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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Zephyr Scale

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zephyr Scale logo

Zephyr Scale

Testing

Native test management for Jira

From
On request
Rated
-
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; Zephyr Scale tightly bound to Jira; limited standalone functionality outside Jira ecosystem

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Zephyr Scale actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Zephyr Scale differ
AttributeBlacksmithZephyr Scale
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTesting

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 Zephyr Scale

Nothing recorded that Blacksmith does not also cover.

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

Zephyr Scale

  • Test case management within Jira workflowsnot Blacksmith
  • Manual and automated test execution trackingnot Blacksmith
  • Cross-project test asset reusenot Blacksmith
  • Requirements traceability from stories to testsnot Blacksmith
  • CI/CD pipeline and BDD framework integrationnot 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

Zephyr Scale

  • Tightly bound to Jira; limited standalone functionality outside Jira ecosystem
  • No-code automation features limited in Standard tier, expanded only in Advanced
  • Data residency feature unavailable for Essential tier, limiting enterprise compliance
  • Transparent cost structure not provided on marketing page

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

Zephyr Scale

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Zephyr Scale review.

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 Zephyr Scale if

Nothing in the data separates Zephyr Scale from Blacksmith on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Zephyr Scale review

Questions people ask

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

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
Zephyr Scale: How much does Zephyr Scale cost?

Zephyr Scale pricing is not published on the website. Three tiers are available: Essential, Standard, and Advanced, plus QMetry for Jira. Contact SmartBear or visit Atlassian Marketplace for pricing details.

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
Zephyr Scale: Is there a free trial available?

Yes, Zephyr offers free trials for Essential, Standard, and Advanced tiers, as well as for QMetry. Visit the product page to start a trial.

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
Zephyr Scale: Does Zephyr Scale work outside of Jira?

Zephyr Scale is tightly integrated with Jira for test management. For standalone test management outside Jira, SmartBear offers QMetry as an alternative.

Source
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