Tekton vs CircleCI
type: Article
description: Tekton is an open-source, self-hosted Kubernetes-native CI/CD framework requiring significant operational overhead, while CircleCI is a managed SaaS platform with faster setup and built-in features but recurring costs and less customization flexibility.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-06-27T19:17:05.761Z
date created: 2026-06-27T19:17:05.761Z
date modified: 2026-06-27T19:17:05.821Z
content reference time: 2026-06-27T19:17:05.821Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Tekton
about: CircleCI
abstract: Tekton is an open-source, self-hosted Kubernetes-native CI/CD framework requiring significant operational overhead, while CircleCI is a managed SaaS platform with faster setup and built-in features but recurring costs and less customization flexibility.
text: Deployment Model. Setup Time. Starting Cost. Customization Level. Kubernetes Requirement. Vendor Lock-in Risk. Enterprise Support
conclusion text: Choose Tekton if you have Kubernetes infrastructure in place, need unlimited customization, want zero per-seat costs, and have DevOps expertise to maintain it. Choose CircleCI if you prioritize rapid deployment, prefer managed infrastructure, need immediate 24/7 support, and want to minimize operational overhead.
additional property: Setup Time to First Pipeline
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 120-240 minutes | CircleCI: 30 minutes
  value reference: CircleCI
additional property: Free Tier Execution Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Unlimited (self-hosted) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Supported Git Providers
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, Bitbucket | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Marketplace Actions/Extensions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Hub with ~500 Tekton tasks | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Red Hat, Google, IBM, Shopify | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Self-Hosted Option
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Native self-hosted | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Default Sync Interval
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Community Task Library Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 200+ community tasks | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Required | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Web UI Dashboard
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Dashboard not included | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Typical Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 4-6 hours | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Industry Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 25% of K8s CI/CD users | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: CNCF/Linux Foundation Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 31% of K8s CI/CD users | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Reusable Tasks Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 200+ (Tekton Hub) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Initial Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 3-5 days (YAML syntax) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Multi-Cluster Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Requires orchestration | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Git Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Optional (webhook-based) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Minimum Kubernetes Version
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 1.18+ | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Primary Controller Language
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Go | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: GitHub Stars
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: ~3,000 stars | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Available Plugins/Tasks
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: ~50-80 official tasks | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Market Share (CI/CD Tools)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: ~3-5% market share | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes Native Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Built-in, runs as CRDs | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Container Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Every step containerized | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Project Age
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: ~5 years (2019 release) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: YAML/Declarative Pipeline Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Primary (CRDs) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Setup Complexity (1-10, lower is easier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 8/10 (Kubernetes expertise required) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Entry-Level Product Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: $25 (basic socket set) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Typical Premium Product Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: $280 (1/2-inch impact wrench) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Product Weight (Typical)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 850 (18V drill) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Warranty Coverage Period (Hand Tools)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Lifetime | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Learning Curve (Hours to Competency)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 2-5 (basic tool use) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Video Recording Resolution
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: Not applicable | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Operating Temperature Range
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: -10 to 50°C (tool dependent) | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Product Lifespan (Professional Use)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: 10-20 | CircleCI: N/A
additional property: Free Tier Monthly Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: ~180 (6,000 credits)
additional property: Maximum Parallel Jobs
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: Unlimited
additional property: Setup Time for New Projects
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: 15 minutes
additional property: Community Actions/Orbs Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: 5,000+ orbs
additional property: Enterprise Support SLA
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: 24/7 dedicated support with 99.99% SLA
additional property: Self-Hosted Runner Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: Advanced with resource scaling
additional property: Estimated Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: 3-4 weeks
additional property: Base Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: $15-30 (for limited minutes)
additional property: Time to First Build
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: ~5-10 minutes
additional property: Available Plugins/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: ~500+ official/community integrations
additional property: Infrastructure Management Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: Fully managed by CircleCI
additional property: Enterprise Security Certifications
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, FedRAMP Ready
additional property: Maximum Parallel Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: 1 concurrent job
additional property: Supported Build Environments
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, GPU
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/tekton
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/tekton
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/circleci
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/circleci
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/tekton-vs-circleci
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/tekton-vs-circleci
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/circleci-vs-drone-ci
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/tekton-vs-github-actions
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/argocd-vs-tekton
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/circleci-vs-gitlab
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/circleci-vs-github-actions
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/flux-vs-tekton
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/circleci-vs-jenkins
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/tekton-vs-jenkins
teaches: How to choose between Tekton and CircleCI
genre: Software

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

A Versus B
type: Organization

Tekton
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Budget-friendly hand and power tool brand owned by Lowe's Companies offering wrenches, sockets, drills, and fastening equipment.
subject of: Tekton 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: Tekton vs CircleCI

Tekton vs CircleCI — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Tekton vs CircleCI. Contains 97 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: 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: Supported Git Providers
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Flexibility
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: Default Sync Interval
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Community Task Library Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Kubernetes Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Web UI Dashboard
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: User Experience
variable measured: Typical Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Industry Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market
variable measured: CNCF/Linux Foundation Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community
variable measured: Reusable Tasks Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Initial Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Multi-Cluster Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: Git Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Architecture
variable measured: Minimum Kubernetes Version
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Requirements
variable measured: Primary Controller Language
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Technical
variable measured: GitHub Stars
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community
variable measured: Available Plugins/Tasks
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Market Share (CI/CD Tools)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Industry Adoption
variable measured: Kubernetes Native Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Container Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Containerization
variable measured: Project Age
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Maturity
variable measured: YAML/Declarative Pipeline Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Configuration
variable measured: Setup Complexity (1-10, lower is easier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Entry-Level Product Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Typical Premium Product Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Product Weight (Typical)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Portability
variable measured: Warranty Coverage Period (Hand Tools)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Learning Curve (Hours to Competency)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Video Recording Resolution
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Capability
variable measured: Operating Temperature Range
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operating Conditions
variable measured: Product Lifespan (Professional Use)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Durability
variable measured: Free Tier Monthly Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
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: Base Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Time to First Build
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Implementation
variable measured: Available Plugins/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Extensibility
variable measured: Infrastructure Management Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operations
variable measured: Enterprise Security Certifications
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Maximum Parallel Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Supported Build Environments
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: Configuration Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Free Tier Builds per Month
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Value
variable measured: Average Build Duration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Supported VCS Platforms
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Concurrent Jobs on Free Tier
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Minimum Team Plan Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Value
variable measured: Docker Layer Caching
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Enterprise SSO Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Orb/Integration Ecosystem
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Extensibility
variable measured: Monthly Subscription Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Time to First Build
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Setup & Learning
variable measured: Pre-built Integrations
variable measured: Free Tier Build Concurrency
variable measured: Docker Image Size
variable measured: GitHub Integration Quality
variable measured: Configuration Syntax
variable measured: Build Cache Hit Rate
variable measured: Job Startup Time
variable measured: Native Security Scanning
variable measured: Free Tier Monthly Credits
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/tekton-vs-circleci

Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Tekton vs CircleCI.
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Cost
has defined term: Flexibility
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Enterprise Use
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Infrastructure
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Market
has defined term: Community
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: Architecture
has defined term: Requirements
has defined term: Technical
has defined term: Industry Adoption
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Containerization
has defined term: Maturity
has defined term: Configuration
has defined term: Portability
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Capability
has defined term: Operating Conditions
has defined term: Durability
has defined term: Extensibility
has defined term: Implementation
has defined term: Operations
has defined term: Security
has defined term: Compatibility
has defined term: Pricing & Value
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Setup & Learning
has defined term: Integrations
has defined term: Container Performance
has defined term: Developer Experience
has defined term: Pricing & Quotas
has defined term: Storage & Limits
has defined term: Parallelization
has defined term: Setup & Ease of Use
has defined term: Compliance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Market
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

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

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

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

Requirements
type: DefinedTerm
term code: requirements
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Technical
type: DefinedTerm
term code: technical
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Industry Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: industry-adoption
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

Containerization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: containerization
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

Configuration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: configuration
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Portability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: portability
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

Capability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: capability
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operating Conditions
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operating-conditions
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Durability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: durability
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Integrations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integrations
in defined term set: Tekton vs CircleCI — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-06-27T19:17:05.821Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: tekton-vs-circleci
main entity: Which is better for startups?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: CircleCI is significantly better for startups. It requires zero infrastructure setup, has a free tier, and gets your first pipeline running in 15 minutes. Tekton requires Kubernetes expertise and $100-200/month infrastructure investment upfront, making it overkill for early-stage teams.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can I migrate from CircleCI to Tekton?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Migration is challenging but possible. CircleCI configurations (.circleci/config.yml) are not portable to Tekton's Kubernetes-based syntax (YAML CRDs). You would need to rewrite pipelines from scratch, typically requiring 2-4 weeks of engineering effort. Tekton to CircleCI is similarly difficult due to architectural differences.
    language: en-US
main entity: What's the cost difference at 50 developers?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: At 50 developers, CircleCI typically costs $1,200-1,800/month (with parallelization credits), while Tekton on self-hosted Kubernetes costs $400-600/month in infrastructure only. Tekton becomes cost-advantageous beyond 30-40 developers, assuming you already have Kubernetes expertise and infrastructure.
    language: en-US
main entity: Does Tekton work without Kubernetes?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: No. Tekton requires a Kubernetes 1.17+ cluster as a hard requirement. It uses Kubernetes primitives (Pods, Services, PersistentVolumes) as first-class citizens. If you don't have Kubernetes infrastructure, CircleCI or other non-K8s platforms are better choices.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which has better security and compliance?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Tekton offers greater security transparency since you control infrastructure entirely. CircleCI provides SOC 2 Type II, FedRAMP Moderate, and HIPAA compliance certifications. For regulated industries (healthcare, finance), CircleCI's managed compliance is typically preferred. For security-sensitive organizations wanting infrastructure control, Tekton is superior.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Tekton and CircleCI
type: HowTo
description: Tekton is an open-source, self-hosted Kubernetes-native CI/CD framework requiring significant operational overhead, while CircleCI is a managed SaaS platform with faster setup and built-in features but recurring costs and less customization flexibility.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Deployment Model
step: Consider: Setup Time
step: Consider: Starting Cost
step: Consider: Customization Level
step: Consider: Kubernetes Requirement
step: Consider: Vendor Lock-in Risk
step: Consider: Enterprise Support
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose Tekton if you have Kubernetes infrastructure in place, need unlimited customization, want zero per-seat costs, and have DevOps expertise to maintain it. Choose CircleCI if you prioritize rapid deployment, prefer managed infrastructure, need immediate 24/7 support, and want to minimize operational overhead.

Consider: Deployment Model
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Deployment Model: Tekton has Self-hosted on Kubernetes, while CircleCI has Fully managed SaaS.

Consider: Setup Time
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Setup Time: Tekton has 3-7 days (requires K8s expertise), while CircleCI has 15 minutes (connect GitHub/GitLab).

Consider: Starting Cost
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Starting Cost: Tekton has $0 (open-source, infrastructure costs only), while CircleCI has $30/month minimum (free tier available).

Consider: Customization Level
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Customization Level: Tekton has Unlimited (full source code access), while CircleCI has Limited (API-based extensions only).

Consider: Kubernetes Requirement
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Kubernetes Requirement: Tekton has Required (native K8s primitives), while CircleCI has Not required.

Consider: Vendor Lock-in Risk
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Vendor Lock-in Risk: Tekton has None (portable, open standard), while CircleCI has Moderate (proprietary configuration).

Consider: Enterprise Support
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Enterprise Support: Tekton has Community + vendor support (third-party), while CircleCI has 24/7 dedicated support included.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Tekton vs CircleCI
review body: Tekton is an open-source, self-hosted Kubernetes-native CI/CD framework requiring significant operational overhead, while CircleCI is a managed SaaS platform with faster setup and built-in features but recurring costs and less customization flexibility.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: Tekton vs CircleCI

Configuration Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: YAML-based, intuitive

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

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

Supported VCS Platforms
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Free Tier Monthly CI Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: Unlimited (1 concurrent job)

Pay-As-You-Go Execution Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: $0.20/minute (pay-as-you-go)

Docker Layer Caching Speed Improvement
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: Advanced caching (25x faster)

Artifact Storage Max Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: Unlimited

Community Actions/Orbs Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: 2,000 certified orbs

SSH Debug Into Failed Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: Full SSH support

Maximum Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: 1 concurrent job

Setup Time (GitHub Repo)
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: 10-15 minutes (OAuth + config)

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

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

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

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

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

Free Tier Concurrent Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: 1 concurrent job free

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

Data Residency Control
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: US/EU regions only (CircleCI controls)

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

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

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

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

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

Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Tekton: N/A | CircleCI: 1

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

SpeakableSpecification
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Tekton — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

CircleCI — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare Tekton vs CircleCI
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/tekton-vs-circleci
object: Tekton
object: CircleCI

Pre-built Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integrations

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

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

Maximum Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Parallelization

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

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

Available Plugins/Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

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

Free Tier Concurrent Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Community Size & Activity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community

Data Residency Control
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compliance

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

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

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