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Blacksmith vs Kanbanize

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
Kanbanize logo

Kanbanize

Project Management

Enterprise Kanban software for agile teams

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit KanbanizeFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service.
  • Blacksmith has a free plan, then $0.004/mo; Kanbanize starts at $149/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Kanbanize lists kanban boards.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Kanbanize falls short: no per user price or minimum user count is published, despite the page being headed simple pricing.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Kanbanize actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Kanbanize differ
AttributeBlacksmithKanbanize
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsProject Management

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 Kanbanize

  • Kanban boards
  • Portfolio Kanban
  • Workflow automation
  • Analytics
  • Timeline
  • Jira
  • Azure DevOps
  • Slack

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

Kanbanize

  • Kanban boards and portfolio management for scaled agile teamsnot Blacksmith
  • Linking strategy and OKRs to delivery workflowsnot 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

Kanbanize

  • No per user price or minimum user count is published, despite the page being headed simple pricing
  • Automation rules are a paid add on on both plans, capped at 300 on Standard
  • SSO is a paid add on rather than included at either tier
  • File storage is 100 GB on Standard against 1 TB on Enterprise, and API calls are capped on Standard without the limit being stated
  • A dedicated cloud instance, IP whitelisting and 24/7 support are Enterprise only

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

Kanbanize

On request
  • Team$149/mo
    • 15 users
    • Unlimited boards
    • Kanban analytics
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • SSO
    • Advanced security

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 Kanbanize if

  • You need kanban boards.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want portfolio kanban.
Kanbanize review

Questions people ask

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

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
Kanbanize: Is Businessmap (formerly Kanbanize) free or paid?

Businessmap offers a free Standard plan with all features included. Enterprise plan and add-ons require custom pricing through contact sales. No per-seat pricing is published.

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
Kanbanize: What discounts does Businessmap offer for annual billing?

Businessmap provides over 20 percent savings when choosing annual plans versus monthly billing. Exact pricing figures are not published on the page.

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
Kanbanize: What are the storage and API limits on Businessmap?

Standard plan includes 100 GB file storage and limited API calls. Enterprise plan provides 1 TB storage with unlimited API access. Automation rules are limited to 300 on Standard; Enterprise offers unlimited.

Source
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