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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Burp Suite

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Burp Suite logo

Burp Suite

Cybersecurity

The leading toolkit for web security testing

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Blacksmith per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs; Burp Suite the automated vulnerability scanner is Professional only, at $499; the free Community edition is manual tools
  • They diverge on capability: Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Burp Suite covers Web vulnerability scanner.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Burp Suite actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Burp Suite differ
AttributeBlacksmithBurp Suite
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSDesktop, Api
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity
FoundedUnknown2004

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

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 Blacksmith

  • Bare metal runners
  • Multiple OS support
  • ARM support
  • Docker layer caching
  • Sticky disks
  • GitHub Actions observability
  • Free tier
  • Static IPs

Only in Burp Suite

  • Web vulnerability scanner
  • Proxy interceptor
  • Intruder
  • Repeater
  • Sequencer
  • Decoder
  • Comparer
  • Logger

What people use each for

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

Blacksmith

  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster, cheaper infrastructurenot Burp Suite
  • Accelerating CI build times for organizations with heavy CI loadnot Burp Suite
  • Reducing cloud spend on GitHub Actions by 60% or morenot Burp Suite
  • Supporting ARM architecture builds without GitHub runnersnot Burp Suite

Burp Suite

  • Manual web application penetration testing through an intercepting proxynot Blacksmith
  • Automated scanning for web vulnerabilities on the Professional editionnot Blacksmith
  • Extending testing with community-built BApp extensionsnot Blacksmith
  • Enterprise-wide dynamic scanning through Burp DASTnot Blacksmith

Where each one falls short

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

Blacksmith

  • Per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs
  • macOS M4 pricing ($0.08/min) is significantly higher than GitHub Actions
  • Docker layer caching and sticky disks are paid add-ons at $0.50/GB/mo
  • Static IP add-on costs $100/IP/mo

Burp Suite

  • The automated vulnerability scanner is Professional only, at $499; the free Community edition is manual tools
  • BApp Store extensions require the Professional edition
  • DAST and the agentic testing product are separate enterprise offerings with no published price
  • Professional is licensed per user per year rather than perpetually

Pricing, plan by plan

Blacksmith

Free
  • Ubuntu x64$0.004/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • Ubuntu ARM$0.0025/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • Windows x64$0.008/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • macOS M4$0.08/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads

Burp Suite

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Essential manual tools
    • Proxy
    • Repeater
  • Professional$449/year
    • All Community features
    • Burp Scanner
    • Advanced manual tools
  • Enterprise$6995/year
    • CI/CD integration
    • Scheduled scans
    • Role-based access

Which should you pick?

Choose Blacksmith if

  • You need bare metal runners.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want multiple os support.
Blacksmith review

Choose Burp Suite if

  • You need web vulnerability scanner.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Desktop, Api.
  • You also want proxy interceptor.
Burp Suite review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Burp Suite better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Burp Suite at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Burp Suite?
Blacksmith starts at Free and Burp Suite at Free.
Does Blacksmith or Burp Suite run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Burp Suite runs on Desktop, Api.
Can I use Blacksmith for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Blacksmith best used for?
Blacksmith is most often used for replacing github actions runners with faster, cheaper infrastructure, accelerating ci build times for organizations with heavy ci load, reducing cloud spend on github actions by 60% or more, supporting arm architecture builds without github runners. Of those, replacing github actions runners with faster, cheaper infrastructure and accelerating ci build times for organizations with heavy ci load are not what Burp Suite is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Burp Suite cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Burp Suite covers Web vulnerability scanner, Proxy interceptor, Intruder, Repeater.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blacksmith: How much do Blacksmith runners cost compared to GitHub Actions?

Blacksmith offers 60-75% cost savings depending on OS. Ubuntu x64 costs $0.004/min vs GitHub at $0.012/min. All plans include 3,000 free minutes monthly.

Source
Burp Suite: Does Burp Suite offer a free version?

Yes, Burp Suite Community Edition is available free and supports manual testing. The page does not provide specific details on additional paid editions or their pricing.

Source
Blacksmith: Can I use Docker layer caching with Blacksmith?

Yes, Docker layer caching is available as an add-on at $0.50/GB/mo. Managed Docker layer persistence is included with the base service.

Source
Burp Suite: What features are available in the free edition?

Burp Suite Community Edition supports manual security testing, though specific feature limitations compared to paid editions are not detailed on this page. Visit individual product pages for detailed tier comparisons.

Source
Blacksmith: What is the SLA for Enterprise plans?

Enterprise Blacksmith plans include a 99.9% SLA guarantee along with 24/7 priority support, dedicated Slack channels, white-glove onboarding, and CI optimization support.

Source
Burp Suite: Are paid versions of Burp Suite available?

Yes, PortSwigger offers Burp Suite Professional and Burp Suite DAST as paid products, though specific pricing and feature details are not available on the main product page.

Source
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