CircleCI vs GitHub Actions: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of CircleCI and GitHub Actions. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Both CircleCI and GitHub Actions offer free plans. CircleCI has 3 pricing tiers while GitHub Actions has 3.
Last updated: July 6, 2026
GitHub Actions - GitHub Actions is good enough for most teams and eliminates an extra service; CircleCI is worth it only for complex pipelines.
CircleCI vs GitHub Actions: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | CircleCI | GitHub Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15/mo | Custom pricing |
| Number of Plans | 3 | 3 |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing Model | usage-based | usage-based |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
CircleCI and GitHub Actions are both priced at $15/mo, making them equally accessible Dev Tools. Together they offer 6 pricing plans with 0 features compared, so the best choice comes down to which features match your needs.
Both tools offer free plans, making them accessible for teams on a budget.
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.
Ready to get started? Try either tool free — no credit card required.
GitHub Actions
GitHub Actions is good enough for most teams and eliminates an extra service; CircleCI is worth it only for complex pipelines.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Try GitHub Actions freeFree plan availableWhich Should You Choose?
Choose CircleCI if:
- •You need a dedicated CI/CD platform with more advanced caching, parallelism, and resource classes
- •Your team uses GitLab, Bitbucket, or other VCS platforms and wants a neutral CI/CD layer
- •CircleCI's test splitting and dynamic config capabilities are required for your build optimization
Choose GitHub Actions if:
- •Your code is on GitHub and you want native CI/CD with no additional service to manage
- •GitHub Actions' free tier and tight GitHub integration are the primary reasons to adopt it
- •Your team already uses GitHub and wants one less SaaS tool to pay for
GitHub Actions is the default CI/CD choice for teams already on GitHub - tight integration, generous free tier, and no extra service to configure. CircleCI offers more advanced pipeline features: better resource classes, faster test splitting, and more granular caching. GitHub Actions starts free for public repos and includes 2,000 minutes/month for private repos. CircleCI's free tier includes 6,000 credits/month. Teams with complex pipelines and large build times often migrate to CircleCI for performance. Most small-to-mid teams are well served by GitHub Actions.
Frequently Asked Questions: CircleCI vs GitHub Actions
How many pricing plans does CircleCI have vs GitHub Actions?
Does CircleCI or GitHub Actions offer a free plan?
Does CircleCI or GitHub Actions offer custom enterprise pricing?
How do CircleCI and GitHub Actions compare for Dev Tools?
Sources
- CircleCI Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
- GitHub Actions Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
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