12 Best Buildkite Alternatives for CI/CD in 2026

Buildkite is a powerful CI/CD platform with advanced pipelines, test analytics, and artifact management. However, migrating from GitHub Actions means rewriting workflows in Buildkite’s pipeline syntax. Pricing also differs from simple runner models, and you must either manage self-hosted agents or pay premium rates for hosted ones.

The right alternative depends on whether you want drop-in GitHub Actions compatibility, a simpler runner-focused service, or lower infrastructure complexity.

This guide explores 12 Buildkite alternatives to help you find a solution that fits your workflow and operational preferences.

What makes a good Buildkite alternative?

Buildkite excels as a full CI/CD platform with advanced features like Test Engine, Package Registries, and sophisticated pipeline orchestration. An alternative should provide comparable CI/CD capabilities, better GitHub Actions compatibility, or address Buildkite's migration complexity while delivering the control and visibility that makes platforms valuable.

12 Best Buildkite Alternatives

Buildkite requires converting GitHub Actions workflows to pipeline.yml format. Look for alternatives offering better compatibility, whether through native GitHub Actions support or simpler migration paths that preserve existing workflow investments.

1. Depot

Depot serves as a direct GitHub Actions replacement without workflow rewrites. The platform handles Linux, Windows, and macOS runners while accelerating Docker builds through specialized infrastructure.

🌟 Key features

• Native GitHub Actions compatibility requiring only label changes
• No workflow syntax conversion needed unlike Buildkite
• Ultra Runners with memory-backed storage for I/O workloads
• Cross-platform support spanning all major operating systems
• Integrated caching for both standard workflows and containers
• Per-second billing model with transparent pricing
• Self-hosting option available for AWS environments

➕ Pros

• Simple migration preserving existing GitHub Actions workflows
• Managed service eliminating agent maintenance
• Ultra Runners with provisioned I/O for maximum throughput
• Repository-scoped persistent cache volumes
• Optional egress filtering for security requirements
• Native Docker registry and build cache integration
• Ephemeral VMs providing clean state per job

➖ Cons

• Managed service costs exceed self-hosted agent economics
• macOS capacity constraints can cause occasional delays

💲 Pricing

Developer tier costs $20 monthly, including 500 Docker build minutes, 2,000 Actions minutes, and 25 GB cache storage for one user. Startup tier runs $200 monthly with unlimited users, 5,000 Docker minutes, 20,000 Actions minutes, and 250 GB cache, plus $0.004/min overage charges for Actions. Business tier provides dedicated infrastructure and custom runner pools.

2. RunsOn

RunsOn puts runners entirely within your AWS account while maintaining GitHub Actions compatibility. The system manages EC2 lifecycles automatically without requiring workflow conversions.

🌟 Key features

• Complete GitHub Actions workflow compatibility
• Runs in your AWS account for infrastructure control
• Multi-platform support including macOS, Linux, Windows, GPU
• Unlimited S3-based caching without storage limits
• Spot instance optimization for dramatic cost reduction
• CloudFormation-based deployment in approximately 10 minutes
• Integrated metrics and cost visibility

➕ Pros

• One-to-one GitHub Actions compatibility vs Buildkite's pipeline syntax
• Fresh ephemeral VMs per job ensuring clean environments
• S3 Magic Cache with unlimited capacity
• Static egress IPs through NAT configuration
• Can reduce costs up to 90% versus GitHub runners
• Partly open source with full source access option
• Strong Windows support through native EC2 instances

➖ Cons

• Requires AWS account and platform familiarity
• More complex than fully managed alternatives

💲 Pricing

Commercial license runs €300 annually with unlimited job execution and email support. Sponsorship license costs €1,500 yearly, adding priority support, private Slack access, and full source code. AWS charges bill per second at spot pricing rates, typically delivering 7-17x cost reduction versus GitHub runners. Non-profit organizations can request free licensing.

3. Namespace

Namespace enhances GitHub Actions with advanced debugging and caching features. The platform maintains workflow compatibility while adding developer-focused tooling beyond standard runners.

