricing philosophies

Switching Costs

Depot

Lower switching costs for easier migration

Related Guides

Alternatives

Buildkite Alternatives