Softwr

Testing · head to head

BrowserStack vs Depot

BrowserStack logo

BrowserStack

Testing

Real device cloud for web and mobile testing

From
$12.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

Cloud-based builds and CI runs 55x faster with less cost

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Depot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BrowserStack volume pricing for 25+ users and custom pricing for higher parallel counts not publicly listed; Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BrowserStack and Depot actually diverge.

Attributes where BrowserStack and Depot differ
AttributeBrowserStackDepot
Starting price$12.5/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebCloud, GitHub, CLI
CategoryTestingDeveloper Tools
FoundedUnknown2022

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 BrowserStack

Nothing recorded that Depot does not also cover.

Only in Depot

  • Depot CI
  • Container builds
  • GitHub Actions runners
  • Distributed caching
  • Build API
  • Depot Registry
  • Cross-platform builds
  • SSH debugging

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

BrowserStack

  • Testing on 3500+ real browser combinationsnot Depot
  • Validating payment workflows on real devicesnot Depot
  • Testing web performance on real devicesnot Depot
  • Testing localization from 100+ countriesnot Depot

Depot

  • Accelerating Docker builds for container-based developmentnot BrowserStack
  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster infrastructurenot BrowserStack
  • Distributing cache across Monorepo buildsnot BrowserStack
  • Debugging failed CI builds interactively with SSHnot BrowserStack

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BrowserStack

  • Volume pricing for 25+ users and custom pricing for higher parallel counts not publicly listed
  • Annual billing saves up to 25% versus monthly, but specific annual prices not published for all tiers

Depot

  • Developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development
  • Startup plan at $200/mo is expensive for smaller teams
  • Business plan requires custom pricing consultation
  • macOS M2 runners not available on Developer plan

Pricing, plan by plan

BrowserStack

$12.5/month
  • Freelancer$12.5/month
    • 100 minutes monthly
    • 1 user
    • Desktop testing
  • Desktop$29/month
    • Unlimited testing minutes
    • Individual plan
    • 3000+ desktop browsers
  • Desktop & Mobile$39/month
    • Unlimited testing minutes
    • 3000+ desktop and 30000+ mobile device combinations
    • Marked as Best Value
  • Team$150/month
    • 5+ users
    • Unlimited testing minutes
    • Multi-device testing

Depot

Free
  • Developer$20/month
    • 1 user
    • 500 Docker build minutes per month
    • 2,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Startup$200/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 5,000 Docker build minutes per month
    • 20,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Business$undefined/custom
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users
    • Custom monthly compute

Which should you pick?

Choose BrowserStack if

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

BrowserStack review

Choose Depot if

  • You need depot ci.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, GitHub, CLI.
  • You also want container builds.
Depot review

Questions people ask

Is BrowserStack or Depot better?
Neither clearly leads. BrowserStack starts at $12.5/month and Depot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BrowserStack or Depot?
Depot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12.5/month for BrowserStack and Free for Depot.
Does BrowserStack or Depot run on more platforms?
BrowserStack runs on Web. Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI.
Can I use Depot for free?
Yes. Depot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BrowserStack starts at $12.5/month.
What is BrowserStack best used for?
BrowserStack is most often used for testing on 3500+ real browser combinations, validating payment workflows on real devices, testing web performance on real devices, testing localization from 100+ countries. Of those, testing on 3500+ real browser combinations and validating payment workflows on real devices are not what Depot is typically brought in for.
What can BrowserStack do that Depot cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BrowserStack: How much does BrowserStack cost?

BrowserStack Freelancer plan starts at $12.50/month (100 minutes, 1 user), Desktop plan costs $29/month, Desktop & Mobile plan costs $39/month (marked as best value), and Team plans start at $150/month for 5+ users. Annual billing saves up to 25% compared to monthly billing. All prices are for annual commitment.

Source
Depot: How much faster are Depot runners compared to GitHub Actions?

Depot runners offer 30% faster CPUs and 10x faster networking than standard GitHub-hosted runners, enabling builds to complete significantly faster.

Source
BrowserStack: What testing minute limits does BrowserStack provide?

Freelancer plan includes 100 testing minutes monthly. All other individual and team plans provide unlimited testing minutes. Team sizes start at 5+ users for team plans.

Source
Depot: What is included in the Developer plan?

Developer plan ($20/month) includes 500 Docker build minutes, 2,000 Depot CI minutes, 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes, 25 GB storage, unlimited concurrency, and community support.

Source
BrowserStack: How many devices can you test simultaneously on BrowserStack?

Individual plans allow standard device testing. Team Pro plans enable 4 simultaneous devices, Team Ultimate enables higher simultaneous testing. Automation Pro plans support multiple parallel tests, with volume discounts available for higher parallel counts (2, 5, 5+).

Source
Depot: Can I use Depot with my own AWS account?

Yes, Depot Managed allows deployment within customer AWS accounts. This is available to interested customers; contact sales for details.

Source
BrowserStack: What automation testing plans does BrowserStack offer?

Automate Chrome plan costs $59/month for 1 parallel. Automate Desktop costs $99/month (1 parallel, 3000+ browsers). Automate Standard costs $175/month (1 parallel, desktop and mobile). Automate Pro costs $225/month and adds SIM card testing, real device performance testing, and AI agents for self-healing and failure analysis.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on BrowserStack

More on Depot

Keep looking

Other head to heads