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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Reportz

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
Reportz logo

Reportz

Business Intelligence

Per-dashboard marketing reporting at under ten dollars a client

From
$9.9/month
Free plan
No
Visit ReportzFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service.
  • Blacksmith has a free plan, then $0.004/mo; Reportz starts at $9.9/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Reportz lists per-dashboard pricing.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Reportz falls short: there is no data modelling, SQL or warehouse layer, so cross-source analysis is limited to what the widget set already supports.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Reportz actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Reportz differ
AttributeBlacksmithReportz
Starting priceFree$9.9/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsBusiness Intelligence

Not yet recorded: pricing model 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 Reportz

  • Per-dashboard pricing
  • Unlimited users
  • Public share links
  • White labelling
  • Template library
  • Scheduled reports
  • Custom KPI widgets
  • Client 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 Reportz
  • Accelerating CI build times for organizations with heavy CI loadnot Reportz
  • Reducing cloud spend on GitHub Actions by 60% or morenot Reportz
  • Supporting ARM architecture builds without GitHub runnersnot Reportz

Reportz

  • A five-person SEO agency reporting to twenty five clients that cannot justify several hundred dollars a month for reporting softwarenot Blacksmith
  • A freelancer who needs one white-labelled dashboard per client and nothing elsenot Blacksmith
  • An agency giving clients a live link instead of a monthly PDF, without buying client seatsnot Blacksmith
  • A marketing team wanting a cheap always-on KPI screen fed from ad and analytics platformsnot 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

Reportz

  • The connector library is smaller than the established agency reporting tools, and if a platform you report on is missing there is no practical route to getting it added
  • Four Dots is a small agency-owned business rather than a funded software company, so API breakages and platform changes can take longer to fix than at larger vendors
  • There is no data modelling, SQL or warehouse layer, so cross-source analysis is limited to what the widget set already supports
  • Per-dashboard billing means an agency that builds several views per client loses the headline price advantage quickly
  • Documentation and support are thin compared with larger competitors, and complex setups often need direct email support rather than self-service answers

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

Reportz

$9.9/month
  • Consultant$9.9/mo
    • Priced per dashboard
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited data sources
  • Agency$99/mo
    • Around ten dashboards at the same per-dashboard rate
    • Unlimited users
    • Custom domain
  • Enterprise$742.5/mo
    • 75 dashboards
    • Volume rate
    • Unlimited users

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 Reportz if

  • You need per-dashboard pricing.
  • You also want unlimited users.
Reportz review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Reportz better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Reportz at $9.9/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Reportz?
Blacksmith has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Blacksmith and $9.9/month for Reportz.
Does Blacksmith or Reportz run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Reportz runs on Web.
Can I use Blacksmith for free?
Yes. Blacksmith has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Reportz starts at $9.9/month.
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 Reportz is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Reportz cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Reportz covers Per-dashboard pricing, Unlimited users, Public share links, White labelling.

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
Reportz: What does Reportz cost?

9.90 US dollars per dashboard per month, with unlimited users and data sources on every tier.

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
Reportz: Is there a free plan?

No, but there is a fifteen day trial with no card required.

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
Reportz: Who is behind it?

Four Dots, a digital marketing agency in Belgrade that built the tool for its own client reporting.

Reportz: Can clients view without a login?

Yes, dashboards can be shared as a public link under your own domain.

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