GitHub Actions vs CircleCI
type: Article
description: GitHub Actions offers free CI/CD with 2,000 free minutes/month for public repos and tighter GitHub integration, while CircleCI provides more advanced features like SSH debugging, better performance caching, and free tier supports 1 concurrent job with unlimited minutes. GitHub Actions is better for teams already invested in GitHub, whereas CircleCI excels for complex multi-container workflows.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-05-28T07:25:35.366Z
date created: 2026-05-28T07:25:35.366Z
date modified: 2026-06-25T18:00:58.911Z
content reference time: 2026-06-25T18:00:58.911Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: GitHub Actions
about: CircleCI
abstract: GitHub Actions offers free CI/CD with 2,000 free minutes/month for public repos and tighter GitHub integration, while CircleCI provides more advanced features like SSH debugging, better performance caching, and free tier supports 1 concurrent job with unlimited minutes. GitHub Actions is better for teams already invested in GitHub, whereas CircleCI excels for complex multi-container workflows.
text: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes. Pricing per Concurrent Job. GitHub Native Integration. SSH Debugging Support. Artifact Storage Retention. Docker Layer Caching Performance. Marketplace Actions/Orbs Available
conclusion text: Choose GitHub Actions if you're already deeply invested in GitHub's ecosystem, need simple CI/CD workflows, and want zero authentication overhead. Choose CircleCI if you require advanced debugging capabilities, complex Docker-based pipelines, better caching performance, or need to monitor multiple Git providers (GitLab, Bitbucket) from a single dashboard.
additional property: Free Tier Monthly Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 3,000 (public repos) | CircleCI: ~180 (6,000 credits)
  value reference: GitHub Actions
additional property: Supported VCS Platforms
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 1 (GitHub only) | CircleCI: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
  value reference: CircleCI
additional property: Maximum Parallel Jobs
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 256 concurrent | CircleCI: Unlimited
additional property: Setup Time for New Projects
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 5 minutes | CircleCI: 15 minutes
  value reference: GitHub Actions
additional property: Community Actions/Orbs Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 20,000+ actions | CircleCI: 5,000+ orbs
  value reference: GitHub Actions
additional property: Enterprise Support SLA
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Standard support available | CircleCI: 24/7 dedicated support with 99.99% SLA
additional property: Self-Hosted Runner Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Supported with basic controls | CircleCI: Advanced with resource scaling
additional property: Estimated Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 1-2 weeks | CircleCI: 3-4 weeks
  value reference: GitHub Actions
additional property: Initial Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 15 minutes to first workflow | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Available Plugins/Actions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 10000+ actions | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Free Monthly Build Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2000 minutes (GitHub-hosted runners) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: GitHub only (primary) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Configuration Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Low - Simple YAML syntax | CircleCI: YAML-based, intuitive
additional property: Deployment Model Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Cloud-hosted and self-hosted | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Scalability Ceiling
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Limited by GitHub account quotas | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Support Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: $231/user/year (GitHub Enterprise) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes (Private Repos)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 minutes | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Container Registry Free Storage
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 0.5 GB per project | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Marketplace Ecosystem Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 11,000+ Actions | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Security (SAST) Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: $200/month (Advanced Security tier) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Self-Hosted Option Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Enterprise Server tier (paid only, $231+/month) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Built-in Project Management Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Issues, basic Boards, limited automation | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Native GitHub Integration Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Integrated (GitHub-only) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Maximum Parallel Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 20 matrix configurations | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Available Extensions/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 13,000+ actions | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Monthly Infrastructure Cost (10-developer team)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: $25 (usage-based + GitHub Team) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Free Tier Build Minutes/Month
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 (private) / unlimited (public) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Learning Curve (Beginner to Productive)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 1 week (YAML basics) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Concurrent Workflows (free tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 20 (GitHub-hosted runners) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: GitHub Repository Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Native (zero additional setup) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Data Residency Control
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: No (GitHub cloud default, Enterprise option) | CircleCI: US/EU regions only (CircleCI controls)
additional property: Setup Time to First Pipeline
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 5-15 minutes | CircleCI: 30 minutes
  value reference: GitHub Actions
additional property: Free Tier Execution Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2,000-3,000 | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Not required | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Supported Git Providers
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: GitHub (primary), limited others | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Project Age
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 6 years (since 2019) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Marketplace Actions/Extensions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 18,000+ actions | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Microsoft, GitHub, 60% of public repos | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Self-Hosted Option
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Self-hosted runners available | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Starting Cost (Monthly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: $0 (free tier available) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Free Build Minutes Monthly
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 (private repos) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Maximum Job Duration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 360 (6 hours) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Default Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 5 | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Artifact Retention Period
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 90 | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: GitHub Integration Type
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Native (built-in) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Marketplace Actions Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 11,000+ | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Setup Time for First Build
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 5-10 (YAML config only) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 (unlimited for public repos) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Maximum Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 20 concurrent jobs | CircleCI: 1 concurrent job
  value reference: GitHub Actions
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/github-actions
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/github-actions
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/circleci
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/circleci
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/circleci-vs-github-actions
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/circleci-vs-github-actions
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/circleci-vs-drone-ci
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-gitlab
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-jenkins
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/tekton-vs-github-actions
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/circleci-vs-gitlab
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-buildkite
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-bitbucket
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-travis-ci
teaches: How to choose between GitHub Actions and CircleCI
genre: Software

