Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Principle

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
P

Principle

Design

Animate your ideas, design better apps

From
$129/one-time
Free plan
No
Visit PrincipleFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service.
  • Blacksmith has a free plan, then $0.004/mo; Principle starts at $129 one-off.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Principle lists timeline-based animation.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Principle falls short: macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Principle actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Principle differ
AttributeBlacksmithPrinciple
Starting priceFree$129/one-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSmacOS
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDesign

Not yet recorded: 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 Principle

  • Timeline-based animation
  • Interactive prototypes
  • Touch gestures
  • Component reuse
  • Video export
  • Sketch import
  • Figma import
  • Driver animations

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

Principle

  • Mobile app prototypesnot Blacksmith
  • Micro-interactionsnot Blacksmith
  • Animation designnot Blacksmith
  • User flow designnot Blacksmith
  • Gesture-based interfacesnot 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

Principle

  • macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available
  • No vector morphing capability for complex shape transformations
  • Limited asset creation tools; cannot create vectors or shapes directly within Principle
  • Sketch import flattens certain properties including paths, fills, borders, masks, blur effects, and text layers
  • Limited variable support, logical loops, and data input capabilities compared to tools like ProtoPie or Origami

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

Principle

$129/one-time
  • License$129 one-off
    • One year of upgrades
    • Full access to all features
  • Upgrade License$99/yr
    • Annual renewal for ongoing upgrades

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 Principle if

  • You need timeline-based animation.
  • You work on macOS.
  • You also want interactive prototypes.
Principle review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Principle better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Principle at $129/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Principle?
Blacksmith has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Blacksmith and $129/one-time for Principle.
Does Blacksmith or Principle run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Principle runs on macOS.
Can I use Blacksmith for free?
Yes. Blacksmith has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Principle starts at $129/one-time.
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 Principle is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Principle cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Principle covers Timeline-based animation, Interactive prototypes, Touch gestures, Component reuse.

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
Principle: Does Principle run on Windows or Linux?

No. Principle is macOS only and runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. There is no Windows or Linux editor available; however, prototypes can be shared and viewed on any platform via web link.

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
Principle: What is the cost of Principle?

Principle costs $129 for a one-time purchase with 1 year of upgrades included. After 1 year, upgrade licenses cost $99/year. A 14-day free trial is available with all features included.

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
Principle: Can I import designs from Figma or Sketch into Principle?

Yes. Principle supports importing designs from Figma and Sketch with intelligent merging of re-imported files. Some Sketch properties such as paths, fills, borders, blur effects, masks, and text layers are flattened upon import.

Source
Principle: How do I share Principle prototypes with others?

Prototypes can be shared via web link with one click (File > Export > Share to Web). Recipients can view and interact with prototypes in any browser on any platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS. No installation required.

Source
Principle: Can I create vector shapes and morphing animations in Principle?

Principle does not support vector morphing, where vector objects transform into other vector shapes. It also has limited asset creation capabilities and editing is restricted to basic operations like scale and rotate.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Blacksmith

More on Principle

Keep looking

Other head to heads