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CircleCI vs Codacy

CircleCI logo

CircleCI

Software

The leading CI/CD platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Codacy logo

Codacy

Software

Automated code review platform for code quality and security scanning.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CircleCI the free plan covers 6,000 build minutes and 5 active users a month; Codacy team plan is capped at 30 developers before Business pricing is required.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CircleCI and Codacy actually diverge.

Attributes where CircleCI and Codacy differ
AttributeCircleCICodacy
PlatformsWebweb, api
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 CircleCI

Nothing recorded that Codacy does not also cover.

Only in Codacy

  • Automated code review
  • Security scanning
  • IDE plugin
  • Merge gates
  • Coverage reports
  • Jira and Slack integration

What people use each for

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

CircleCI

  • Continuous integration pipelines for application codenot Codacy
  • Parallel test execution across containersnot Codacy
  • Docker-based builds with layer cachingnot Codacy
  • Deployment pipelines with approval gatesnot Codacy
  • Self-hosted runners for private infrastructurenot Codacy

Codacy

  • Automating pull request code reviewnot CircleCI
  • Enforcing shared coding standards across teamsnot CircleCI
  • Scanning for secrets and vulnerable dependenciesnot CircleCI
  • Tracking test coverage over timenot CircleCI
  • Blocking merges that fail quality gatesnot CircleCI

Where each one falls short

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

CircleCI

  • The free plan covers 6,000 build minutes and 5 active users a month
  • Active users are billed at $15 each beyond the included five, and an active user is anyone who commits to a project
  • Everything runs on credits, so compute, Docker layer caching at 200 credits a job and IP ranges at 450 credits per GB all draw from the same pool
  • Network and storage overage costs 420 credits per GB
  • Free credits expire monthly with no rollover, and paid credits expire after a year
  • Scale is annual billing only

Codacy

  • Team plan is capped at 30 developers before Business pricing is required.
  • Advanced security features like DAST and container scanning are Business-tier only.
  • Business plan pricing is not published and requires contacting sales.
  • Annual plans require 30 days' notice to modify or cancel before renewal.

Pricing, plan by plan

CircleCI

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CircleCI review.

Codacy

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • IDE plugin with real-time feedback
    • Security and quality scans
    • 38 languages supported
  • Team$18/month
    • Up to 30 developers
    • Up to 100 private repos, unlimited lines of code
    • AI Reviewer
  • Business$undefined/month
    • Unlimited private projects
    • Priority scan queue
    • DAST and container scanning

Which should you pick?

Choose CircleCI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CircleCI review

Choose Codacy if

  • You need automated code review.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want security scanning.
Codacy review

Questions people ask

Is CircleCI or Codacy better?
Neither clearly leads. CircleCI starts at Free and Codacy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CircleCI or Codacy?
CircleCI starts at Free and Codacy at Free.
Does CircleCI or Codacy run on more platforms?
CircleCI runs on Web. Codacy runs on web, api.
Can I use CircleCI for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CircleCI best used for?
CircleCI is most often used for continuous integration pipelines for application code, parallel test execution across containers, docker-based builds with layer caching, deployment pipelines with approval gates. Of those, continuous integration pipelines for application code and parallel test execution across containers are not what Codacy is typically brought in for.
What can CircleCI do that Codacy cannot?
Codacy covers Automated code review, Security scanning, IDE plugin, Merge gates.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Codacy: What does Codacy cost?

The Developer plan is free forever; Team starts at $18/dev/month billed yearly (or $21 monthly); Business is custom-priced for enterprise requirements.

Source
Codacy: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the Developer plan is free forever for individuals, including IDE feedback, scan-as-you-type, and security and quality scans across 38 languages.

Source
Codacy: Can I try Codacy before paying?

Codacy offers a 14-day free trial with full platform access and no credit card required.

Source
Codacy: What does it integrate with?

Codacy integrates with GitHub, Bitbucket, and GitLab for cloud-hosted scans, plus Jira and Slack for team notifications.

Source
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