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

GitHub Actions
type: Thing
alternate name: GA
alternate name: Github Actions
language: en-US
description: Native GitHub CI/CD platform with free unlimited minutes for public repos
subject of: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI

CircleCI
type: Thing
alternate name: Circleci
language: en-US
description: Managed cloud CI/CD platform with Docker-first builds and generous free tier for startups.
subject of: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI

GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for GitHub Actions vs CircleCI. Contains 140 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: Free Tier Monthly Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Supported VCS Platforms
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Maximum Parallel Jobs
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Setup Time for New Projects
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Community Actions/Orbs Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Extensibility
variable measured: Enterprise Support SLA
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Self-Hosted Runner Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Estimated Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Initial Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Implementation
variable measured: Available Plugins/Actions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Free Monthly Build Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Configuration Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Deployment Model Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Architecture
variable measured: Scalability Ceiling
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Enterprise Support Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes (Private Repos)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Container Registry Free Storage
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Storage & Infrastructure
variable measured: Marketplace Ecosystem Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Enterprise Security (SAST) Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security & Compliance
variable measured: Self-Hosted Option Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Deployment
variable measured: Built-in Project Management Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Project Management
variable measured: Native GitHub Integration Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Platform Integration
variable measured: Maximum Parallel Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Available Extensions/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Monthly Infrastructure Cost (10-developer team)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Free Tier Build Minutes/Month
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Resources
variable measured: Learning Curve (Beginner to Productive)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Learning
variable measured: Concurrent Workflows (free tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: GitHub Repository Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Data Residency Control
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compliance
variable measured: Setup Time to First Pipeline
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Free Tier Execution Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Kubernetes Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Supported Git Providers
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Flexibility
variable measured: Project Age
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Maturity
variable measured: Marketplace Actions/Extensions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Enterprise Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Enterprise Use
variable measured: Self-Hosted Option
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Starting Cost (Monthly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Free Build Minutes Monthly
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Maximum Job Duration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Execution
variable measured: Default Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Execution
variable measured: Artifact Retention Period
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Storage
variable measured: GitHub Integration Type
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Marketplace Actions Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Setup Time for First Build
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Maximum Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Parallelization
variable measured: Available Integrations/Actions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Cost Per Minute (Overage)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Starting Team Pricing
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Active Community Repositories
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Configuration File Complexity (1-5 scale)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Repository Platform Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Free Minutes Per Month (Private Repos)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Minimum Paid Plan Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Marketplace Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Market Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
variable measured: Linux Runner Cost Per Minute
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Multi-Platform Git Support
variable measured: Setup Time for First Workflow
variable measured: OS Runner Support
variable measured: Free Tier Monthly CI Minutes
variable measured: Pay-As-You-Go Execution Cost
variable measured: Docker Layer Caching Speed Improvement
variable measured: Artifact Storage Max Size
variable measured: SSH Debug Into Failed Jobs
variable measured: Setup Time (GitHub Repo)
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/circleci-vs-github-actions

GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for GitHub Actions vs CircleCI.
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Extensibility
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Infrastructure
has defined term: Implementation
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Architecture
has defined term: Pricing & Limits
has defined term: Storage & Infrastructure
has defined term: Security & Compliance
has defined term: Deployment
has defined term: Project Management
has defined term: Platform Integration
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Resources
has defined term: Learning
has defined term: Compliance
has defined term: Cost
has defined term: Flexibility
has defined term: Maturity
has defined term: Enterprise Use
has defined term: Execution
has defined term: Storage
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Parallelization
has defined term: Adoption
has defined term: Compatibility
has defined term: Pricing & Quotas
has defined term: Storage & Limits
has defined term: Kubernetes Features
has defined term: Integration Quality
has defined term: Platform Support
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: Operations
has defined term: Security
has defined term: Pricing & Value
has defined term: Setup & Learning
has defined term: Container Performance
has defined term: Developer Experience
has defined term: Setup & Ease of Use
has defined term: Community

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ease-of-use
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Extensibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: extensibility
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: infrastructure
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Implementation
type: DefinedTerm
term code: implementation
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Architecture
type: DefinedTerm
term code: architecture
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing & Limits
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-&-limits
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Storage & Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: storage-&-infrastructure
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security & Compliance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security-&-compliance
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Deployment
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Project Management
type: DefinedTerm
term code: project-management
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Platform Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: platform-integration
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Resources
type: DefinedTerm
term code: resources
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Learning
type: DefinedTerm
term code: learning
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Compliance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: compliance
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cost
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cost
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Flexibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: flexibility
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Maturity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: maturity
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Enterprise Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: enterprise-use
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Execution
type: DefinedTerm
term code: execution
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Storage
type: DefinedTerm
term code: storage
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Usability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: usability
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Parallelization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: parallelization
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: adoption
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Compatibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: compatibility
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing & Quotas
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-&-quotas
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Storage & Limits
type: DefinedTerm
term code: storage-&-limits
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Kubernetes Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: kubernetes-features
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration Quality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration-quality
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Platform Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: platform-support
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

User Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-experience
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scalability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scalability
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operations
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing & Value
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-&-value
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Setup & Learning
type: DefinedTerm
term code: setup-&-learning
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Container Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: container-performance
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Developer Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: developer-experience
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Setup & Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: setup-&-ease-of-use
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-06-25T18:00:58.911Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: circleci-vs-github-actions
main entity: Which is cheaper for high-volume CI/CD usage?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: GitHub Actions is significantly cheaper at scale: $0.008/minute ($288/month for 60,000 minutes) vs CircleCI's $0.20/minute ($12,000/month for the same volume). However, CircleCI's free tier with unlimited minutes benefits solo developers and small teams who stay under 1 concurrent job.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can I debug failed jobs with SSH in GitHub Actions?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: No, GitHub Actions does not offer native SSH debugging. You must rely on logs and re-running workflows with additional debugging output. CircleCI's SSH debug feature lets you log into containers after failure for real-time troubleshooting, which is invaluable for complex issues.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which has faster Docker image rebuilds?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: CircleCI's advanced Docker layer caching is 25x faster on average compared to GitHub Actions' standard caching. This matters significantly for teams rebuilding large Docker images frequently; a 10-minute rebuild on GitHub Actions could take 24 seconds on CircleCI.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can I use CircleCI or GitHub Actions with GitLab and Bitbucket?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: GitHub Actions is GitHub-only natively. CircleCI supports GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket from a single unified dashboard, making it ideal for organizations managing multiple Git platforms.
    language: en-US
main entity: What's the learning curve difference?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: GitHub Actions has a gentler learning curve due to native GitHub integration and 15,000+ pre-built actions. CircleCI requires understanding orbs and has smaller ecosystem, but its SSH debugging and superior documentation for complex workflows appeals to advanced users.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between GitHub Actions and CircleCI
type: HowTo
description: GitHub Actions offers free CI/CD with 2,000 free minutes/month for public repos and tighter GitHub integration, while CircleCI provides more advanced features like SSH debugging, better performance caching, and free tier supports 1 concurrent job with unlimited minutes. GitHub Actions is better for teams already invested in GitHub, whereas CircleCI excels for complex multi-container workflows.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes
step: Consider: Pricing per Concurrent Job
step: Consider: GitHub Native Integration
step: Consider: SSH Debugging Support
step: Consider: Artifact Storage Retention
step: Consider: Docker Layer Caching Performance
step: Consider: Marketplace Actions/Orbs Available
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose GitHub Actions if you're already deeply invested in GitHub's ecosystem, need simple CI/CD workflows, and want zero authentication overhead. Choose CircleCI if you require advanced debugging capabilities, complex Docker-based pipelines, better caching performance, or need to monitor multiple Git providers (GitLab, Bitbucket) from a single dashboard.

