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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Roadmunk

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
Roadmunk logo

Roadmunk

Project Management

The collaborative roadmapping tool for strategic planning

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit RoadmunkFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service; Roadmunk is a collaborative roadmapping tool.
  • Free plans on both; paid from $0.004/mo and $19/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Roadmunk lists visual roadmaps.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Roadmunk falls short: starter plan at $19/editor/month allows only 3 reviewers; additional reviewers cost $5 each per month.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Roadmunk actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Roadmunk differ
AttributeBlacksmithRoadmunk
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb
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 Roadmunk

  • Visual roadmaps
  • Timeline view
  • Swimlane view
  • Prioritization matrix
  • Feedback inbox
  • Jira
  • Azure DevOps
  • Trello

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

Roadmunk

  • Small product teams managing roadmaps with stakeholder feedback collectionnot Blacksmith
  • Multi-team organisations seeking organisation-wide product visibilitynot Blacksmith
  • Teams using Jira, Azure DevOps, or Asana as primary project tracking systemsnot 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

Roadmunk

  • Starter plan at $19/editor/month allows only 3 reviewers; additional reviewers cost $5 each per month
  • Enterprise plan requires custom pricing contact; feature scope and support terms not published
  • Two-way Jira and Azure DevOps sync available only on Business tier and above at additional $9/collaborator/month
  • Pricing model based per-editor seats rather than per-organisation, scaling costs significantly for larger teams

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

Roadmunk

Free
  • Starter$19/mo
    • Billed annually
    • Unlimited roadmaps
    • 3 reviewers included
  • Business$49/mo
    • Billed annually
    • Feedback collection
    • Idea management
  • Professional$99/mo
    • Billed annually
    • Advanced visualizations
    • Real-time publishing
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Custom pricing
    • Billed annually
    • Private cloud

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 Roadmunk if

  • You need visual roadmaps.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want timeline view.
Roadmunk review

Questions people ask

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

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
Roadmunk: How much does Roadmunk cost?

Starter is $19 per editor per month (billed annually), Business is $49 per editor, and Professional is $99 per editor. Enterprise plans require contacting sales.

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
Roadmunk: Does Roadmunk offer a free trial?

Yes, a 14-day free trial is available at the Business package feature level.

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
Roadmunk: What are reviewer limits in each plan?

Starter includes 3 reviewers, Business includes 5, Professional includes 10, and additional reviewers cost $5 per month in any plan.

Source
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