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Buildkite vs tRPC: Pricing Comparison 2026

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

Bottom line: Buildkite starts at $30/mo, making it $10/mo cheaper than tRPC ($39.738/mo). Buildkite offers a free plan.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026

Buildkite vs tRPC: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureBuildkitetRPC
Starting Price$30/mo$39.738/mo
Number of Plans31
Free TierYesNo
Pricing Modelper-seatopen-source
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Buildkite is the more affordable option, starting at $30/mo compared to tRPC's $39.738/mo. Both are Dev Tools with 4 combined pricing plans and 24 features compared.

Buildkite stands out with a free plan for getting started. Buildkite uses per-seat pricing while tRPC uses open-source 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
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
Star
$40/month
Includes
  • Automatic typesafety
  • Snappy DX
  • Framework agnostic
  • Autocompletion
  • Light bundle size
  • Batteries included
Start with Star
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
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

Swipe to compare plans →

Buildkite

CI/CD platform running builds on your own infrastructure

View all Buildkite plans

tRPC

End-to-end typesafe APIs for TypeScript (free and open-source)

View all tRPC plans
Our Pick

Buildkite

Buildkite offers a free plan, starts at $9.738/mo lower ($30/mo vs $39.738/mo), offers 3 tiers vs 1.

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 $9.738/mo compared to tRPC at $39.738/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 need 3 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
  • You want more features built-in—Buildkite offers 12 additional features across its plans

Choose tRPC if:

  • You need predictable billing — tRPC's open-source model avoids surprise overages
  • You value tRPC's specific feature progression from free to advanced tier levels
  • tRPC's approach to Dev Tools reflects how modern teams actually use these tools

Buildkite is the more affordable choice [1], starting at $30/mo compared to tRPC's $39.738/mo. For a 50-person team on paid plans, this translates to Buildkite saving approximately $487/month. Buildkite offers 3 pricing tiers compared to tRPC's 1, giving you more granular control over scaling costs as your team grows. Across all tiers, Buildkite provides 18 total features versus 6 for tRPC, offering a richer feature set depending on your specific needs. If controlling SaaS spend is a priority, Buildkite offers the better cost-to-value ratio. Consider tRPC only if its unique capabilities directly address a gap Buildkite cannot fill.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Buildkite vs tRPC

Which is cheaper, Buildkite or tRPC?
As of March 2026, Buildkite starts at a lower price point. Buildkite starts at $30/mo while tRPC starts at $39.738/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does Buildkite have vs tRPC?
Buildkite offers 3 pricing plans, while tRPC offers 1 plan. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Buildkite or tRPC offer a free plan?
Buildkite offers a free plan, while tRPC 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 tRPC?
Both Buildkite and tRPC 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.
Does Buildkite or tRPC offer custom enterprise pricing?
Buildkite offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. tRPC lists all its pricing publicly.
What pricing models do Buildkite and tRPC use?
Buildkite uses a per-seat pricing model, while tRPC uses open-source pricing. The right model depends on your team size and usage patterns.

Sources

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

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