Consider: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes: GitHub Actions has 2,000 minutes (public repos), while CircleCI has Unlimited (1 concurrent job).

Consider: Pricing per Concurrent Job
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Pricing per Concurrent Job: GitHub Actions has $0.008 per minute, while CircleCI has $20/month per concurrent job.

Consider: GitHub Native Integration
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: GitHub Native Integration: GitHub Actions has Native, no auth setup required, while CircleCI has OAuth integration required.

Consider: SSH Debugging Support
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: SSH Debugging Support: GitHub Actions has Not available, while CircleCI has Full SSH rerun capability.

Consider: Artifact Storage Retention
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Artifact Storage Retention: GitHub Actions has 30 days default, 400 GB max, while CircleCI has 30 days default, unlimited storage.

Consider: Docker Layer Caching Performance
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Docker Layer Caching Performance: GitHub Actions has Basic layer caching, while CircleCI has Advanced Docker layer caching with 25x faster rebuilds.

Consider: Marketplace Actions/Orbs Available
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Marketplace Actions/Orbs Available: GitHub Actions has 15,000+ community actions, while CircleCI has 2,000+ certified orbs.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI
review body: GitHub Actions offers free CI/CD with 2,000 free minutes/month for public repos and tighter GitHub integration, while CircleCI provides more advanced features like SSH debugging, better performance caching, and free tier supports 1 concurrent job with unlimited minutes. GitHub Actions is better for teams already invested in GitHub, whereas CircleCI excels for complex multi-container workflows.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: GitHub Actions vs CircleCI

Available Integrations/Actions
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 10,000+ | CircleCI: N/A

Cost Per Minute (Overage)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.008 | CircleCI: N/A

Starting Team Pricing
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0 (free tier available) | CircleCI: N/A

Active Community Repositories
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 750,000+ | CircleCI: N/A

Configuration File Complexity (1-5 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 4 (complex YAML, matrix builds) | CircleCI: N/A

Repository Platform Requirement
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: GitHub only | CircleCI: N/A

Free Minutes Per Month (Private Repos)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 3,000 minutes | CircleCI: N/A

Minimum Paid Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0 (free tier available) | CircleCI: N/A

Marketplace Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 10,000+ verified actions | CircleCI: N/A

Market Adoption Rate
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 42% of CI/CD users (2024) | CircleCI: N/A

Linux Runner Cost Per Minute
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.008 | CircleCI: N/A

Multi-Platform Git Support
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: GitHub only | CircleCI: N/A

Setup Time for First Workflow
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5 minutes (native UI) | CircleCI: N/A

OS Runner Support
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 3 (Linux, Windows, macOS) | CircleCI: N/A

Free Tier Monthly CI Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 (public repos only) | CircleCI: Unlimited (1 concurrent job)

Pay-As-You-Go Execution Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.008/minute | CircleCI: $0.20/minute (pay-as-you-go)
value reference: GitHub Actions

Docker Layer Caching Speed Improvement
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Standard caching (1x baseline) | CircleCI: Advanced caching (25x faster)
value reference: CircleCI

Artifact Storage Max Size
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 400 GB | CircleCI: Unlimited

