Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

Buildkite vs Knack

Buildkite logo

Buildkite

Developer Tools

CI/CD pipelines that run on your own compute

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BuildkiteFull review
Knack logo

Knack

Databases

Hosted no-code database and web app builder priced by stored records and storage, with unlimited user accounts on every plan.

From
$59/month
Free plan
No
Visit KnackFull review

The short version

  • Buildkite is a CI/CD platform for build, test and deploy pipelines.
  • Buildkite has a free plan, then $30/mo; Knack starts at $59/mo.
  • Where Buildkite falls short: free plan caps at 5 users and 10 concurrent jobs, with 2,000 Linux vCPU minutes per month and 30 day build retention.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buildkite and Knack actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildkite and Knack differ
AttributeBuildkiteKnack
Starting priceFree$59/month
Free tierYesNo
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDatabases

Identical on both: pricing model (Subscription), platforms (Web).

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 Knack does not also cover.

Only in Knack

  • Visual database builder
  • User logins and roles
  • Page builder
  • Unlimited users
  • E-commerce
  • Automation flows
  • Scheduled tasks
  • REST API and webhooks

What people use each for

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

Buildkite

  • CI/CD pipeline automationnot Knack
  • Test execution at scalenot Knack
  • Deployment automationnot Knack

Knack

  • A member or client portal where thousands of external people need their own login and see only their own recordsnot Buildkite
  • Replacing a shared spreadsheet used by a team that has outgrown it but cannot justify a developer to build a bespoke internal toolnot Buildkite
  • Inventory, asset or case tracking for a small operations team that needs roles, forms and a record of who changed whatnot Buildkite
  • A registration or booking application for an association, school or non-profit where the user count is large and the record count stays modestnot 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

Knack

  • Plans are capped by stored records, so an application that logs events or keeps history rather than current state climbs tiers on data volume alone, and archiving old records becomes a permanent maintenance chore rather than a one-off
  • API access is capped per day, at 1,000 calls on the entry plan and 10,000 at the Corporate tier, so a scheduled sync or a busy automation can exhaust the day's quota before the working day ends and integrations then fail silently
  • The application itself cannot be exported or self-hosted; records can be downloaded but the pages, roles, flows and business logic exist only inside Knack, so outgrowing the platform means rebuilding the app rather than moving it
  • Customisation beyond the builder is limited to injected CSS and JavaScript that Knack's support does not cover, so any non-standard interface behaviour becomes yours to maintain against a DOM the vendor can change without warning
  • Compliance capabilities that regulated buyers assume are baseline, HIPAA and GovCloud options, advanced SSO, IP restrictions and private environments, are gated to the Corporate and Enterprise tiers, so a small regulated pilot cannot legitimately start on an entry plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Buildkite

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 5 users
    • 10 concurrent jobs
    • 2000 Linux vCPU minutes monthly
  • Pro$30/mo
    • Up to 50 users
    • 250 concurrent agents (10 included)
    • 4000 Linux vCPU minutes monthly
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Unlimited users (30 minimum)
    • Custom usage limits
    • Full platform access

Knack

$59/month
  • Starter$59/mo
    • 20,000 database records
    • Unlimited users, tables, fields
    • 25 AI credits
  • Pro$130/mo
    • 50,000 database records
    • Remove Knack branding
    • E-commerce payments
  • Corporate$300/mo
    • 125,000-2.5M database records
    • App restore functionality
    • Advanced SSO
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Dedicated account manager
    • HIPAA/GovCloud-based options
    • Custom pricing

Which should you pick?

Choose Buildkite if

  • You want to start without paying.
Buildkite review

Choose Knack if

  • You need visual database builder.
  • You also want user logins and roles.
Knack review

Questions people ask

Is Buildkite or Knack better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildkite starts at Free and Knack at $59/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildkite or Knack?
Buildkite has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Buildkite and $59/month for Knack.
Does Buildkite or Knack run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Buildkite for free?
Yes. Buildkite has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Knack starts at $59/month.
What is Buildkite best used for?
Buildkite is most often used for ci/cd pipeline automation, test execution at scale, deployment automation. Of those, ci/cd pipeline automation and test execution at scale are not what Knack is typically brought in for.
What can Buildkite do that Knack cannot?
Knack covers Visual database builder, User logins and roles, Page builder, Unlimited users.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Buildkite: Can I use Buildkite without paying?

Yes, Buildkite offers a free plan that includes up to 5 users, 10 concurrent jobs, 2000 Linux vCPU minutes monthly, and 250k test executions per month at no cost.

Source
Knack: Is Knack charged per user?

No. User accounts are unlimited on all plans. Plans are bounded by stored record count, file storage, API calls per day and automation transactions.

Buildkite: What happens if I exceed my included compute minutes on Buildkite?

Hosted agent compute is charged separately at $0.004 per Linux vCPU minute and $0.02 per Mac vCPU minute, billed to the second with no minimums.

Source
Knack: What happens when I exceed the record limit?

You move to a higher tier or reduce stored records. Because the limit is on data rather than people, apps that accumulate history hit it while apps that track a fixed set of entities generally do not.

Buildkite: Do I need an annual commitment for Buildkite's Pro plan?

No, Buildkite's Pro plan is billed monthly at $30 per active user with no long-term contract required. All tiers include a 30-day all-access trial.

Source
Knack: Can I export my application or self-host it?

You can export record data. The application itself, its pages, roles, permissions and flows, is not exportable and cannot be self-hosted, so leaving means rebuilding elsewhere.

Buildkite: What user limits apply to each Buildkite plan?

Free plan supports up to 5 users, Pro plan supports up to 50 users, and Enterprise plan provides unlimited users with a 30-user minimum.

Source
Knack: Is it suitable for public-facing portals?

That is its strongest case, because logins are unlimited and role-based permissions are built in. The constraint is record volume and API throughput, not audience size.

Knack: Can I use it for regulated data?

HIPAA-aligned and government cloud options exist but only on the Enterprise tier, along with private server environments. Lower tiers should not be used for regulated workloads.

Share

Related pages

More on Buildkite

More on Knack

Keep looking

Other head to heads