Developer Tools · head to head
Buildkite vs Microsoft Edge
Buildkite
Developer Tools
CI/CD pipelines that run on your own compute
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
Microsoft Edge
Technology
Microsoft's Chromium-based browser, distinguished by IE mode for legacy applications and by its integration with Microsoft 365 management.
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
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; Microsoft Edge outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Buildkite and Microsoft Edge actually diverge.
| Attribute | Buildkite | Microsoft Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | free |
| Category | Developer Tools | Technology |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), 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 Buildkite
Nothing recorded that Microsoft Edge does not also cover.
Only in Microsoft Edge
- Internet Explorer mode
- Enterprise Mode Site List
- Entra ID integration
- Purview DLP for browsing
- Intune and Group Policy
- Vertical tabs and Workspaces
- Sleeping tabs
- Chrome extension compatibility
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Buildkite
- CI/CD pipeline automationnot Microsoft Edge
- Test execution at scalenot Microsoft Edge
- Deployment automationnot Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge
- A Windows estate with intranet applications that still require Internet Explorer, where IE mode buys years before a rewritenot Buildkite
- Microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by Purview DLP and conditional access without a separate secure browser productnot Buildkite
- Fleets managed through Intune that need one browser configured by the same console as the rest of the desktopnot Buildkite
- Users who work with many tabs at once and want vertical tabs and automatic tab suspension without installing extensionsnot 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
Microsoft Edge
- Outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
- It is Chromium downstream, so Manifest V3 applies exactly as it does in Chrome; full-strength blocking extensions cannot run, and Microsoft's add-ons store adds a second review process rather than a workaround.
- Almost all of its advantage is conditional on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID; a Google Workspace or AWS-centred organisation gets Chromium plus Microsoft's promotional surfaces and none of the Purview, Intune or conditional access value.
- Consumer-facing features including Copilot, the Discover pane, shopping notifications and sidebar apps default to on and reappear after feature updates, so suppressing them requires a maintained policy set rather than a one-off configuration.
- IE mode is a bridge with a maintenance owner attached: the Enterprise Mode Site List must be curated by somebody, and MSHTML receives security fixes but no new capability, so an application parked there gains nothing and its eventual rewrite is only deferred.
- By default browsing data feeds Microsoft services for Copilot, Discover and shopping features, which in a regulated environment turns the deployment into a policy exercise before it can be approved.
Pricing, plan by plan
Buildkite
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 5 users
- 10 concurrent jobs
- 2000 Linux vCPU minutes monthly
- Pro$30/month
- Up to 50 users
- 250 concurrent agents (10 included)
- 4000 Linux vCPU minutes monthly
- Enterprise$null/custom
- Unlimited users (30 minimum)
- Custom usage limits
- Full platform access
Microsoft Edge
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Edge review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Edge if
- You need internet explorer mode.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want enterprise mode site list.
Questions people ask
- Is Buildkite or Microsoft Edge better?
- Neither clearly leads. Buildkite starts at Free and Microsoft Edge at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Buildkite or Microsoft Edge?
- Buildkite starts at Free and Microsoft Edge at Free.
- Does Buildkite or Microsoft Edge run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Buildkite for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Microsoft Edge is typically brought in for.
- What can Buildkite do that Microsoft Edge cannot?
- Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode, Enterprise Mode Site List, Entra ID integration, Purview DLP for browsing.
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.
SourceMicrosoft Edge: Can I uninstall Edge from Windows?
In the European Economic Area, yes, because the Digital Markets Act requires it. Elsewhere you cannot, and several Windows components will continue to open it regardless of your default browser.
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.
SourceMicrosoft Edge: How long will Internet Explorer mode be supported?
Microsoft has committed to supporting IE mode in Edge through at least 2029. It is a migration window rather than a permanent home, since the underlying MSHTML engine gets security fixes but no new capability.
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.
SourceMicrosoft Edge: Do Chrome extensions work?
Yes. Edge installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store as well as its own store. Manifest V3 restrictions apply identically, so extensions that Chrome no longer supports do not work here either.
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.
SourceMicrosoft Edge: Is it worth deploying if we are not a Microsoft 365 organisation?
Usually not for the management features, which depend on Entra ID, Intune and Purview. Without that stack it is Chromium with a different interface and additional Microsoft promotion.
Microsoft Edge: Does it run on Linux?
Yes, there are official Linux builds. Some Windows-specific features, including IE mode, are not available there.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Edge
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