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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Krea

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
K

Krea

Design

Generate, enhance, and edit images, videos, or 3D meshes with AI

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit KreaFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service.
  • Blacksmith starts at $0.004/mo; Krea prices on request.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Krea actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Krea differ
AttributeBlacksmithKrea
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb
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 Krea

Nothing recorded that Blacksmith does not also cover.

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

Krea

No use cases recorded yet. See the Krea review.

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

Krea

  • Usage is metered in compute units that vary by operation; the free tier grants only 100 units per day, and the $9 per month Basic tier steps up to 5,000 units, as of August 2026

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

Krea

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Krea 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.
Blacksmith review

Choose Krea if

Nothing in the data separates Krea from Blacksmith on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Krea review

Questions people ask

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

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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