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Blacksmith vs Corel Painter

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
C

Corel Painter

Design

Digital painting software that emulates natural media brushes and textures

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit Corel PainterFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service.
  • Blacksmith starts at $0.004/mo; Corel Painter prices on request.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Corel Painter lists Natural-Media Brush Engine.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Corel Painter falls short: sold as a one-time perpetual license per major version, requiring paid upgrades for new releases unlike subscription competitors.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Corel Painter actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Corel Painter differ
AttributeBlacksmithCorel Painter
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWindows, macOS
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDesign

Not yet recorded: pricing model 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 Corel Painter

  • Natural-Media Brush Engine
  • Custom Brush Creation
  • Canvas Textures
  • Photo Painting Tools
  • Layer Support

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

Corel Painter

  • Digital painting that mimics traditional medianot Blacksmith
  • Concept art and illustrationnot Blacksmith
  • Converting photographs into painted artworknot Blacksmith
  • Custom brush development for artistsnot 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

Corel Painter

  • Sold as a one-time perpetual license per major version, requiring paid upgrades for new releases unlike subscription competitors
  • Interface and brush engine have a steeper learning curve than more streamlined tools like Procreate
  • No official mobile or tablet-native version, limiting use to desktop Windows and Mac
  • Performance can lag with very large, texture-heavy brushes compared to lighter tools

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

Corel Painter

On request
  • Full LicenseOn request
    • Perpetual license for current major version
    • Desktop app for Windows and Mac
  • UpgradeOn request
    • Discounted upgrade pricing for existing Painter owners

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 Corel Painter if

  • You need natural-media brush engine.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want custom brush creation.
Corel Painter review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Corel Painter better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Corel Painter at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Corel Painter?
Blacksmith has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Blacksmith and On request for Corel Painter.
Does Blacksmith or Corel Painter run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Corel Painter runs on Windows, macOS.
Can I use Blacksmith for free?
Yes. Blacksmith has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Corel Painter 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 Corel Painter is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Corel Painter cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Corel Painter covers Natural-Media Brush Engine, Custom Brush Creation, Canvas Textures, Photo Painting Tools.

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
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
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
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