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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Netwrix

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Netwrix logo

Netwrix

Cybersecurity

Data access governance and change auditing across Active Directory, file shares and Microsoft 365

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Blacksmith has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Blacksmith per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs; Netwrix the portfolio is assembled from acquisitions, so consoles, agents and licensing metrics differ between products and the platform story is ahead of the engineering reality.
  • They diverge on capability: Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Netwrix covers Change auditing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Netwrix actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Netwrix differ
AttributeBlacksmithNetwrix
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWindows, Web
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Netwrix

  • Change auditing
  • Effective permissions
  • Data classification
  • Access remediation
  • Threat detection
  • Group policy management

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

Netwrix

  • An organisation that cannot tell an auditor who has access to a sensitive file share and needs an answer with evidencenot Blacksmith
  • A security team reducing ransomware blast radius by removing Everyone and Domain Users permissions from sensitive datanot Blacksmith
  • An IT team investigating an unexplained Active Directory change and needing the exact account, time and previous valuenot Blacksmith
  • A company responding to GDPR data subject access requests that must first locate personal data scattered across legacy sharesnot 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

Netwrix

  • The portfolio is assembled from acquisitions, so consoles, agents and licensing metrics differ between products and the platform story is ahead of the engineering reality.
  • Licensing metrics vary by product, per enabled user for some and per managed asset for others, which makes assembling a multi-product quote unusually difficult to compare against a single-vendor competitor.
  • Auditing agents and collectors add load to domain controllers and file servers, and large estates need careful sizing to avoid degrading the systems being monitored.
  • It reports and remediates but does not enforce access decisions at request time, so it complements rather than replaces identity governance and buyers still need an IGA tool for certification workflows.
  • Coverage is strongest on Microsoft estates; Linux, NAS appliances and non-Microsoft SaaS are supported unevenly and often need additional modules or trail behind on feature parity.

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

Netwrix

On request
  • Netwrix Platform$undefined/year
    • Priced per enabled user or per managed asset depending on the product
    • Auditing, data classification, privileged access and threat products licensed separately
    • Netwrix 1Secure SaaS console with a 14-day free trial

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 Netwrix if

  • You need change auditing.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want effective permissions.
Netwrix review

Questions people ask

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

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
Netwrix: Does it replace identity governance?

No. It shows you who has access and lets you fix it, but recertification campaigns and access request workflow are an IGA product.

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
Netwrix: Is there a SaaS option?

Netwrix 1Secure is the cloud console covering data and identity visibility, with a 14-day free trial including full access.

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
Netwrix: How is it priced?

Per enabled user or per managed asset depending on the product, quoted rather than published. Assume separate line items per module.

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