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Blacksmith vs SAP BusinessObjects

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
SAP BusinessObjects logo

SAP BusinessObjects

Business Intelligence

Enterprise business intelligence suite

From
$400/month
Free plan
No
Visit SAP BusinessObjectsFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service; SAP BusinessObjects is a comprehensive business intelligence suite.
  • Blacksmith has a free plan, then $0.004/mo; SAP BusinessObjects starts at $400/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only SAP BusinessObjects lists crystal Reports.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and SAP BusinessObjects actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and SAP BusinessObjects differ
AttributeBlacksmithSAP BusinessObjects
Starting priceFree$400/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsBusiness Intelligence

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 SAP BusinessObjects

  • Crystal Reports
  • Web Intelligence
  • Lumira
  • Analysis for Office
  • Live Office
  • SAP HANA
  • SAP ERP
  • Oracle

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

SAP BusinessObjects

  • Enterprise reportingnot Blacksmith
  • Executive dashboardsnot Blacksmith
  • Regulatory compliancenot Blacksmith
  • Strategic planningnot Blacksmith
  • Operational analyticsnot 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

SAP BusinessObjects

  • SAP BusinessObjects Private Cloud Edition is listed on UK G-Cloud 14 as a Cloud software service by SAP (UK) Limited titled 'SAP Business Objects Private Cloud Edition', alongside a reseller listing from NTT DATA Business Solutions; the G-Cloud search results describe it as subscription-based but show no per-user or per-month figure in the listing summary

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

SAP BusinessObjects

$400/month
  • Standard$400/mo
    • Core BI Tools
    • Web Intelligence
    • Crystal Reports
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full Suite
    • Advanced Features
    • Premium Support

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 SAP BusinessObjects if

  • You need crystal reports.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want web intelligence.
SAP BusinessObjects review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or SAP BusinessObjects better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and SAP BusinessObjects at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or SAP BusinessObjects?
Blacksmith has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Blacksmith and $400/month for SAP BusinessObjects.
Does Blacksmith or SAP BusinessObjects run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. SAP BusinessObjects runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
Can I use Blacksmith for free?
Yes. Blacksmith has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SAP BusinessObjects starts at $400/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 SAP BusinessObjects is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that SAP BusinessObjects cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. SAP BusinessObjects covers Crystal Reports, Web Intelligence, Lumira, Analysis for Office.

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
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
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
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