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Blacksmith vs Qwik

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Qwik logo

Qwik

Web Development

Framework for edge computing with instant interactivity and minimal JavaScript

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Blacksmith per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs; Qwik different mental model than React requires learning new patterns
  • They diverge on capability: Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Qwik covers Resumability.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Qwik actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Qwik differ
AttributeBlacksmithQwik
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, Edge
CategoryDeveloper ToolsWeb Development

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Qwik

  • Resumability
  • Minimal JavaScript
  • Lazy JavaScript execution
  • Edge deployment support
  • Qwik Optimizer
  • Vite integration
  • JSX support

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

Qwik

  • Building ultra-fast web applications with instant page loadsnot Blacksmith
  • Edge-computing-first applications requiring minimal JavaScriptnot Blacksmith
  • Performance-critical applications targeting mobile usersnot Blacksmith
  • Projects requiring sub-second Time to Interactive on slow networksnot 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

Qwik

  • Different mental model than React requires learning new patterns
  • Smaller ecosystem and community compared to established frameworks
  • Limited third-party component library support
  • Fewer examples and tutorials in documentation

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

Qwik

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Qwik 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 Qwik if

  • You need resumability.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Edge.
  • You also want minimal javascript.
Qwik review

Questions people ask

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

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
Qwik: How does Qwik achieve instant interactivity without hydration?

Qwik uses resumability, serializing application state and component tree, then deserializing directly into memory without re-executing component code.

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
Qwik: What is the typical JavaScript bundle size for a Qwik application?

Qwik applications boot with approximately 1kb of JavaScript regardless of complexity, with additional code loaded on-demand.

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
Qwik: Can Qwik be deployed to edge computing platforms?

Yes, Qwik supports deployment to Cloudflare Workers, Netlify Edge, Vercel Edge, AWS Lambda, and many other edge platforms.

Source
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