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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Deepnote

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
Deepnote logo

Deepnote

Business Intelligence

Collaborative cloud workspace for data analytics and machine learning

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit DeepnoteFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service; Deepnote is a collaborative cloud-based workspace.
  • Free plans on both; paid from $0.004/mo and $39/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Deepnote lists collaborative notebooks.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Deepnote falls short: free plan limited to 3 editors, restricting team usage.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Deepnote actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Deepnote differ
AttributeBlacksmithDeepnote
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, API
CategoryDeveloper ToolsBusiness Intelligence

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).

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 Deepnote

  • Collaborative notebooks
  • Interactive dashboards
  • Data agent building
  • Scheduled pipelines
  • Model management
  • 100+ integrations
  • GPU support
  • API deployment

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

Deepnote

  • Data exploration and analysis workflowsnot Blacksmith
  • Building interactive business intelligence dashboardsnot Blacksmith
  • Collaborative machine learning model developmentnot Blacksmith
  • Automating ETL and data pipeline orchestrationnot Blacksmith
  • Creating shareable reports without exportsnot 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

Deepnote

  • Free plan limited to 3 editors, restricting team usage
  • Limited revision history on free plan compared to competitors
  • Requires Team plan or higher for automated scheduling
  • GPU support incurs additional charges beyond base subscription
  • No mentioned offline capability

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

Deepnote

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 editors
    • Up to 5 projects
    • Limited Deepnote AI
  • Team$39/mo
    • Unlimited viewers and notebooks
    • Full Deepnote AI access
    • Premium integrations
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Everything in Team plan
    • Custom contracts
    • Priority support

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 Deepnote if

  • You need collaborative notebooks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want interactive dashboards.
Deepnote review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Deepnote better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Deepnote at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Deepnote?
Blacksmith starts at Free and Deepnote at Free.
Does Blacksmith or Deepnote run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Deepnote runs on Web, 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 Deepnote is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Deepnote cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Deepnote covers Collaborative notebooks, Interactive dashboards, Data agent building, Scheduled pipelines.

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
Deepnote: What is included in the free Deepnote plan?

The free plan includes up to 3 editors, up to 5 projects, limited Deepnote AI, basic machines with 5 GB RAM, and 7-day revision history.

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
Deepnote: What data sources can Deepnote integrate with?

Deepnote integrates with 100+ data sources including major data warehouses like Snowflake, BigQuery, and Redshift, as well as BI platforms like Looker, Tableau, and Power BI.

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
Deepnote: Does Deepnote support collaboration?

Yes, Deepnote provides real-time collaborative notebooks where multiple team members can work simultaneously. The Team plan allows unlimited viewers and notebooks.

Source
Deepnote: What compliance certifications does Deepnote have?

Deepnote is SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA compliant and offers role-based access control, single sign-on, and directory synchronization.

Source
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