🌟 Key features

• GitHub Actions compatibility without syntax conversion
• Interactive debugging with breakpoints and remote access
• Cache Volumes providing persistent local storage
• Support for Linux, macOS, and Windows platforms
• Native build tool integrations (Bazel, Turborepo, Pants, Moon)
• Per-step observability tracking detailed metrics
• AMD EPYC, Ampere, and Apple M-series hardware

➕ Pros

• Preserves existing GitHub Actions workflows
• SSH/VNC/RDP access for interactive debugging
• Container image acceleration through layer caching
• Git checkout caching optimized for monorepos
• Crash and OOM detection with automatic dumps
• Runner profiles configuring OS and architecture
• Detailed metrics exceeding basic observability

➖ Cons

• VM credit pricing system more complex than simple per-minute models
• Couples compute and caching within single vendor

💲 Pricing

VM credits price at $0.015 each. Developer plan operates pay-as-you-go at roughly $0.0015/min in unit minutes with no base fee. Team plan costs $100 monthly, including 100,000 minutes and 1,000 Docker builds. Business plan runs $250 monthly with 250,000 minutes and 2,500 builds. Enterprise tier offers custom runner pools and very high concurrency limits.

4. BuildJet

BuildJet delivers high-performance Linux runners through managed infrastructure. The service maintains GitHub Actions compatibility while focusing on raw execution speed.

🌟 Key features

• Direct GitHub Actions integration via label changes
• Gaming-grade CPUs for approximately 2x performance gains
• Linux AMD and ARM architecture support
• Managed infrastructure requiring zero maintenance
• 20 GB cache per repository with weekly refresh
• Transparent per-minute billing structure
• Free tier providing 3,000 minutes monthly

➕ Pros

• Simple migration through runner label updates
• Strong single-core performance for build-heavy tasks
• No infrastructure provisioning or management
• Instant scaling handling burst workloads
• Straightforward pricing without hidden fees
• Free tier suitable for smaller teams
• Approximately double GitHub runner performance

➖ Cons

• Linux-exclusive platform lacking macOS and Windows
• Per-minute costs can accumulate with very high usage

💲 Pricing

Free tier includes 3,000 minutes monthly across all repositories. Paid usage bills per minute with rates starting around $0.004/min for standard configurations. Pricing scales with machine size and architecture. No base fees or subscription charges beyond actual minute consumption.

5. Cirrus Runners

Cirrus Runners charges per concurrent runner slot rather than minute consumption. The platform supports GitHub Actions workflows while offering unlimited execution time per runner.

🌟 Key features

• GitHub Actions compatibility via runner labels
• Flat $150 monthly rate per concurrent runner
• Unlimited minutes once concurrency purchased
• macOS M4 Pro runners with GPU capabilities
• Linux x86, arm64, and GPU configurations
• Performance approximately 2-3x faster than GitHub
• 10 GB cache allocation per runner

➕ Pros

• Predictable monthly costs regardless of usage volume
• macOS M4 Pro runners with 4 vCPUs, 16 GB RAM, GPU
• Linux x86 runners providing 16 vCPUs and 48 GB RAM
• Linux arm64 runners with 8 vCPUs and 24 GB RAM
• Linux GPU runners featuring Nvidia GPU access
• Flexible resource classes via image suffixes
• Cirrus cache action for optimized operations

➖ Cons

• Flat pricing expensive for sporadic usage patterns
• Cache storage limited to 10 GB per runner

💲 Pricing

Each concurrent runner costs $150 monthly with truly unlimited minute usage. All runner types carry the same flat rate. Annual commitment provides 15% discount. Nonprofit discount cuts pricing by 50% for qualifying non-revenue projects. Effective per-minute cost drops significantly with heavy usage, reaching approximately $0.003/min for high-volume teams.

6. Blacksmith

Blacksmith pairs bare metal performance with comprehensive CI analytics. The platform maintains GitHub Actions compatibility while adding observability features absent from basic runners.

🌟 Key features

• GitHub Actions support through runner label changes
• Bare metal gaming CPUs for performance
• Colocated cache providing 4x faster access
• Centralized log search across workflow executions
• Test-level analytics pinpointing bottlenecks
• Live SSH access for active job debugging
• Docker layer reuse accelerating builds

➕ Pros

• Approximately 2x performance versus GitHub runners
• Docker layer reuse for container workflows
• Public image pull cache reducing registry load
• Run history with comprehensive filtering
• Test-level timing identifying slow tests
• CI analytics dashboards for visibility
• Migration wizard simplifying onboarding

➖ Cons

• Linux-only platform excluding other operating systems
• Docker features require platform-specific actions

💲 Pricing

Usage-based pricing with 3,000 free minutes monthly. Base runner rate starts around $0.004/min for 2 vCPU x64 configurations, scaling up for larger machine shapes. Docker layer caching costs approximately $0.50/GB/month as an optional add-on. Enterprise tier adds white-glove onboarding, uptime SLA guarantees, and 24/7 support access.

