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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Nifty

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
Nifty logo

Nifty

Project Management

The operating system for your workflow

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit NiftyFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service; Nifty is a work management platform.
  • Free plans on both; paid from $0.004/mo and $79/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Nifty lists time tracking.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Nifty falls short: the free plan allows 100 MB of storage and 2 active projects.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Nifty actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Nifty differ
AttributeBlacksmithNifty
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsProject Management

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 Nifty

  • Tasks
  • Milestones
  • Docs
  • Chat
  • Time tracking
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace
  • Zoom

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

Nifty

  • Small team project management and task trackingnot Blacksmith
  • Client collaboration and portfolio managementnot Blacksmith
  • Workflow automation for marketing and operations teamsnot 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

Nifty

  • The free plan allows 100 MB of storage and 2 active projects
  • The standard plans are flat monthly fees with hard member caps, at 20 on Pro and 50 on Business, so the 21st member forces a jump from $79 to $124 a month
  • Active projects are capped at 100 on Pro despite the flat fee
  • Time tracking, custom fields and workflow automations all require the Pro plan
  • Microsoft SSO is Business only and SAML is Unlimited only, at $399 a month
  • White labelling and IP restriction are Unlimited 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

Nifty

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited team members
    • 100 MB storage
    • 2 active projects
  • Pro$79/mo
    • 20 team members
    • 500 GB storage
    • 100 active projects
  • Business$124/mo
    • 50 team members
    • 1 TB storage
    • Unlimited active projects
  • Unlimited$399/mo
    • Unlimited members, storage, projects, guests
    • Native forms, custom SAML, white labeling, IP restriction
    • Dedicated success 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 Nifty if

  • You need tasks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want milestones.
Nifty review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Nifty better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Nifty at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Nifty?
Blacksmith starts at Free and Nifty at Free.
Does Blacksmith or Nifty run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Nifty runs on Web, 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 Nifty is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Nifty cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Nifty covers Tasks, Milestones, Docs, Chat.

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
Nifty: Is Nifty free?

Nifty offers a free forever plan with unlimited team members, but storage is limited to 100 MB and you can only have 2 active projects. No credit card is required to start.

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
Nifty: How much does Nifty Pro cost?

Nifty Pro costs $79 per month (monthly billing) or less with annual discounts of up to 20% off. Pro includes 20 team members, 500 GB storage, and 100 active projects.

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
Nifty: What is the most popular Nifty plan?

The Business plan at $124 per month is the most popular option. It includes 50 team members, 1 TB storage, unlimited projects, goals tracking, and team workloads. Annual plans save up to 20% off monthly pricing.

Source
Nifty: Does Nifty offer team limits by plan?

Yes, Nifty limits team members by plan: Free has unlimited members but limited features, Pro allows 20 members, Business allows 50 members, and Unlimited has no member restrictions.

Source
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