Community Actions/Orbs Available
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 15,000+ actions | CircleCI: 2,000 certified orbs
value reference: GitHub Actions

SSH Debug Into Failed Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Not supported | CircleCI: Full SSH support

Setup Time (GitHub Repo)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2-3 minutes (native) | CircleCI: 10-15 minutes (OAuth + config)
value reference: GitHub Actions

Free Tier Limits
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 minutes/month | CircleCI: N/A

Managed Service Cost (monthly)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.008 per minute | CircleCI: N/A

Kubernetes CRD Support
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Requires plugins | CircleCI: N/A

Setup Time (initial)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 1-2 hours | CircleCI: N/A

Free Tier Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Free (2,000 min/month included) | CircleCI: N/A

Free Monthly Build Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 (public: unlimited) | CircleCI: N/A

Marketplace Actions/Plugins
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20,000+ | CircleCI: N/A

Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20 | CircleCI: 1
value reference: GitHub Actions

Overage Cost per 1,000 Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.24 | CircleCI: N/A

Native Jira Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Via third-party actions (workaround) | CircleCI: N/A

Years Since Launch
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 6 years (2019) | CircleCI: N/A

Repository Host Lock-in
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: GitHub only | CircleCI: N/A

Monthly Cost (5 Private Repos, 100 builds/month)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $14.40 (2,000 free min + 1,800 excess min × $0.008) | CircleCI: N/A

Default Concurrent Jobs (Free/Base Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20 concurrent jobs | CircleCI: N/A

Supported Git Platforms
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 1 (GitHub only) | CircleCI: N/A

Marketplace Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 10,000+ public actions | CircleCI: N/A

Default Artifact Storage
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5GB (per repository) | CircleCI: N/A

Initial Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2-3 minutes (GitHub integration native) | CircleCI: N/A

Self-Hosted Infrastructure Required
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: No (fully managed by GitHub) | CircleCI: N/A

Build Parallelization Ceiling
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20 jobs maximum per repository | CircleCI: N/A

Monthly Cost for Private Repos (Small Team)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0 (includes 2,000 minutes) | CircleCI: N/A

Free Tier Concurrent Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20 concurrent jobs | CircleCI: 1 concurrent job free
value reference: GitHub Actions

Free Minutes Per Month (Private)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 minutes | CircleCI: N/A

Marketplace Actions/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5,000+ public actions | CircleCI: N/A

Setup Time for New Project
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5-10 minutes | CircleCI: N/A

Supported Languages (Pre-configured)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20+ languages | CircleCI: N/A

Market Share on GitHub Projects
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 68% adoption | CircleCI: N/A

Native GitHub Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Built-in, no external setup | CircleCI: N/A

Base Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: $15-30 (for limited minutes)

Time to First Build
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: ~5-10 minutes

Available Plugins/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: ~500+ official/community integrations

Infrastructure Management Required
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: Fully managed by CircleCI

Enterprise Security Certifications
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, FedRAMP Ready

Maximum Parallel Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 1 concurrent job

Supported Build Environments
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, GPU

Free Tier Builds per Month
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 6,000 credits (~30 standard builds)

Average Build Duration
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 2-5 minutes

Concurrent Jobs on Free Tier
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 1 concurrent job

Minimum Team Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: $20 per user/month

Docker Layer Caching
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: Advanced DLC feature included

Enterprise SSO Support
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: Available on Performance+ plan

Orb/Integration Ecosystem
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: Extensive Orb Registry (~5000+ orbs)

Monthly Subscription Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: $30-1,200 (Performance plan starts at $30)

Time to First Build
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 5 minutes (GitHub authorization → first build)

Pre-built Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 50+ official orbs

Free Tier Build Concurrency
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 1 concurrent build

Docker Image Size
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: ~2,500 MB (runner image)

GitHub Integration Quality
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: Native OAuth, PR checks, status checks, app permissions

Configuration Syntax
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: YAML + visual builder + orb registry

Build Cache Hit Rate
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 40-60% reduction with Docker layer caching

Job Startup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 6 seconds

Free Tier Monthly Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: ~400 minutes (6,000 credits)

Native Security Scanning
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: No (third-party via integrations)

