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Blacksmith vs Geckoboard

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
Geckoboard logo

Geckoboard

Business Intelligence

Real-time KPI dashboards

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit GeckoboardFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service; Geckoboard is a real-time dashboard tool.
  • Free plans on both; paid from $0.004/mo and $79/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Geckoboard lists real-time Updates.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Geckoboard falls short: annual billing required; monthly billing not offered.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Geckoboard actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Geckoboard differ
AttributeBlacksmithGeckoboard
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, TV and console, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsBusiness Intelligence

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

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Blacksmith, 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 Geckoboard

  • Real-time Updates
  • TV Mode
  • Custom Widgets
  • Data Blending
  • Sharing
  • Salesforce
  • Zendesk
  • Google Analytics

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

Geckoboard

  • TV wall dashboards for office and operations displaysnot Blacksmith
  • Live KPI monitoring for sales and support teamsnot Blacksmith
  • Sharing read-only metrics widely, since viewers are unlimited on every tiernot Blacksmith
  • Alerting when a metric crosses a thresholdnot 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

Geckoboard

  • Annual billing required; monthly billing not offered
  • Add-on dashboards cost $24 each
  • Additional editors cost $20 each
  • Additional screens cost $20 each

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

Geckoboard

Free
  • Essentials$79/mo
    • 2 dashboards
    • 1 editor
    • 1 screen
  • Performance$319/mo
    • 20 dashboards
    • 3 editors
    • 5 screens
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Unlimited dashboards, editors, and screens
    • All Performance features
    • Dedicated support manager

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 Geckoboard if

  • You need real-time updates.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, TV and console, iOS, Android.
  • You also want tv mode.
Geckoboard review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Geckoboard better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Geckoboard at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Geckoboard?
Blacksmith starts at Free and Geckoboard at Free.
Does Blacksmith or Geckoboard run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Geckoboard runs on Web, TV and console, iOS, Android.
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 Geckoboard is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Geckoboard cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Geckoboard covers Real-time Updates, TV Mode, Custom Widgets, Data Blending.

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
Geckoboard: How much does Geckoboard cost?

Geckoboard offers Essentials at $79 per month, Performance at $319 per month, and custom-priced Enterprise plans. All plans are billed annually. A 14-day free trial is available.

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
Geckoboard: Is there an annual billing discount for Geckoboard?

Yes, annual billing provides 20% savings compared to monthly pricing. Pricing is shown for annual billing with VAT not included.

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
Geckoboard: What are the add-on costs for additional Geckoboard resources?

Additional dashboards cost $24 each, extra editors cost $20 each, and additional screens cost $20 each. All add-ons are billed with the annual subscription.

Source
Geckoboard: Does Geckoboard offer discounts for nonprofits?

Yes, Geckoboard offers 20% off any plan for nonprofit organizations.

Source
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