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Buildkite vs Temporal: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of Buildkite and Temporal. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: Buildkite starts at $30/mo, making it $70/mo cheaper than Temporal ($100/mo). Buildkite offers a free plan.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026

Buildkite vs Temporal: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureBuildkiteTemporal
Starting Price$30/mo$100/mo
Number of Plans33
Free TierYesNo
Pricing Modelper-seatusage-based
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Buildkite is the more affordable option, starting at $30/mo compared to Temporal's $100/mo. Both are Dev Tools with 6 combined pricing plans and 58 features compared. At comparable tiers, the monthly price difference is $470.

Buildkite stands out with a free plan for getting started. Buildkite uses per-seat pricing while Temporal uses usage-based pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Dev Tools needs.

Pricing Plans
Buildkite
Buildkite
Try it free
Temporal
Temporal
Try it free
Tier 1
Personal
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • 3 concurrent jobs (hosted+self-hosted) per org/mo
  • 50k test executions/mo
  • 1GB storage & bandwidth (combined)/mo
  • 500 minutes/month
Start with Personal
Essentials
$100/month
Includes
  • 1 M Actions
  • 1 GB Active Storage
  • 40 GB Retained Storage
  • 99.9% SLA, 99.99% HA Options
  • Multi-Cloud & Multi-Region
  • User Roles
  • Service Accounts & API Keys
  • Audit Logging
  • Workflow Management
  • Workflow Availability
  • 1 Business Day P0 Response Time
  • Core Platform Configuration
Start with Essentials
Tier 2
ProPopular
$30/monthCheapest
$30 / year
Includes
  • 10 concurrent self-hosted agents per org/mo
  • Unlimited test executions
  • 250 managed tests per org/mo
  • 20GB storage & bandwidth (combined) per org/mo
  • 2,000 minutes/month
  • SSO
  • Priority email support
Start with Pro
BusinessPopular
$500/month
Includes
  • 2.5 M Actions
  • 2.5 GB Active Storage
  • 100 GB Retained Storage
  • Commitments
  • Everything in Essentials
  • SAML SSO Included
  • SCIM Add-on
  • 2 Business Hours P0 Response Times
  • Workflow Troubleshooting
  • Worker Configuration
  • SDK Implementation
Start with Business
Tier 3
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Build the perfect plan for your business
  • Unlimited pipelines
  • Volume discounts
  • Advanced governance & control
  • Custom SCIM, SAML, ADFS
  • User & API activity audit logs
  • Build exports
Start with Enterprise
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Includes
  • 10 M Actions
  • 10 GB Active Storage
  • 400 GB Retained Storage
  • Commitments
  • Everything in Business
  • SAML SSO Included
  • SCIM Included
  • 24/7, 30 Minute P0
  • Usage Optimization
  • Technical Onboarding
  • Design Review
  • Worker Tuning
  • Senior Support Staff
  • Cost Reviews
  • Security and Contract Reviews
  • Mission Critical Add-on
  • Designated Support Engineer Add-on
Start with Enterprise

Swipe to compare plans →

Buildkite

CI/CD platform running builds on your own infrastructure

View all Buildkite plans

Temporal

Durable execution platform for reliable distributed workflows

View all Temporal plans
Our Pick

Buildkite

Buildkite offers a free plan, starts at $70/mo lower ($30/mo vs $100/mo).

Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.

Best value: Buildkite

Try Buildkite free

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Buildkite if:

  • You want lower per-user costs—Buildkite starts at $30/mo, saving $70/mo compared to Temporal at $100/mo
  • You need a free plan with 3 concurrent jobs (hosted+self-hosted) per org/mo, 50k test executions/mo—Buildkite offers no-cost access with no credit card required
  • You prefer Buildkite's per-seat model with its 3-tier structure

Choose Temporal if:

  • You want more features built-in—Temporal offers 22 additional features across its plans
  • You need predictable billing — Temporal's usage-based model avoids surprise overages
  • Temporal bundles more capabilities per tier, reducing the need for third-party add-ons

Buildkite is the more affordable choice [1], starting at $30/mo compared to Temporal's $100/mo. For a 50-person team on paid plans, this translates to Buildkite saving approximately $3500/month. Buildkite offers 3 pricing tiers compared to Temporal's 3, giving you more granular control over scaling costs as your team grows. Across all tiers, Buildkite provides 18 total features versus 40 for Temporal, offering a more focused toolset depending on your specific needs. The pricing math favors Buildkite for most team sizes. Temporal becomes worth the premium only when its differentiating features are central to your workflow.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Buildkite vs Temporal

Which is cheaper, Buildkite or Temporal?
As of March 2026, Buildkite starts at a lower price point. Buildkite starts at $30/mo while Temporal starts at $100/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does Buildkite have vs Temporal?
Buildkite offers 3 pricing plans, while Temporal offers 3 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Buildkite or Temporal offer a free plan?
Buildkite offers a free plan, while Temporal does not. If budget is a concern, Buildkite lets you get started at no cost.
Can I save money by paying annually for Buildkite or Temporal?
Both Buildkite and Temporal offer annual billing options. Check each plan's yearly pricing for potential savings compared to monthly billing.
What is the most popular Buildkite plan?
The Pro plan is Buildkite's most popular tier, priced at $30/mo. Key features include 10 concurrent self-hosted agents per org/mo, Unlimited test executions, 250 managed tests per org/mo.
What is the most popular Temporal plan?
The Business plan is Temporal's most popular tier, priced at $500/mo. Key features include 2.5 M Actions, 2.5 GB Active Storage, 100 GB Retained Storage.
Does Buildkite or Temporal offer custom enterprise pricing?
Yes, both Buildkite and Temporal offer custom enterprise pricing tiers with quote-based pricing. Contact each vendor for a tailored quote.

Sources

  1. Buildkite Official PricingVendor pricing page
  2. Temporal Official PricingVendor pricing page

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