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Blacksmith vs Tanium

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Tanium logo

Tanium

Cybersecurity

Unified platform for real-time endpoint management, security and compliance

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Blacksmith has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Blacksmith per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs; Tanium no public pricing is published, requiring a sales engagement to get a quote.
  • They diverge on capability: Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Tanium covers Real-time endpoint queries.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Tanium actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Tanium differ
AttributeBlacksmithTanium
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSweb, windows, mac, linux, api
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity
FoundedUnknown2007

Identical on both: 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 Tanium

  • Real-time endpoint queries
  • Single lightweight agent
  • Linear Chain Architecture
  • Vulnerability management
  • AI-driven remediation
  • Threat hunting

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

Tanium

  • Getting real-time visibility into all endpoints across a large enterprisenot Blacksmith
  • Patching operating systems and software at scale quicklynot Blacksmith
  • Continuous vulnerability scanning and risk scoringnot Blacksmith
  • Hunting for and remediating active threats across a fleetnot 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

Tanium

  • No public pricing is published, requiring a sales engagement to get a quote.
  • Aimed at large enterprises, making it impractical for small teams or budgets.
  • Deployment and configuration of the agent-based architecture requires significant IT expertise.
  • Full value depends on adopting multiple Tanium modules, which can increase cost and complexity versus point solutions.

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

Tanium

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom endpoint volume pricing
    • Full platform modules
    • Dedicated 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 Tanium if

  • You need real-time endpoint queries.
  • You work on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
  • You also want single lightweight agent.
Tanium review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Tanium better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Tanium at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Tanium?
Blacksmith has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Blacksmith and On request for Tanium.
Does Blacksmith or Tanium run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Tanium runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
Can I use Blacksmith for free?
Yes. Blacksmith has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tanium starts at On request.
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 Tanium is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Tanium cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Tanium covers Real-time endpoint queries, Single lightweight agent, Linear Chain Architecture, Vulnerability management.

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
Tanium: What is Tanium's pricing model?

Tanium does not publish pricing on its website. Interested customers must contact the company or request a demo to discuss pricing and capabilities.

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
Tanium: Is there a Tanium free trial?

Tanium does not clearly advertise a free trial on its main website, directing customers to schedule a demo or contact sales for more information.

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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