7. Ubicloud

Ubicloud provides managed runners on bare metal infrastructure from Hetzner and Leaseweb. The open-source platform offers GitHub Actions integration with dramatically reduced pricing.

🌟 Key features

• GitHub Managed Runner Application compatibility
• Bare metal infrastructure for 3-10x cost savings
• Linux x64 and arm64 architecture options
• Open-source control plane under AGPL v3
• German data center locations for GDPR compliance
• $1 monthly credit covering approximately 1,250 minutes
• Managed service eliminating infrastructure complexity

➕ Pros

• Extremely low pricing starting at $0.0008/min
• Dedicated CPU, memory, and storage resources
• Multiple German data centers for high availability
• No infrastructure management required
• Open-source preventing vendor lock-in
• Self-hosting option available
• Broader platform including VMs and databases

➖ Cons

• Linux-exclusive without macOS or Windows support
• German infrastructure may increase latency elsewhere

💲 Pricing

Per-minute billing at month's end. Linux x64 standard runners start at $0.0008/min for 2 vCPUs with 8 GB RAM, scaling to $0.0120/min for 30 vCPU configurations. Premium runners cost exactly double standard rates. Arm64 pricing matches standard x64 rates. Every account receives $1 monthly credit covering approximately 1,250 minutes on 2 vCPU runners.

8. GetMac

GetMac concentrates exclusively on macOS runners using Apple Silicon M4 hardware. The service integrates with GitHub Actions while specializing in iOS and macOS development workflows.

🌟 Key features

• GitHub Actions and GitLab CI integration
• M4 Apple Silicon delivering modern performance
• macOS VM debugging environments
• Pre-loaded development tools (Xcode, Fastlane, CocoaPods)
• VNC and SSH access for debugging sessions
• Plan-based pricing bundling minutes
• ISO-certified TIER III data center facilities

➕ Pros

• Contemporary dashboard for management
• Ephemeral VMs ensuring clean state
• Standard GitHub Actions caching
• Owned hardware with physical security
• Fast VM launch in approximately 60 seconds
• 100% renewable energy operations
• Free tier offering 100 minutes monthly

➖ Cons

• macOS-exclusive requiring separate Linux runners
• Manual VM sessions limited to 60 minutes

💲 Pricing

Plan-based pricing bundles compute minutes. Free tier provides 100 minutes at $0 monthly. Developer plan offers 1,000 minutes for $11.99. Team plan includes 3,000 minutes at $33.99. Business plan delivers 10,000 minutes for $110.99. Enterprise plan provides unlimited minutes with custom pricing.

9. Cirun

Cirun orchestrates self-hosted runners across multiple cloud providers. The platform maintains GitHub Actions compatibility while giving teams infrastructure control across AWS, GCP, Azure, and on-premise environments.

🌟 Key features

• GitHub App integration for straightforward setup
• Multi-cloud support spanning AWS, GCP, Azure, Oracle Cloud
• Repository-level configuration via .cirun.yml
• One-line workflow modifications
• On-demand runner provisioning per job
• ARM and GPU instance support across clouds
• Free tier for open source repositories

➕ Pros

• Multi-cloud flexibility beyond single providers
• Infrastructure remains in your cloud accounts
• Preemptible and spot instance optimization
• Free for public open source projects
• Direct cloud provider billing without markup
• Lightweight integration requirements
• Strong ARM and GPU support

➖ Cons

• Private repository pricing scales with repo count
• Requires managing cloud accounts and networking

💲 Pricing

Open Source plan is free with unlimited public repositories, unlimited runners, and full ARM/GPU support across all clouds. Startup plan costs $29 monthly for up to 3 private repositories with Slack and email support. Business plan runs $79 monthly supporting up to 10 private repositories. Enterprise provides custom pricing for unlimited private repositories with premium support.

10. Actuated

Actuated provides a control plane for self-hosted runners using Firecracker microVMs. Teams supply hardware while Actuated handles orchestration and maintains GitHub Actions compatibility.

