Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Trello

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
Trello logo

Trello

Project Management

Organize anything, together

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit TrelloFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service; Trello is a visual collaboration tool.
  • Free plans on both; paid from $0.004/mo and $5/user/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Trello lists kanban boards.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Trello falls short: free tier limited to 10 boards and 10 collaborators per workspace.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Trello actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Trello differ
AttributeBlacksmithTrello
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
CategoryDeveloper ToolsProject Management

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

Not yet recorded: 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 Trello

  • Kanban boards
  • Cards & lists
  • Drag-and-drop interface
  • Activity feed
  • Due dates & reminders
  • File attachments
  • Comments & mentions
  • Power-Ups ecosystem

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

Trello

  • Project trackingnot Blacksmith
  • Content calendarsnot Blacksmith
  • Sales pipelinesnot Blacksmith
  • Onboarding processesnot Blacksmith
  • Personal task managementnot 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

Trello

  • Free tier limited to 10 boards and 10 collaborators per workspace
  • Free tier automation capped at 250 monthly Butler runs
  • No offline access; web-based platform requires internet connection
  • Advanced views (timeline, table, dashboard) not available on Standard plan
  • SSO only available on Enterprise plan

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

Trello

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 boards/workspace
    • Up to 10 collaborators
    • 250 monthly Butler automation runs
  • Standard$5/user/mo
    • Unlimited boards
    • Unlimited Power-Ups
    • 1,000 monthly Butler runs
  • Premium$10/user/mo
    • All Standard features
    • Timeline, table, dashboard, calendar views
    • Unlimited automation
  • Enterprise$17.5/user/mo
    • All Premium features
    • Unlimited workspaces
    • SSO and user provisioning

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 Trello if

  • You need kanban boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want cards & lists.
Trello review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Trello better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Trello at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Trello?
Blacksmith starts at Free and Trello at Free.
Does Blacksmith or Trello run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Trello runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
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 Trello is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Trello cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Trello covers Kanban boards, Cards & lists, Drag-and-drop interface, Activity feed.

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
Trello: What are the free tier limitations for Trello?

Trello Free supports up to 10 boards per workspace, unlimited cards, 250 monthly Butler automation runs, and up to 10 Power-Up attachments. Limited to 10 collaborators per workspace.

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
Trello: What features are included in the Standard plan?

Standard ($5-6/user/month) adds unlimited boards, custom fields, advanced checklists, 1,000 monthly automation runs, list colors, and calendar view access.

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
Trello: Does Trello offer SSO and on which plan?

SSO through Atlassian Guard is included only on the Enterprise plan ($17.50/user/month or $210/year per user).

Source
Trello: How many file attachment options are available?

Free tier includes 2 Power-Ups per board, Standard adds unlimited Power-Ups, and Premium and above offer full Power-Up marketplace access with custom integration options.

Source
Trello: Is there offline access to Trello boards?

Trello is a web-based application requiring internet connection. Mobile apps are available for iOS and Android but do not support true offline editing.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Blacksmith

More on Trello

Keep looking

Other head to heads