AppBreakup
Submit an app
CircleCI logo

CircleCI

Hosted CI/CD service with fast machines, flexible resource classes and test insights.

Free plan + paidSelf-hostableCI/CD and code hosting platforms
Visit CircleCISee 6 alternatives
Verified facts
4 of 4
Alternatives ranked
6
Approved reviews
0
Visits sent from here
0

About CircleCI

CircleCI is one of the leading dedicated CI/CD services. Pipelines are defined in a YAML config with reusable packages called orbs, and run on Docker, Linux, Windows, macOS, Arm and GPU machines in many sizes, or on your own self-hosted runners. Features like dependency and Docker layer caching, parallel test splitting by timing, test insights, flaky test detection and SSH into failed jobs help large teams keep builds fast and debuggable. It works with GitHub, GitLab and Bitbucket repositories. Pricing is usage-based with credits consumed per minute depending on machine size: a free plan includes a generous monthly allowance for a few users, and paid Performance plans start at a low monthly fee with extra users and credits, while Scale plans and a self-hosted CircleCI Server serve enterprises. Compared with GitHub Actions it needs a separate tool and account, but often runs faster and gives better insight into test suites.

Best for: Teams with large test suites that want faster builds and better insight than built-in CI.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Wide choice of machine types including macOS and GPU
  • Test splitting, caching and insights for speed
  • Works with GitHub, GitLab and Bitbucket

Why people leave

  • Credit-based pricing takes effort to predict
  • Separate tool from your code host
  • Config can get complex with orbs and anchors

Top CircleCI alternatives

See all 6
  1. 1GitHub Actions logo
    GitHub Actions

    Built into GitHub, so no separate service to manage.

    66.5
  2. 2Buildkite logo
    Buildkite

    Run builds on your own infrastructure with a hosted control plane.

    62.6
  3. 3GitLab logo
    GitLab

    CI/CD integrated with code hosting and security scanning.

    59.6
  4. 4Semaphore logo
    Semaphore

    Fast hosted CI with per-minute pricing and an open-source edition.

    57.2
  5. 5Jenkins logo
    Jenkins

    Free and self-hosted if you prefer to run CI yourself.

    55.3

Why people left CircleCI

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

No switching stories yet. If you moved away from CircleCI, review the app you switched to and tell us why.

Reviews

No approved reviews yet. How we verify reviewers

Write a review of CircleCI
Your rating of CircleCI

Never shown publicly. A work email helps us verify you.

What did you use it for, and what was good or bad? At least 40 characters.

A GitHub username, your company domain, or say you can send a screenshot. Verified reviews count more.

By submitting, you confirm you're at least 16 and agree to our terms. Your name, rating, review and the date are published; your email isn't. See our privacy policy.

CircleCI: common questions

Is CircleCI free?

CircleCI has a free plan and paid plans. Free plan: Up to 6,000 build minutes/month (checked on CircleCI's own site).

Is CircleCI open source?

No, CircleCI is not open source. Open-source alternatives include GitLab, Semaphore and Jenkins.

What platforms does CircleCI run on?

CircleCI is available for Web and Self-hosted.

What are the best alternatives to CircleCI?

The highest-ranked CircleCI alternatives right now are GitHub Actions, Buildkite and GitLab. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 6 CircleCI alternatives