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Testing · head to head

CircleCI vs GNAT Pro

CircleCI logo

CircleCI

Testing

The leading CI/CD platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GNAT Pro logo

GNAT Pro

Developer Tools

Software development environments and toolchains for Ada, C/C++ and Rust

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CircleCI has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CircleCI the free plan covers 6,000 build minutes and 5 active users a month; GNAT Pro no pricing published on website; requires contacting AdaCore directly for quotes

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CircleCI and GNAT Pro actually diverge.

Attributes where CircleCI and GNAT Pro differ
AttributeCircleCIGNAT Pro
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
CategoryTestingDeveloper Tools
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What people use each for

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

CircleCI

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

GNAT Pro

  • Building certified avionics software meeting DO-178B/C standardsnot CircleCI
  • Developing automotive embedded systems with ISO-26262 compliancenot CircleCI
  • Integrating Ada, C/C++, and Rust components in single codebasenot CircleCI
  • Managing software supply chain vulnerabilities and SBOMsnot CircleCI
  • Supporting long-lived software systems spanning decadesnot 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

GNAT Pro

  • No pricing published on website; requires contacting AdaCore directly for quotes
  • Vendor indicates per-user, per-year subscription model but does not disclose specific costs

Pricing, plan by plan

CircleCI

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 6,000 build minutes (small Docker resource class)
    • Up to 5 active users per month
    • 30,000 free credits per month
  • Performance$15/month
    • 30,000 credits included monthly
    • 5 active users included (additional users $15/month each)
    • 80x concurrency
  • Scale$null/year
    • Custom number of credits
    • Customizable user limits
    • Unlimited concurrency

GNAT Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the GNAT Pro review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CircleCI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CircleCI review

Choose GNAT Pro if

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

GNAT Pro review

Questions people ask

Is CircleCI or GNAT Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. CircleCI starts at Free and GNAT Pro at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CircleCI or GNAT Pro?
CircleCI has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CircleCI and On request for GNAT Pro.
Does CircleCI or GNAT Pro run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use CircleCI for free?
Yes. CircleCI has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GNAT Pro starts at On request.
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 GNAT Pro is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CircleCI: How much does CircleCI Performance plan cost?

CircleCI Performance plan costs $15 USD per month and includes 30,000 credits, 5 active users, 80x concurrency, 5 GB network, and 2 GB storage. Additional users beyond 5 cost $15 each per month.

Source
GNAT Pro: How much does GNAT Pro cost?

GNAT Pro pricing is not published on the website. Customers must request a pricing quote by contacting AdaCore directly or speaking with a GNAT Pro expert.

Source
CircleCI: Can I purchase additional credits on CircleCI Performance plan?

Yes, additional credits are available at $15 for every 25,000 credits purchased. Paid credits roll over month to month and expire after one year; free plan credits expire monthly without rollover.

Source
GNAT Pro: What is GNAT Pro licensing model?

GNAT Pro is sold on a per-user, per-year basis with no license locks. Customers can request pricing for their specific needs.

Source
CircleCI: What is included in the CircleCI free plan?

The free plan includes up to 6,000 build minutes per month (small Docker resource class), 5 active users, 30,000 free credits monthly, 30x concurrency, 1 GB network, 2 GB storage, and community support. No credit card required.

Source
CircleCI: What are the Scale plan limits and pricing?

CircleCI Scale plan offers custom pricing billed annually with unlimited concurrency, 50 GB network, 200 GB storage, customizable credits and users, enterprise controls, and GPU environment access. Requires contacting sales for a quote.

Source
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