🌟 Key features

• GitHub Actions support through standard integration
• Firecracker microVMs for job-level isolation
• Fixed concurrency pricing with unlimited minutes
• x86-64 and arm64 host architecture support
• GPU support for ML and compute workloads
• Managed control plane handling orchestration
• Multi-organization dashboard for visibility

➕ Pros

• Firecracker microVMs starting in 1-2 seconds
• Centrally maintained Ubuntu guest images
• Build queue visibility across jobs
• Historical insights spanning 120 days
• SSH debugging for live troubleshooting
• CLI for programmatic management
• Predictable costs via fixed concurrency model

➖ Cons

• Requires providing and maintaining bare metal hosts
• Linux-exclusive without macOS or Windows support

💲 Pricing

Basic plan costs $250 monthly, including 5 concurrent jobs, unmetered minutes, up to 1 VM host, single GitHub organization support, reports, SSH debugging, and Slack support during UK business hours. At 30,000 minutes monthly usage, this works out to approximately $0.008/min. Additional tiers available for 10, 15, 20, 35, and 50+ concurrent jobs.

11. runmyjob.io

runmyjob.io (also called Puzl Cloud) uses load-based billing charging for actual resource consumption. The platform supports GitHub Actions while only billing for active CPU and memory use rather than elapsed time.

🌟 Key features

• GitHub Actions and GitLab CI compatibility
• Load-based billing for CPU-seconds and memory-seconds
• Pay only during active processing vs idle time
• KVM-based microVMs for job isolation
• Resource limits reaching 48 vCPUs and 96 GB RAM
• EU-based infrastructure deployment
• Declarative API for management

➕ Pros

• Load-based model eliminating idle capacity waste
• Strong per-job isolation through KVM
• Ephemeral filesystem defaulting to 150 GB
• Interactive Web Terminal for GitLab debugging
• Up to 48 vCPUs and 96 GB RAM per job
• Job cache on Business tier and above
• Complete GitHub Actions environment compatibility

➖ Cons

• Load-based billing requires understanding different model
• Currently Linux-only with Windows and ARM planned

💲 Pricing

Free plan at €0 monthly includes 1 integration, 10 concurrent jobs, up to 12 vCPUs and 32 GB RAM per job, 400 vCPU-minutes and 800 GB-minutes included monthly, then €0.00002 per vCPU-second and €0.000001 per GB-second beyond limits. Business plan costs €50 monthly with 3 integrations, unlimited concurrent jobs, 48 vCPUs and 96 GB RAM per job, 2,000 vCPU-minutes and 4,000 GB-minutes included.

12. DevZero

DevZero optimizes Kubernetes costs while supporting GitHub Actions through Actions Runner Controller. The platform focuses on cluster-wide resource optimization rather than standalone CI/CD.

🌟 Key features

• GitHub Actions via Actions Runner Controller
• Kubernetes cost monitoring and optimization
• Automated rightsizing for workloads
• Pod live migration capabilities
• Spot instance management and optimization
• Support for EKS, GKE, AKS, on-premise clusters
• Runner scale sets with platform-specific labels

➕ Pros

• Unified cost control across CI and applications
• Automated optimization through balance operator
• Pod migration for workload shifting
• Spot instance management reducing costs
• Audit logging and cost exports
• Works with existing Kubernetes infrastructure
• Savings insights with projections

➖ Cons

• Overkill for teams only concerned with CI/CD
• Requires running operators adding complexity

💲 Pricing

Free tier includes up to 2 clusters for 45 days with monitoring and attribution. Scaling and Optimization plan costs $7 per CPU monthly, supporting up to 2,000 CPUs with workload optimization, spot management, and Slack support. Enterprise tier offers custom pricing with SSO, GPU optimization, and dedicated support channels.

Final thoughts

Buildkite delivers a full-featured CI/CD platform, but it is not always the simplest or most cost-effective path.

If you want minimal migration effort, GitHub Actions-compatible runners like Depot, RunsOn, or Namespace let you switch with far less workflow rewriting. If reducing operational overhead is the priority, fully managed services remove the need to maintain agents altogether.

Some teams prioritize cost efficiency, others want tighter infrastructure control. In many cases, a focused runner solution is enough. The right choice depends on how much platform complexity you actually need versus how quickly you want to move.