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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Chartio

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
Chartio logo

Chartio

Business Intelligence

Cloud-based data exploration (discontinued)

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit ChartioFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service.
  • Chartio is free; Blacksmith starts at $0.004/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Chartio lists visual Query Builder.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Chartio falls short: product was discontinued and sunset on March 1, 2022 after company acquisition by Atlassian.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Chartio actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Chartio differ
AttributeBlacksmithChartio
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsBusiness Intelligence

Not yet recorded: founded for Blacksmith.

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 Chartio

  • Visual Query Builder
  • Interactive Dashboards
  • Data Blending
  • Collaboration
  • Embedding
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • Redshift

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 Chartio
  • Accelerating CI build times for organizations with heavy CI loadnot Chartio
  • Reducing cloud spend on GitHub Actions by 60% or morenot Chartio
  • Supporting ARM architecture builds without GitHub runnersnot Chartio

Chartio

  • Drag and drop chart building over SQL databasesnot Blacksmith
  • Shared business dashboards for non-technical teamsnot Blacksmith
  • Exploring warehouse data without writing SQLnot 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

Chartio

  • Product was discontinued and sunset on March 1, 2022 after company acquisition by Atlassian
  • No current pricing available as service no longer operates
  • Users were migrated to alternative Atlassian solutions

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

Chartio

On request
  • DiscontinuedFree
    • Service ended March 2022

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 Chartio if

  • You need visual query builder.
  • You also want interactive dashboards.
Chartio review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Chartio better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Chartio at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Chartio?
Blacksmith has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Blacksmith and On request for Chartio.
Does Blacksmith or Chartio run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Chartio runs on Web.
Can I use Blacksmith for free?
Yes. Blacksmith has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Chartio starts at On request.
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 Chartio is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Chartio cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Chartio covers Visual Query Builder, Interactive Dashboards, Data Blending, Collaboration.

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
Chartio: Is Chartio still available?

No, Chartio was discontinued on March 1, 2022. The product was acquired by Atlassian and the service was shut down. Users were offered migration to alternative solutions.

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
Chartio: What should I use instead of Chartio after its discontinuation?

Atlassian, which acquired Chartio, recommends users migrate to other data visualization and business intelligence tools within the Atlassian ecosystem or compatible alternatives.

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
Chartio: Can I still access Chartio's pricing information?

No, historical pricing is not relevant as Chartio ceased operations in March 2022. Any archived pricing information would not reflect current market options.

Source
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