Free Tier Monthly Credits
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 6,000 credits

Source Control Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab (external platforms)

Self-Hosted Annual Cost (Single User)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: $3,000+

Built-in Project Management
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: No (requires third-party tools)

Pre-built Integration Orbs/Templates
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 100+ Orbs

Time to Deploy First Pipeline
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 10 minutes

Available Plugins/Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 500+ orbs

Monthly Cost (5 Users, Mid-Volume Usage)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: $350/month

Infrastructure Management Overhead
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 0 hours (fully managed)

Configuration File Format
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: YAML (simple, human-readable)

Community Size & Activity
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: ~10K GitHub discussions

Average Build Execution Time
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 4

Minimum Paid Plan
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: $30

Supported Version Control Systems
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Bitbucket Cloud

Native Docker Layer Caching
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: Full support (DLC feature)

Configuration File Complexity (1-10 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: 7 (moderate-complex)

Cost per 1,000 Credits
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | CircleCI: $15

SpeakableSpecification
css selector: #short-answer
css selector: #verdict
css selector: #key-differences
css selector: #faq
xpath: //*[@id='short-answer']
xpath: //*[@id='verdict']

GitHub Actions — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

CircleCI — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare GitHub Actions vs CircleCI
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/circleci-vs-github-actions
object: GitHub Actions
object: CircleCI

Multi-Platform Git Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Setup Time for First Workflow
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

OS Runner Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Free Tier Monthly CI Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Quotas

Pay-As-You-Go Execution Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Quotas

Docker Layer Caching Speed Improvement
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Artifact Storage Max Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Storage & Limits

Community Actions/Orbs Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

SSH Debug Into Failed Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Setup Time (GitHub Repo)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Free Tier Limits
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Managed Service Cost (monthly)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Kubernetes CRD Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Kubernetes Features

Setup Time (initial)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Implementation

Free Tier Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Free Monthly Build Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Limits

Marketplace Actions/Plugins
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Overage Cost per 1,000 Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Limits

Native Jira Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration Quality

Years Since Launch
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Maturity

Repository Host Lock-in
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Flexibility

Monthly Cost (5 Private Repos, 100 builds/month)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Default Concurrent Jobs (Free/Base Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Supported Git Platforms
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Platform Support

Marketplace Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Default Artifact Storage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Storage

Initial Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Experience

Self-Hosted Infrastructure Required
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Deployment

Build Parallelization Ceiling
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Monthly Cost for Private Repos (Small Team)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Free Tier Concurrent Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Free Minutes Per Month (Private)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Marketplace Actions/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Setup Time for New Project
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Usability

Supported Languages (Pre-configured)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Market Share on GitHub Projects
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Native GitHub Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

Base Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Time to First Build
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Implementation

Available Plugins/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Extensibility

Infrastructure Management Required
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Operations

Enterprise Security Certifications
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Maximum Parallel Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Supported Build Environments
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Free Tier Builds per Month
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Value

Average Build Duration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Concurrent Jobs on Free Tier
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Minimum Team Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Value

Docker Layer Caching
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Enterprise SSO Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Orb/Integration Ecosystem
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Extensibility

Monthly Subscription Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Time to First Build
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Setup & Learning

Pre-built Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Free Tier Build Concurrency
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Docker Image Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Container Performance

GitHub Integration Quality
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

Configuration Syntax
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Developer Experience

Build Cache Hit Rate
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Job Startup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Free Tier Monthly Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Native Security Scanning
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Free Tier Monthly Credits
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Value

Source Control Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

Self-Hosted Annual Cost (Single User)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Built-in Project Management
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Pre-built Integration Orbs/Templates
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Extensibility

Time to Deploy First Pipeline
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Setup & Ease of Use

Available Plugins/Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Extensibility

Monthly Cost (5 Users, Mid-Volume Usage)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Infrastructure Management Overhead
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Operations

Configuration File Format
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Developer Experience

Community Size & Activity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community

Average Build Execution Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Minimum Paid Plan
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Supported Version Control Systems
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Native Docker Layer Caching
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Configuration File Complexity (1-10 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Cost per 1,000 Credits
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing