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Developer Tools · head to head

Argo CD vs Depot

Argo CD logo

Argo CD

Developer Tools

A declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

Cloud-based builds and CI runs 55x faster with less cost

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Argo CD licensed under Apache License 2.0 per the project's GitHub repository (argoproj/argo-cd LICENSE); as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare; Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Argo CD and Depot actually diverge.

Attributes where Argo CD and Depot differ
AttributeArgo CDDepot
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
PlatformsWebCloud, GitHub, CLI
FoundedUnknown2022

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Developer Tools).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Argo CD

Nothing recorded that Depot does not also cover.

Only in Depot

  • Depot CI
  • Container builds
  • GitHub Actions runners
  • Distributed caching
  • Build API
  • Depot Registry
  • Cross-platform builds
  • SSH debugging

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Argo CD

  • Declarative GitOps continuous deployment for Kubernetes applicationsnot Depot
  • Automated configuration drift detection across multiple clustersnot Depot
  • Multi-environment management with blue/green and canary deploymentsnot Depot
  • Enterprise authentication with SSO, OIDC, OAuth2, LDAP, SAML 2.0not Depot
  • Webhook integration for GitHub, BitBucket, and GitLab automationnot Depot

Depot

  • Accelerating Docker builds for container-based developmentnot Argo CD
  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster infrastructurenot Argo CD
  • Distributing cache across Monorepo buildsnot Argo CD
  • Debugging failed CI builds interactively with SSHnot Argo CD

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Argo CD

  • Licensed under Apache License 2.0 per the project's GitHub repository (argoproj/argo-cd LICENSE); as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
  • The quick start installation requires the --server-side and --force-conflicts flags due to CRD size limitations, per argo-cd.readthedocs.io, a constraint the documentation states explicitly

Depot

  • Developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development
  • Startup plan at $200/mo is expensive for smaller teams
  • Business plan requires custom pricing consultation
  • macOS M2 runners not available on Developer plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Argo CD

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Argo CD review.

Depot

Free
  • Developer$20/month
    • 1 user
    • 500 Docker build minutes per month
    • 2,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Startup$200/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 5,000 Docker build minutes per month
    • 20,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Business$undefined/custom
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users
    • Custom monthly compute

Which should you pick?

Choose Argo CD if

  • You want to start without paying.
Argo CD review

Choose Depot if

  • You need depot ci.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, GitHub, CLI.
  • You also want container builds.
Depot review

Questions people ask

Is Argo CD or Depot better?
Neither clearly leads. Argo CD starts at Free and Depot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Argo CD or Depot?
Argo CD starts at Free and Depot at Free.
Does Argo CD or Depot run on more platforms?
Argo CD runs on Web. Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI.
Can I use Argo CD for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Argo CD best used for?
Argo CD is most often used for declarative gitops continuous deployment for kubernetes applications, automated configuration drift detection across multiple clusters, multi-environment management with blue/green and canary deployments, enterprise authentication with sso, oidc, oauth2, ldap, saml 2.0. Of those, declarative gitops continuous deployment for kubernetes applications and automated configuration drift detection across multiple clusters are not what Depot is typically brought in for.
What can Argo CD do that Depot cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Argo CD: What is the cost of Argo CD?

Argo CD is open source and free to use. No licensing fees, subscription charges, or commercial restrictions apply. The project is maintained by the CNCF community.

Source
Depot: How much faster are Depot runners compared to GitHub Actions?

Depot runners offer 30% faster CPUs and 10x faster networking than standard GitHub-hosted runners, enabling builds to complete significantly faster.

Source
Argo CD: How frequently does Argo CD poll Git repositories by default?

Argo CD checks Git and Helm repositories every 3 minutes by default to detect configuration changes, enabling timely deployment of updates.

Source
Depot: What is included in the Developer plan?

Developer plan ($20/month) includes 500 Docker build minutes, 2,000 Depot CI minutes, 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes, 25 GB storage, unlimited concurrency, and community support.

Source
Depot: Can I use Depot with my own AWS account?

Yes, Depot Managed allows deployment within customer AWS accounts. This is available to interested customers; contact sales for details.

Source
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