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Software · head to head

Buildkite vs Ansible

Buildkite logo

Buildkite

Software

CI/CD pipelines that run on your own compute

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ansible logo

Ansible

Software

Simple, agentless IT automation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Buildkite free plan caps at 5 users and 10 concurrent jobs, with 2,000 Linux vCPU minutes per month and 30 day build retention; Ansible the open source project gives the engine and the language; the automation controller, automation mesh, automation hub, analytics and governance all belong to the paid Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buildkite and Ansible actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildkite and Ansible differ
AttributeBuildkiteAnsible
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsWebLinux, Windows, Mac, Api
FoundedUnknown2012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Buildkite

Nothing recorded that Ansible does not also cover.

Only in Ansible

  • Playbooks
  • Inventory management
  • Module library
  • Variables and templating
  • Handlers
  • Roles
  • Async tasks
  • Plugins

What people use each for

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

Buildkite

No use cases recorded yet. See the Buildkite review.

Ansible

  • Configuration managementnot Buildkite
  • Server provisioningnot Buildkite
  • Application deploymentnot Buildkite
  • Multi-node managementnot Buildkite
  • Orchestrationnot Buildkite

Where each one falls short

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

Buildkite

  • Free plan caps at 5 users and 10 concurrent jobs, with 2,000 Linux vCPU minutes per month and 30 day build retention
  • Pro plan is $30 per active user per month, capped at 50 users, with only 10 of the up to 250 concurrent agents included before extra usage
  • Enterprise plan enforces a 30 user minimum even though pricing itself is custom
  • Hosted compute beyond included minutes is metered at $0.004 per vCPU minute on Linux and $0.02 per vCPU minute on Mac

Ansible

  • The open source project gives the engine and the language; the automation controller, automation mesh, automation hub, analytics and governance all belong to the paid Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform
  • Event-Driven Ansible and the AI coding assistant are platform features rather than open source ones
  • Red Hat does not publish platform pricing
  • Running open source Ansible at scale means building the control plane the platform otherwise provides

Pricing, plan by plan

Buildkite

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Buildkite review.

Ansible

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Community edition
    • Unlimited nodes
    • Full functionality
  • Ansible Automation Platform$5000/year
    • Enterprise support
    • Ansible Tower
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

Choose Buildkite if

  • You want to start without paying.
Buildkite review

Choose Ansible if

  • You need playbooks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
  • You also want inventory management.
Ansible review

Questions people ask

Is Buildkite or Ansible better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildkite starts at Free and Ansible at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildkite or Ansible?
Buildkite starts at Free and Ansible at Free.
Does Buildkite or Ansible run on more platforms?
Buildkite runs on Web. Ansible runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
Can I use Buildkite for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Buildkite do that Ansible cannot?
Ansible covers Playbooks, Inventory management, Module library, Variables and templating.
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Related pages

More on Buildkite

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