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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Miro

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
Miro logo

Miro

Design

The visual workspace for innovation

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit MiroFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service.
  • Free plans on both; paid from $0.004/mo and $8/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Miro lists infinite canvas.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Miro falls short: free tier limited to 3 editable boards; additional boards must be shared as read-only.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Miro actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Miro differ
AttributeBlacksmithMiro
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDesign

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 Miro

  • Infinite canvas
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Digital sticky notes
  • Diagramming
  • Mind mapping
  • Video chat
  • Screen sharing
  • Templates

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

Miro

  • Collaborative whiteboarding and diagrammingnot Blacksmith
  • Team brainstorming and ideation sessionsnot Blacksmith
  • Project planning and workflow visualisationnot Blacksmith
  • Remote team collaborationnot 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

Miro

  • Free tier limited to 3 editable boards; additional boards must be shared as read-only
  • AI credits heavily restricted: 25 credits per member per month on Starter, 50 on Business
  • Enterprise plan requires minimum 30 members
  • Large projects with numerous nested objects may impact performance on lower tiers

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

Miro

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 editable boards
    • 7,000+ templates
    • Multiple formats (Docs, Tables, Slides, Kanban)
  • Starter$8/mo
    • Unlimited boards
    • Visitor editing
    • High-resolution exports
  • Business$20/mo
    • Unlimited workspaces
    • Unlimited guests
    • 4,700+ diagramming shapes
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Custom pricing from 30 members
    • Enterprise-grade security
    • Regional data hosting

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 Miro if

  • You need infinite canvas.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
Miro review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Miro better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Miro at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Miro?
Blacksmith starts at Free and Miro at Free.
Does Blacksmith or Miro run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Miro runs on Web.
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 Miro is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Miro cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Miro covers Infinite canvas, Real-time collaboration, Digital sticky notes, Diagramming.

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
Miro: How much does Miro cost per month?

Miro offers Free (no cost), Starter at $8/month per member (billed yearly), Business at $20/month per member (billed yearly), and Enterprise with custom pricing from 30 members.

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
Miro: Is there a free version of Miro?

Yes, Miro's Free plan includes 3 editable boards, 7,000+ templates, multiple formats, limited AI trial, 250+ integrations, and 100 MCP calls per day.

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
Miro: Do organizations get discounts on Miro?

Miro offers education and nonprofit discounts, as well as startup credits of $500-$1,000 for eligible startups.

Source
Miro: How does annual billing compare to monthly billing?

Annual billing saves 20% compared to monthly billing across all paid tiers on Miro.

Source
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