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Blacksmith vs Domo

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Domo logo

Domo

Business Intelligence

Business cloud for modern enterprises

From
$30000/year
Free plan
No

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service; Domo is a cloud-native business intelligence platform.
  • Blacksmith has a free plan, then $0.004/mo; Domo starts at $30000/yr.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Domo lists 1000+ Connectors.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Domo falls short: pricing is not published; contracts start around $30,000 per year minimum, making budget planning difficult without a sales conversation.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Domo actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Domo differ
AttributeBlacksmithDomo
Starting priceFree$30000/year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, iOS, Android, API
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 Domo

  • 1000+ Connectors
  • Real-time Data
  • Mobile BI
  • Collaboration
  • App Development
  • Salesforce
  • Google Analytics
  • Facebook

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

Domo

  • Self-service analyticsnot Blacksmith
  • Data explorationnot Blacksmith
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Blacksmith
  • Collaborative analysisnot Blacksmith
  • Embedded analyticsnot 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

Domo

  • Pricing is not published; contracts start around $30,000 per year minimum, making budget planning difficult without a sales conversation
  • Visualization customization is limited compared to specialized tools like Tableau, with rigid chart types and restricted pixel-level dashboard layouts
  • Version control and merge options for dataflows are very limited, making multi-developer projects prone to conflicts and overwrites
  • Workflows cannot be edited once deployed; any changes require rebuilding from scratch
  • Semantic layer lacks code-based governance, with metric definitions scattered inside individual cards rather than in a centralized governed location

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

Domo

$30000/year

No published plan breakdown. See the Domo review.

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.

Choose Domo if

  • You need 1000+ connectors.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want real-time data.

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Domo better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Domo at $30000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Domo?
Blacksmith has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Blacksmith and $30000/year for Domo.
Does Blacksmith or Domo run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Domo runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Can I use Blacksmith for free?
Yes. Blacksmith has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Domo starts at $30000/year.
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 Domo is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Domo cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Domo covers 1000+ Connectors, Real-time Data, Mobile BI, 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
Domo: Does Domo offer a free tier or trial?

Domo does not publish pricing on its website and does not offer a standard free tier. The platform uses a consumption-based credit model with minimum viable deployments starting around $30,000 per year. A free trial may be available upon request from the sales team.

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
Domo: What data sources can Domo connect to?

Domo connects to over 1,000 pre-built connectors covering cloud applications, databases, advertising platforms, file services, spreadsheets, enterprise systems, and data warehouses. Custom integrations are possible via API.

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
Domo: Can I self-host Domo or is it cloud-only?

Domo is a fully cloud-native, SaaS platform with no self-hosted option available. All data and applications run on Domo's cloud infrastructure.

Source
Domo: What does the credit-based pricing model mean?

Domo charges credits based on data consumption and platform activity. One credit roughly equals processing one million rows of data, though actual burn rate varies with workflows. Users purchase credit packages providing team access with unlimited user seats; only activity consumes credits, not dashboards or team size.

Source
Domo: Does Domo include AI features and what do they cost?

Domo AI features are free as part of your contract, including DomoGPT for AI chat queries. Premium AI capabilities are available through Domo AI Pro, which uses consumption-based pricing on a per-use basis.

Source
Domo: Can multiple teams collaborate on the same dashboard in Domo?

Yes, Domo supports team collaboration on shared dashboards and datasets. However, version control and merge capabilities for dataflows are limited, which can cause conflicts when multiple developers work on the same project.

Source
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